1965 – Medicare

A spectators' section in convention hall of the Democratic National Convention on August 26, 1964, is jammed with senior citizens supporting the Medicare legislation President Johnson is trying to push through Congress.

Every Democratic administration since Franklin Roosevelt had tried to create some form of government-assisted health care, but Johnson is the first to succeed, signing the Medicare Bill on July 30, 1965. Former President Harry Truman is the first person to enroll in the new program, which helps provide health care for seniors and the disabled. (© AP Images)