Final answer:
Johnson's Medicare program, established in 1965 as part of the Social Security Act, provided medical benefits primarily to the elderly over the age of 65 and was later expanded to include certain disabled individuals. Medicaid was also created to assist various low-income groups including families with children, the elderly poor, and the disabled.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Lyndon B. Johnson's Medicare program was created as part of the Social Security Act of 1965. Its main purpose was to provide medical benefits to the elderly, specifically to those over sixty-five, a demographic that was among the most disadvantaged and had less access to medical insurance. While initially Medicare did not include coverage for some services, it provided substantial aid for hospital bills (Plan A) or functioned similarly to an employer's health plan (Plan B). Additionally, the act also included provisions for the disabled, expanding eligibility to certain disabled Americans under sixty-five.
Subsequently, Medicaid was also enacted as a federal-state program designed to offer medical benefits to various low-income groups, including families with children, the elderly poor, and the disabled—widening the scope of government-assisted medical care.