Government insurance programs
President Lyndon Johnson signed the government -run health insurance programs, Medicare and Medicaid, into law in 1965 . Medicare, administered and funded at the federal level , covered the elderly (65 and older) , and Medicaid , administered and jointly funded by the states, covered the poor and permanently disabled. About 50 million people relied on Medicare for some or all of their health care needs in 2014, including about 42 million elderly people , more than 95% of the U.S. elderly population . about 8 million permanently disabled people (half of that population) replied on Medicare, and many were also eligible for Medicaid.
Medicaid or other public insurance programs were the primary health insurance for about 55 million people , many of whom were children ; virtually any poor child was eligible for Medicaid . Each state's Medicaid program had different eligibility requirements and benefits .About 43% of the funding for Medicaid came out of state budgets and these funds often accounted for 10% or more of the total state budget.