Special Event Celebrates Medicare's 50th Anniversary

Medicare and Medicaid will celebrate their 50 ^th Anniversary Thursday, July 30 ^th, and the New Mexico Health Care for All Coalition, along with AARP New Mexico and other community partners, is inviting everyone to a special celebration. This free event will take place July 30 ^th at the Explora Museum, 1701 Mountain Road NW, in Albuquerque, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Participants can also visit the museum prior to the event.

“On this special occasion, it’s important to acknowledge the significant role that Medicare and Medicaid plays in the lives of people of all ages,” said Gene Varela, AARP New Mexico State Director.

“In New Mexico there are currently 336,400 Medicare beneficiaries with another 431,420 adults and 367,500 children on Medicaid,” Varela said.

“There is no doubt that these programs provide important basic healthcare insurance for our state’s seniors and most vulnerable individuals,” he said.

AARP was started in 1958, after its founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, went on a quest to get health care coverage for retired teachers.  She first started this journey as the National Retired Teachers Association. She was turned down by 42 insurance companies before finding one willing to take the risk of insuring older individuals. During this journey she found that all older retirees were facing the same gap in healthcare coverage, leading to the creation of AARP.

Dr. Andrus had this to say in 1960, five years before President Lyndon Johnson would sign Medicare into law: “We believe that the health of our senior citizens is the concern of all our people. . . Once a luxury, (health protection) is now considered as a necessity in the same category as food, clothing and shelter. We maintain that it is the responsibility of society to make available to every older person the best and the least expensive types of medical protection.”

When President Johnson signed Medicare into law 50 years ago Medicaid also came with it so that both older individuals and individuals with lower incomes would also be protected. Medicare also covers some younger individuals with certain disabilities.

“Before 1965, almost half of older Americans had no health insurance. Getting sick meant you risked everything – not just your health, but your savings, and your financial independence. Thanks to this important legislation, more than 96 percent of older New Mexicans are receiving basic health care,” Varela said.

Other organizations also joining in this celebration include: BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico; Molina Healthcare, Presbyterian Centennial Care, and UnitedHealthcare.

Event participants can visit the museum prior to the celebration from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Simply let the front-door attendant know you are attending the Medicare 50 ^th Anniversary party and you’ll be given a bracelet and permitted to have full access to the exhibits.

For more information call (505) 322-2152 or to register visit EventBrite