How Medicare Came to Be, and How It Measures Up As a Policy

In this week's deep dive, we examined the history of Medicare, from its origins as an idea for state policy in the 1910's all the way up to its current form. We discuss its interaction with private sector insurers in Medicare Part C, and the introduction of prescription drug coverage in Part D. We imagine ways that history could have gone differently to make the legislation closer to, or further from, a universal healthcare plan. Then, we consider how it might be amended today.