Medicare  is the federal program that provides health coverage to over 41 million Americans, including virtually everyone age 65 and older and over 6 million younger adults with permanent disabilities.  People pay into Medicare throughout their working lives, and are generally eligible for Medicare when they turn 65.  Medicare covers most health care services, but does not cover long-term care services such as nursing home care.   While Medicare enjoys broad support among seniors and the general public, it  faces a number of policy challenges, including addressing the affordability of health and long-term care for beneficiaries; financing the program over the long-term, and addressing the role of government versus the private sector in Medicare.

This section contains resources on the basics of the Medicare program, the patients that use Medicare, and the program's role under health reform.