What are Medicare & Medicaid?
Medicare and Medicaid are life saving programs that ensure access to affordable health care at all stages of life. Millions of children, older adults, people with disabilities, working people, and families receive life saving care, prescriptions, and services through Medicare and Medicaid. By filling coverage gaps, Medicare and Medicaid create a more equitable health care system, breaking down systemic health inequities for generations to come.
By the Numbers
Academy Resources
- Event
On July 30, the Academy brought together social insurance champions to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Medicaid, Medicare, and the Older Americans Act and recommit to the unfinished work ahead.
- Event
On June 23rd, 2026, the Academy hosted a virtual Lunch-and-Learn exploring LTSS policy. This session included an introduction to the landscape of long-term care supports, key challenges in LTSS policy, and reforms that can address these challenges.
- Panel
This conversation centers insights from qualitative research with older adults and people with disabilities, bringing their perspectives to the forefront and exploring what it looks like to align our policy systems with the needs of the people they serve.
- Event
As the Academy marks 40 years during a time of profound change and debate about the future of our social contract, we convened our annual Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.
- Panel
At a time when fear and retrenchment dominate the headlines, this panel explores what it looks like to meet this moment with vision, moral clarity, and the same boldness that gave rise to programs like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare.