Harry Truman sends a message to Congress asking for legislation establishing a national health insurance plan. By the end of Truman's administration, he had backed off from a plan for universal coverage, but administrators in the Social Security system and others had begun to focus on the idea of a program aimed at insuring Social Security beneficiaries. Ex-president Truman is the first to enroll in Medicare. 1972 Disabled persons under age 65 and those with end-stage renal disease become eligible for coverage.
Services expand to include some chiropractic services, speech therapy and physical therapy.
Payments to HMOs are authorized. SSI recipients are automatically eligible for Medicaid. 1982 Hospice benefits are added on a temporary basis. Most federal civilian employees become covered. 1984 Remaining federal employees, including President, members of Congress and federal judiciary become covered.