Original sentence: All state and local government employees hired since 1986, or who are covered by Section 218 agreements, participate in Medicare even if not covered by Social Security.All workers in commerce and industry were required to enter the program, except railroad, state and local government workers.Most state and local government workers were eventually brought into the Social Security system under so-called "Section 218 agreements" where their employer agreed to participate in Social Security, while others were brought in under a 1991 law that required these employees to join Social Security if their employer did not provide them with a pension plan.Railroad workers also participate in Medicare.Railroad workers were covered by the Railroad Retirement Board before Social Security was founded; they still are, though a portion of each railroad pension is designated as "equivalent" to Social Security.Some state and local governments continue to maintain their own pension plans and have not executed Section 218 agreements; if so, their workers do not participate in Social Security.When it was introduced, all of these people were brought into Medicare as well
Edited sentence: All workers in commerce and industry were forced into the program, except railroad, state, city, schools and local government workers.Coverage for non-government workers was compulsory to nearly all.Most now have a joint Social Security and a defined benefit plans at often significantly higher cost for the same benefits.Railroad workers were covered by the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).The RRB and the SSA merged coverage in 1946.The state, city, schools and local government workers contributed to their own retirement programs which actually invested their contributions instead of immediately distributing them.This has resulted in these workers receiving much better retirements at often lower costs than social security receipients.To counter this over the years, social security coverage was made compulsory for nearly all of them and many of these workers (some could elect to stay out on grandfather clauses) had to join Social Security