[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 13461-13462]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        COMMEMORATING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MEDICARE AND MEDICAID

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 31, 2015

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 50th 
Anniversary of the passage of Medicaid and Medicare, two of the most 
beneficial and consequential government programs ever launched.
  On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare and 
Medicaid into law as part of the Social Security Act and in the process 
made good on the commitments made by Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, 
Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and John Kennedy to provide health 
security to Americans in their old age.
  Medicare is a promise kept to those who have contributed a lifetime 
to our nation to enjoy their golden years with peace of mind and the 
security of reliable, affordable, and high quality healthcare.
  Likewise, Medicaid created a crucial partnership between the 
government and the people to provide a basic health care safety net for 
the most vulnerable Americans: children of adults with low incomes, 
persons with disabilities, and the poor.
  Mr. Speaker, half a century later, the legacy of these programs have 
proven how effective and critical government action can be to the life 
and well-being of our nation's most vulnerable.
  In 1965, almost half of all Americans aged 65 and older had no health 
coverage, living in fear that the colossal healthcare costs would drive 
them and their families into poverty.
  Today, because of Medicare, over 98% of seniors have health 
insurance, which has led to a five-year increase in life expectancy for 
those over 65.
  Today, 55 million Americans rely on Medicare for health care, ranging 
from preventive services, hospital visits, lab tests, to critical 
medical supplies, and prescription drugs.

[[Page 13462]]

  It is difficult for some to imagine what 1965 was really like, when 
today affordable, accessible and available health insurance is a 
reality for so many people living with disabilities.
  Before Medicaid was enacted children from poor families, pregnant 
women, and low-income working Americans were not able to afford even 
the most basic medical care they needed to remain healthy and 
productive.
  When the legislation was first passed, many claimed that Medicaid 
would not live up to its promise; but today, because of expansion of 
Medicaid through passage of the Affordable Care Act the program 
provides comprehensive coverage for over 70 million children, pregnant 
women, low-income adults, and people living with disabilities.
  Mr. Speaker, it cannot be seriously disputed that Medicare and 
Medicaid have changed our country and made it better.
  In my home state of Texas and in communities across the country, both 
programs have significantly changed the lives and improved health 
outcomes of many Americans over the past century and represent the best 
of American values.
  Unfortunately, Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured (27.6%) 
in the nation, 4% more than Louisiana the next state on the list and 
Texas' refusal to participate in the Medicaid expansion created by the 
Affordable Care act puts the poor residents in my state in jeopardy.
  So the 50th anniversary of Medicaid is bittersweet for Texans because 
while we celebrate a program that has saved lives, helped people live 
longer, expanded care to marginalized communities, and reduced 
disparities in access to healthcare, thousands of low income Texans 
still do not have the peace of mind that comes with access to 
affordable, quality health care enjoyed by low-income residents of 
states that have expanded their Medicaid program with funds made 
possible by the Affordable Care Act.
  In the 18th Congressional District of Texas there are 195,400 persons 
with Medicaid and 74,704 with medical care provided by Medicare.
  Mr. Speaker, my constituents favor the Affordable Care Act because 
they understand the insecurity and feeling of helplessness of being 
uninsured or underinsured.
  Like Medicare and Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, or 
``Obamacare,'' was vehemently opposed and derided by its adversaries, 
who said it was too costly, would not work, was unnecessary, or would 
change the character of America for the worse.
  Like the critics of Social Security, Medicare, and the G.I. Bill, all 
of whom are silent now, they are wrong.
  The Affordable Care Act has been an unqualified success.
  This historic legislation has extended affordable health coverage to 
tens of millions of Americans, and has helped to bring peace of mind to 
many of those for whom relief seemed far out of reach.
  The Affordable Care Act was driven by a simple premise: that citizens 
of the most prosperous nation on earth should not be forced to choose 
between their health and their financial security.
  Since the passage of the ACA in 2010, the number of uninsured 
Americans has fallen by nearly one-third, or roughly 16 million people.
  These Americans come from all walks of life.
  They are women, who can no longer be denied coverage or be forced to 
pay exorbitant amounts for coverage simply because of their sex.
  There are nine million seniors and persons with disabilities, who 
have saved an average of $1,600 on expensive and lifesaving 
prescription medication.
  And they are this country's most at risk citizens; people who are 
working hard and struggling to make ends meet while living in near-
poverty, and who have been covered by Medicaid expansion in 27 states 
and the District of Columbia.
  These benefits have been felt across the country, especially in my 
home state of Texas:
  1. 10.7 million individuals with pre-existing conditions such as 
asthma, cancer, or diabetes--including up to 1,632,000 children--no 
longer have to worry about being denied coverage or charged higher 
prices because of their health status or history;
  2. 4.9 million uninsured Texans have new health insurance options 
through Medicaid or private health plans in the ACA Marketplace; and
  3. 5.2 million persons on private insurance have gained coverage for 
at least one free preventive health care service such as a mammogram, 
birth control, or an immunization in 2011 and 2012.
  In addition to the tangible healthcare benefits for millions of 
families, the ACA has had powerful effects on the financial state of 
our nation.
  Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, we have extended the 
solvency of the Medicare Trust fund by more than a decade, and helped 
save taxpayers $116 billion through new Medicare efficiencies.
  The Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that 
hospitals saved more than $5.7 billion in costs that would have 
normally gone unpaid by patients without insurance.
  Contrary to the claims of the law's critics, private insurance 
companies have leaped at the opportunity to compete for business among 
the newly insured, and the healthcare industry has boomed.
  Through all of these successes, however, House Republicans remain 
obsessed with destroying this law, and with unraveling the security it 
provides to millions of Americans.
  Medicare and Medicaid also continue to drive innovation and set the 
standard for coverage, quality, and innovation in American healthcare.
  Mr. Speaker, Medicare and Medicaid continue to play crucial roles in 
providing equitable and affordable healthcare, leading innovation in 
payment and delivery reform, carrying out outreach to the most 
vulnerable communities, and reshaping the delivery of care for the 
future.
  Because of these programs, more Americans have access to affordable, 
equitable health care today than at any point in our history.
  And I am committed to making sure that number will continue to grow.
  On this 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, we should remember 
that a healthy America is a prosperous America.
  And as we look ahead to the next half century, we can celebrate that 
what was put in place in 1965 has given us the foundation for a healthy 
and prosperous future for all Americans.

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