[med-i-kair] 
| 1. | (sometimes lowercase ) a U.S. government program of hospitalization insurance and voluntary medical insurance for persons aged 65 and over and for certain disabled persons under 65. Compare Medicaid. |
| 2. | (lowercase) any of various government-funded programs to provide medical care to a population. |
| Med·i·care also med·i·care (měd'ĭ-kâr') n. A program under the U.S. Social Security Administration that reimburses hospitals and physicians for medical care provided to qualifying people over 65 years old. [medi(cal) + care.] |
A federal program providing medical care for the elderly. Established by a health insurance bill in 1965, as part of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society, the Medicare program made a significant step for social welfare legislation and helped establish the growing population of the elderly as a pressure group. (See entitlements.)
A federal health insurance program, administered by the Social Security Administration, that provides health care for the aged.
Medicare
A U.S. federal health program that subsidizes people who meet one of the following criteria:
1. An individual over the age of 65 who has been a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident for five years.
2. An individual who is disabled and has collected Social Security for a minimum of two years.
3. An individual who is undergoing dialysis for kidney failure or who is in need of a kidney transplant.
4. An individual who has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS-Lou Gehrig's disease).
Medicare helps out people at a time in their lives when they may have serious health problems but lack the funding for treatment.
Investopedia Commentary
Medicare is divided into two parts. The first part of the coverage encompasses in-patient hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health and hospice care. The second part of coverage encompasses almost all the necessary medical services (doctors' services, laboratory and x-ray services, wheelchairs, etc).
Related Links
Medicare: Defining the Lines
Long-Term Care Insurance: Who Needs It?
Taking The Surprise Out Of Long-Term Care
See also: Medicare Part D, Medicare Wages, Pension Plan, Social Security
Medicare Med·i·care or med·i·care (měd'ĭ-kâr')
n.
A program under the U.S. Social Security Administration that reimburses hospitals and physicians for medical care provided to qualifying people over 65 years old.
| Medicare medical care insurance |
