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

Example Sentences

Don’t miss: ‘This is an overlooked catastrophe’: Why do so many hospitals not accept Medicare Advantage for cancer patients?

From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026

Medicare will pilot a program, dubbed Bridge, to offer three weight-loss drugs for eligible members, who would pay $50 monthly copays.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026

Medicare will make decisions based on a patient’s body-mass index and other factors, which could take a few days or longer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026

Until now, Medicare hasn’t paid for the drugs when used for weight loss alone, and manufacturers aren’t allowed to provide direct financial assistance to these patients as they do for those on commercial insurance plans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 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