"When Medicare was first enacted in 1965, it provided coverage for hospitalization, doctor visits and surgeries, but there was no coverage for prescription medications"

This quote by Michael Burgess is describing the initial enactment of Medicare in 1965. Medicare was produced to offer coverage for hospitalization, doctor gos to, as well as surgeries, however it did not include coverage for prescription medicines. This suggested that people who required prescription drugs needed to pay for them out of pocket. This was a major problem for many individuals, as prescription medicines can be expensive and also not every person can manage them. The lack of protection for prescription medications was a significant concern for many individuals, as well as it was not up until 2006 that Medicare started to supply insurance coverage for prescription drugs. This was a significant progression in supplying access to healthcare for those who needed it.