Medicare is a government-run insurance program for people age 65 and older, people on Social Security disability for two or more years, and people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
The program was signed into law in 1965 and as been modified several times over the years, most significantly by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, which created Medicare Advantage Plans, and the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, which created Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans.
There are two parts to “Original Medicare”: Medicare Part A Hospital Coverage and Medicare Part B Medical Coverage. Unfortunately, Medicare alone is not enough, so most people choose to protect themselves by purchasing a Medicare supplement or signing up for a Medicare Advantage plan.