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By karii0812
On February 19, 2019
On This Day: 1965 Medicare Bill
On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed and enacted the Social Security Amendments which included the two crucial programs of Medicare and Medicaid. President Johnson is known for his political initiatives of promoting equality and aiding the poor. Legislation from the "Great Society" has had a lasting impact on American society today.
President Johnson Signs Medicare Bill
Newsreel footage was shown of President Lyndon Baines Johnson signing a Medicare bill into law on July 30, 1965. That legislation was part of President Johnson’s “Great Society” initiative. President Harry S. Truman had previously pushed lawmakers to create a national health insurance plan. At the bill-signing ceremony at the Truman Presidential Library, President Johnson enrolled former President Truman as the first Medicare beneficiary and presented him with the nation’s first Medicare card.