Medicare

[ med-i-kair ]

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

Medicare

/ 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

Medicare

¹

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

Medicare

²

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 .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Medicare¹

medi(cal) + care

Word History and Origins

Origin of Medicare¹

C20: medi ( cal ) + care

Example Sentences

Social Security and/or Medicare “reform” along Paul Ryan-esque lines.

From The Daily Beast

Medicare, the program for the elderly and disabled, lifted its ban on covering sex reassignment surgery earlier this year.

From The Daily Beast

That law encourages doctors to opt out of Medicare—shrinking access to care.

From The Daily Beast

“Pfizer actively supported the Medicare Prescription Drug benefit which became law in 2003,” the company notes.

From The Daily Beast

In 2003, Congress and the Bush administration joined forces to create Medicare Part D—the prescription-drug benefit.

From The Daily Beast

And we must make sure that every senior on Medicare can choose a health care plan that offers prescription drugs.

From Project Gutenberg

We increase spending next year for Social Security and Medicare and other entitlement programs by $81 billion.

From Project Gutenberg

Health care reform must begin with Medicare; Medicare is the binding commitment of a caring society.

From Project Gutenberg

My budget will commit an additional $400 billion over the next decade to reform and strengthen Medicare.

From Project Gutenberg

Leaders of both political parties have talked for years about strengthening Medicare.

From Project Gutenberg