How Was Medicare Created? 
Apparently president Teddy Roosevelt championed the idea of a national health insurance program way back in 1912 , but was unsuccessful in getting it established . Later in 1945 President Truman proposed to congress that a national health insurance fund be created to benefit all Americans . That also failed to gain traction . President Kennedy made a bid for a national health insurance program also pleading that 56 % of Americans over 65 had no health insurance nor could afford it . Finally in 1965 President Johnson signed the legislation that made Medicare a reality . 