Medicare has helped Americans who turn 65 since 1965. Today many people are enrolled and the program is paid mainly through payroll taxes.
A new study compared death records and Medicare files from 2012 to 2022. It found that deaths among adults aged 18 to 64 rose, so some people never reached Medicare. The increase was bigger for Black adults than for white adults. The authors say policymakers should think about when people need health coverage.
Difficult words
- enroll — to join a program or listenrolled
- payroll tax — money taken from workers' pay for governmentpayroll taxes
- death record — official document that shows when someone dieddeath records
- policymaker — person who helps create government rulespolicymakers
- coverage — help that pays for medical care costs
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do some people never reach Medicare, according to the study?
- What change did the study find between 2012 and 2022?
- Should policymakers change when people get health coverage? Why or why not?
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