Medicare, Medicaid Turn 50 Years Old

NPR

Published July 30, 2015 at 12:53 PM EDT

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

President Lyndon B. Johnson uses the last of many pens to complete the signing of the Medicare Bill into law at ceremonies at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, on July 30, 1965, with former President Harry S. Truman at his side. (AP)

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation establishing Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare being government health coverage for senior citizens and Medicaid being government health coverage for the poor.

The first enrollee? Former President Harry Truman.

Today, in 2015, there are more than 52 million Americans on Medicare and 31 million low-income Americans are covered by Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.

Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson discusses the signing.