Healthcare & Social Policy – Timeline of Key Acts

Federal healthcare and social policy has developed over nearly a century to provide safety nets, regulate insurance, and expand access to care. This timeline highlights the most impactful laws still shaping U.S. healthcare and social policy.

Social Security Act (1935)

• Created the Social Security system.
• Established unemployment insurance, old-age benefits, and aid to dependent children.
• Still the foundation of U.S. social insurance.

Medicare & Medicaid (1965, amendments to the Social Security Act)

• Created Medicare for seniors (65+) and Medicaid for low-income individuals.
• Codified at 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395 et seq.
• Remain two of the largest federal programs today.

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP, 1997)

• Expanded health coverage for children in low-income families not eligible for Medicaid.
• Joint federal–state program.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA, 1996)

• Guaranteed portability of health insurance between jobs.
• Established health data privacy rules and security standards.
• Codified at 42 U.S.C. §§ 1320d et seq.

Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA, 2008)

• Required group health plans to provide equal coverage for mental health and substance use disorders as for medical/surgical benefits.
• Strengthened by later amendments under the Affordable Care Act.

Affordable Care Act (ACA, 2010)

• Expanded health insurance coverage through subsidies and Medicaid expansion.
• Prohibited denial of coverage for preexisting conditions.
• Established insurance marketplaces and mandated essential health benefits.

21st Century Cures Act (2016)

• Increased funding for medical research.
• Streamlined FDA approval processes.
• Expanded access to mental health and opioid treatment.

CARES Act (2020)

• COVID-19 emergency relief act.
• Provided direct payments, expanded unemployment insurance, and allocated billions for hospitals and testing.

American Rescue Plan Act (2021)

• Expanded ACA subsidies.
• Extended unemployment benefits and child tax credits.
• Provided significant funding for COVID-19 response and healthcare systems.

Why It Matters Today

These laws collectively:

Medicare & Medicaid Act (1965)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read historical signing statement and statute (SSA.gov)

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to provide health insurance for two vulnerable groups:

• Medicare (Title XVIII): Seniors (65+) and certain disabled individuals.
• Medicaid (Title XIX): Low-income individuals and families.

It was part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society programs.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before 1965, older and low-income Americans often had little or no access to affordable healthcare. Employer-based insurance and charity care dominated, leaving many uninsured.