Letter to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House
Transmitting Bill To Provide Health Insurance for the Aged. February 13, 1961




Dear Mr.--------------
     I am transmitting herewith a bill to provide health insurance benefits for the aged, financed through the social insurance system. I believe the need for such insurance is urgent. Every study has demonstrated that the costs of adequate health care for those over 65 are becoming an accelerated problem.
     Enactment of the legislation would not relieve its beneficiaries of their entire responsibility for the costs incurred by them for their medical needs, but it would enable them to meet most of their medical care costs without any humiliating means test. The financing is based upon the sound and proven social security principles.
     The enclosed letter from the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare describes the proposed legislation in more detail.
         Sincerely,

 JOHN F. KENNEDY

NOTE: This is the text of identical letters addressed to the Honorable Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the Senate, and to the Honorable Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
     Secretary Ribicoff's letter of February 10 was released with the President's letter. A summary of the provisions of the draft bill is published in the Congressional Record (vol. 107, Feb. 13, 1961, p. 2014).