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: