Medicare

American  

[med-i-kair] / ˈmɛd ɪˌkɛər /

noun

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.

2. (lowercase) any of various government-funded programs to provide medical care to a population.

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Medicare British  

/ ˈmɛdɪˌkɛə /

noun

1. (in the US) a federally sponsored health insurance programme for persons of 65 or older

2. (often not capital) (in Canada) a similar programme covering all citizens

3. (in Australia) a government-controlled general health-insurance scheme

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Medicare ¹ Cultural  

1. A federal health insurance program, administered by the Social Security Administration, that provides health care for the aged.

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Medicare ² Cultural  

1. 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.)

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Etymology

Origin of Medicare

medi(cal) + care

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Medicare

That gives remote-monitoring companies time to propose to CMS measures that would curb fraud but maintain Medicare reimbursement for third-party services.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Waiting until age 73 to withdraw from tax-deferred accounts can trigger higher taxes and Medicare premium surcharges.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

Kiros, like El-Sayed, campaigned on issues that have become central to young progressive voters: the cost of living, universal childcare and Medicare for All.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

During this time, eligible adults can switch from traditional Medicare to a private Medicare Advantage plan, change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, and join or change a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026

Some were covered through Medicare, others on and off by spouses, but they all went stretches with no coverage or money for treatment.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

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