Political Quotes

“I rise to highlight a Presidential message that was delivered to Congress 50 years ago today. But before I reiterate the importance of Medicare and Medicaid--facts that I think my colleagues and I can all agree to I would like to look back at where we have been, to recall what life was like for so many people who were poor and disabled, uninsured or unlucky before these vital safety net programs were here. Those were the days of the ``poor farm'' and the ``almshouse,'' places the poor and uninsured would go for care. It wasn't a happy choice and more often than not, it was the only choice. These places provided care, often rudimentary, and often carried a stigma. Accommodations were sparse at best. In return for health care and housing, residents were expected to work in the adjoining farm or do housework or other menial labor to offset the cost of their stay. This was the primary option for someone whose extended family couldn't provide help or didn't want to--right here in the USA. Few Americans today remember those days. When President Johnson submitted his message to Congress 50 years ago today, fewer than half of America's elderly even had health insurance. In that era, and it wasn't that long ago, it wasn't uncommon for the sick elderly to be treated like second class citizens, and as a result, many aging Americans without family to care for them ended up destitute, without necessary health care, or on the street.…”