DeLauro Wishes Medicare And Medicaid A Very Happy 48th Birthday

Press Release

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) released the following statement today wishing Medicare and Medicaid a very happy 48th birthday. President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the landmark health care programs into law on July 30, 1965. DeLauro is a longtime supporter of ensuring that every American has access to affordable, quality, comprehensive health care.

"Medicare and Medicaid marked a turning point in America's history. Along with Social Security, they form the bedrock foundations of our American social insurance system. With their passage, no longer would the poor or elderly have to go without basic health care. This has paid dividends for decades, in the form of a healthier, more productive nation.

"Yet, Medicare and Medicaid are still under attack. Before these programs became law, people all too often found themselves destitute and unable to take care of their health problems. We cannot slash benefits today and force millions of Americans back into that situation."

Before Medicare became law, only half of Americans over the age of 65 had health coverage; now virtually all do. The average life expectancy of Americans has risen by eight full years. One out of six Connecticut residents receives health insurance through Medicare, nine out of ten of whom are 65 or older.

Millions of Medicaid beneficiaries--including the 586,713 in Connecticut--use their coverage for vital needs like long-term care, disability services and mental health care.

DeLauro is the senior Democrat on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Health and Human Services Department, among other agencies. She is a leading voice in Congress for ensuring Medicare and Medicaid meet the health needs of seniors and those struggling to get by.

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