A federal health insurance program in the United States primarily for people aged 65 and older. It provides coverage for hospital care, medical services, and prescription drugs.
Coined in the 1960s as a portmanteau of 'medical' and 'care,' combining Latin medicus (relating to healing) with Middle English care (concern, attention). The term was specifically created for the U.S. social insurance program established in 1965 under President Lyndon Johnson.
Medicare was actually named through a contest - the winning entry combined 'medical' and 'care' to create a friendly, accessible term that would make government healthcare sound less bureaucratic. The program covers over 64 million Americans and processes more than 1.2 billion claims annually!
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