As we approach the 50th anniversary of Medicare this summer, The Commonwealth Fund is launching a new series of publications to assess its historic accomplishments, examine the program's most pressing challenges, and explore options for strengthening and improving Medicare for current and future beneficiaries.
The first report, Medicare: 50 Years of Ensuring Coverage and Care, describes how Medicare has helped transform health care in the United States—and stimulated broader social change as well. Authors Karen Davis, Cathy Schoen, and Farhan Bandeali also evaluate the current state of the program, assess how beneficiaries are faring, and lay out some of the critical demographic, fiscal, and structural issues facing policymakers going forward.
Also, be sure to see our interactive timeline of Medicare milestones.