ON MEDICARE AND SIGNING OF PERSONAL

APPLICATION FOR MEDICARE

ANNAPOLIS

January 6, 1966

During my many years of serving the people of Maryland, I have
always tried to discharge my public responsibilities with the same
integrity and diligence with which I meet my private responsibilities.
In essence, this means furthering the quality of our lives, but doing
it in a way that is financially sound and responsible.

Today, it is my pleasure to further both the public interest and a
personal interest of my own. This paper that I am signing—an agree-
ment between the State of Maryland and the Federal Government-
provides that the State Public Health Department will play an im-
portant part in bringing the benefits of Medicare to many thousands
of older people in Maryland when the program goes into effect next
July. No longer will their financial independence be threatened by
the high cost of illness that has previously made so many of our self-
reliant older people poor....

These second papers Mrs. Tawes and I are signing are our applica-
tions for Social Security Benefits, including Medical Insurance under
Medicare. You know, no one gets this part of Medicare—the part that
pays the doctor bills—unless he signs up for it.

(Governor to sign state agreement at this time. )

I will now ask Robert M. Ball, Commission of Social Security to sign
the agreement on behalf of the Social Security Administration.

(Commissioner Ball signs agreement at this time and has a few re-
marks to make. )

(After Commissioner Ball's remarks, Governor and Mrs. Tawes will
sign personal Social Security applications. )

Commissioner Ball: Congratulations, Governor Tawes you have just
joined one of the most unexclusive clubs in our nation. Nearly ten
million of your fellow citizens sixty-five and older have already signed
up.

Governor Tawes: I can't pass up a bargain, Mr. Ball, whether it's
for myself or the State of Maryland. And at $3. 00 a month Medicare

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