Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) marked the 47th anniversary of the enactment of Medicare.  Medicare provides a guaranteed set of benefits and affordable premiums to seniors and people with disabilities, including approximately 3,044,936 Texans.  President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law on July 30, 1965.  

“Today, we celebrate Medicare’s tremendous success in providing security to seniors and Americans with disabilities, including the approximately 3,044,936 Texans who rely on these benefits for their health care needs,” said Cuellar.  “I’m proud that I’ve helped pass legislation that makes Medicare work better by extending its solvency, increasing benefits and reducing prescription drug costs for our seniors.  I’ll continue to work to strengthen and protect Medicare so that it remains a bedrock promise for future generations.”

Today, Medicare provides comprehensive health care coverage to 48 million Americans, including 40 million seniors and 8 million people under 65 with disabilities.  Medicare is enormously popular with seniors and people with disabilities –Medicare beneficiaries are more satisfied with their coverage than Americans with private insurance. 

In 1964, only 51 percent of Americans over 65 had health care coverage; today, coverage covers almost all seniors in that age range. As a result, both seniors’ health care and economic security have greatly increased.  In 1964, life expectancy for Americans was only 70.2 years old.  Today, life expectancy is 78.5 years old.

“On this 47th anniversary of the enactment of Medicare, I stand with our seniors and recommit to rejecting plans that will end Medicare as we know it and increase costs on seniors and people with disabilities,” said Cuellar.  “Last week, I held a telephone town hall meeting to hear from Texans about how Medicare affects their lives. When I took a poll during the call, 91% of constituents on the line told me that they want Congress to continue the existing Medicare program.”  

In 2009, Cuellar supported the Affordable Care Act, which extends Medicare’s solvency through 2024 and improves its benefits.  The law also reduces the costs of prescription drugs for seniors in the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” coverage gap and provides seniors free coverage for key preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies and a free Annual Wellness Visit.

“I am proud to be a member of the party that passed Medicare, Social Security and health care reform—three crucial programs that make life better for Texans and all Americans,” said Cuellar.