Historical context: The intersection of politics and Medicare policy

California Healthline: Politics Have Always Been Part Of Policy - But Have We Hit A New Low?
The 1920s-era charge that national health insurance was socialist eventually begat Ronald Reagan's 1961 anti-Medicare record album. A 1972 carve-out won special Medicare treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. A 2009 deal would have given Sen. Ben Nelson's (D) home state of Nebraska extra Medicaid funding to help win his support for the Affordable Care Act. But outside of sweeping legislative battles, it's tough to recall another moment when politics felt so present in the day-to-day of our health system (Diamond, 12/14).