Health Care Policy
Agenda Setting
After the Kerr-Mills Act was unsucessful there was a need for health care reform. Medicare and Medicaid was on President Kennedy's agenda and Lyndon Johnson's after Kennedy was assaisnated. There was also a lack of protection for the elderly prior to Medicare. The economic problem of having health care cost more the older you got really sparked the agenda for Medicare and Medicaid.
Policy Formulation
In 1965 the House Ways and Means Committee began to work on a Medicare proposal. They came up with two options, expansion of the Kerr-Mills legislation and "Bettercare." When President Kennedy got elected, he supported the idea of Medicare. When Johnson became president he made healthcare his top priority. Initially Medicare and Medicaid became the legislation oppose to the expansion of Kerr-Mills and "Bettercare."
Policy Implementation
Medicare and Medicaid was initially established with the amendments to the to the social security program.There was a long road of planning before Medicare and Medicaid came about so that Lyndon Johnson had an excellent health care policy. There were consultations with legislative experts, legislative hearings, and deliberations of advisory groups.
Medicare and Medicade in 1965
