Medicare is only 52 years old!?!

Yesterday I read Alfred Chiplin's "Medicare's Future: Letting the ACA Work, While Learning from the Past." (5/13/12013) He quoted from Paul Starr's history of medicine in the USA which offered some great details on the struggle to get Medicare passed in 1965. Advocates started this debate in 1906. It took 59 years to get Medicare in place, and it was very unpopular with many. It hit me as I read this article that my clients born in 1930 (and who are now 87) were my age when Medicare was put in place. That means they had no idea as a young adult that their old age would be safeguarded by Medicare. Now those same 87-year-olds have a strong sense of entitlement to their Medicare benefits, and we all take for granted this benefit is a guarantee for us if we reach 65. I can't believe how young Medicare is. I can't believe that many of my clients did not know about Medicare when they were the age I am now. This realization has stunned me, and it has also led me feel excited and optimistic about the changes that can come. I lack the vision to see what could be, but I read enough of what others are envisioning to know that tons of smart people have some great ideas. Recently I have done some research on how individuals and organizations have effectuated great change over the decades. It starts small with a strong collaboration. I wonder what change is in store for us.