July 29: "Saturday Marks the 46th Anniversary of Medicare Being Signed Into Law"

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur released the following statement to mark the 46th anniversary of Medicare being signed into law:

"Before Medicare was enacted 46 years ago when President Lyndon Johnson championed its passage, barely half of all American seniors had health care coverage. Today our nation has achieved health insurance coverage or all seniors, or "universal" coverage.

Americans pay into Medicare their entire working lives for the ability to benefit from comprehensive health care coverage in their retirements. We must continue to protect this promise to the American people.

That is why I have voted against the Republican budget plans to end Medicare and throw seniors back into the undependable, often unavailable, unaffordable, and cruel private insurance market that existed prior to Medicare. These plans endanger the reliable care and health security that 47 million Americans on Medicare enjoy today.

I am fully committed to ensuring that the promise of Medicare will be there for future generations. Medicare for senior citizens is an equal benefit; it's a right for all, not just the privileged few."