Claim: "Before Medicare, only 51 percent of Americans 65 and older had health care coverage and nearly 30 percent lived below the poverty line. Today, thanks to Medicare ... nearly all seniors have coverage and 75 percent fewer struggle in poverty."
Fact-check: U.S. Rep. Ron Kind says that "thanks to Medicare," 75% fewer seniors are in poverty, and most have health coverage
Verdict: half-true
Organisation: PolitiFact
Author: Dave Umhoefer
Date published: 2011-08-25T00:00:00