July 30, 2015
A new book "Medicare and Medicaid at 50: America's Entitlement Programs in the Age of the Affordable Care Act," uses various essays written by scholars in economics, health policy and history to chart the history of the laws and how they became widely accepted. And it frequently points to similarities between the programs. Both laws were politically charged as they were introduced and rolled out, and both aimed to cover more people, while facing an evolving landscape in technology, patient demographics and payment models. They conclude that Americans have come to depend on the programs, and that they have demonstrated overall efficient care and coverage, while regularly innovating.
Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, and one of the book's editors, spoke with U.S. News about the politics of the programs, the similarities they share with the ACA, and how the government can improve health and control costs.