Statement on the 45th Anniversary of the Implementation of Medicare

Today marks the 45th anniversary of the implementation of Medicare, which was signed into law on July 30, 1965 and began to take effect July 1, 1966. Regarding this anniversary, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said:

For 45 years, Medicare has offered American seniors the ability to obtain the care they need throughout their retirement and live in a more healthy and dignified way. Though Medicare has evolved throughout the years, the promise we’ve made to seniors has been unbroken, and through the Affordable Care Act, Democrats have provided greater security to America’s seniors by closing the prescription drug ‘donut hole,’ ensuring affordable access to preventive care and trimming overpayments to insurance companies.

Unfortunately, Republicans are doing everything they can to guarantee that Medicare as we know it never reaches its 46th year. In Congress and on the campaign trail, Republicans are calling for reduced benefits and higher costs to seniors – all so that they can offer more tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. We cannot allow Republicans to deprive America’s seniors of vital benefits simply to line the pockets of the wealthiest few – to do so would be to cast aside our obligations to our parents and grandparents and to turn our backs on the sense of mutual responsibility for our fellow citizens that has made our country great and helped build our middle class.

On this anniversary of the implementation of Medicare, I as a Representative of tens of thousands of Florida seniors and the Democratic Party reaffirm our commitment to protecting Medicare and guaranteeing that this program marks many more successful years.