Law
Social Security Amendments of 1965
Created Medicare and Medicaid while expanding older-age and public assistance programs, making federal health coverage a permanent pillar of the welfare state.
Year
1965
Impact
Positive
Status
Active
Party
Democratic Party
Era
Civil Rights Era
Impact Context
Greatly expanded health insurance access and became central to reducing racial gaps in medical coverage and care, especially through Medicaid and later expansions tied to it.
What This Policy Did
Greatly expanded health insurance access and became central to reducing racial gaps in medical coverage and care, especially through Medicaid and later expansions tied to it.
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Sources
Congress.gov • Government • Jul 30, 1965
Congressional record for the law that created Medicare and expanded medical assistance under Medicaid.
KFF • Nonprofit • Aug 26, 2020
Provides context on Medicaid's role in narrowing racial coverage gaps, which reflects the long legacy of the 1965 amendments.