U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature For February 9

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9: MEDICARE

Profile America —Saturday, February 9th.    On this date in 1961, newly inaugurated President John Kennedy asked Congress to approve a health insurance program for 14.2 million Americans 65 or older, financed by an increase in social security taxes.  The proposal languished in Congress until after Kennedy was assassinated, when Medicare finally passed and was signed into law July 30, 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson.  Now, more than 49 million people are enrolled — eight million of them disabled.  The 2010 Census counted over 40 million Americans age 65 and over.  That number is projected to exceed 88 million by 2050.  You can find more facts about America's people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 146U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB12-FF.07

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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