This year marks the 55th anniversary of Medicaid. On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Social Security Act Amendments, which established the Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Medicaid was originally designed to provide health coverage to low-income Americans, but over the years this role has expanded to include support for millions of children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.
The Modern Medicaid Alliance is dedicated to educating policymakers and the public about the benefits of Medicaid to the American people in terms of cost savings, health outcomes, and social impact, and to highlight how Medicaid is innovating health care delivery – especially for America’s most vulnerable citizens – and ensuring accountability.
To celebrate Medicaid’s 55th anniversary, a number of Modern Medicaid Alliance partners provided their perspectives on the unique role and value of today’s Medicaid program in the lives of millions of Americans: