William Dean Fullerton

FULLERTON, William Dean (Bill), 82, of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, passed away on Saturday, June 12, 2010 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was born to the late Dean Fullerton and June Steele Jolly on December 9, 1927, in Mars, Pennsylvania. Bill grew up in Rochester, New York area, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Government Studies from the University of Rochester in 1951. He spent most of his career in the Washington, DC area, before retiring to Cary, North Carolina, then Crystal River, Florida. Bill is survived by his wife of 51 years, Julia, and four children: Cathy Fullerton (Raleigh, NC), Scott and Mary Ann Fullerton (Land O’ Lakes, FL), Jim and Michele Fullerton (Apex, NC), and Dirk Fullerton (Cary, NC); six grandchildren: Owen and his wife Kimberly Fullerton (Land O’Lakes, FL), Anthony Fullerton (Raleigh, NC), Alexandra Fullerton (Cary, NC), Ella Fullerton (Cary, NC), Jaime Fullerton (Apex, NC) and Mikaela Fullerton (Apex, NC); one brother Donald and his wife, Judith Fullerton (Clinton, IA), and sister-in-law Julie Fullerton (Spencerport, NY). Preceded in death by his parents, brother (John Fullerton), and sister (Norma Fullerton). Bill retired from the Prospective Payment Assessment Commission and as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1979, he co-founded the Health Policy Alternatives, a health policy think tank in Washington, DC, and served as Principal and President until 1984. Bill was the first Deputy Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration (1977-1979; which is currently known as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services), and was closely involved with the Medicare program from 1964 – 1976, first as an analyst in the Social Security Administration, then as a senior associate in the legislative reference service in the Library of Congress, and as the health staff director at the Committee on Ways & Means of the House of Representatives for 6 years. In 1965, he became the first Executive Secretary of the Health Insurance Benefits Advisory Council, the organization that oversaw the initial implementation of the Medicare program. Before that he held various positions in the Social Security Administration. A founding member of the National Academy of Social Insurance, he was also elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, and served in the U.S. Army. Bill loved to laugh. He was a master gardener, accomplished musician – piano and the accordion, and loved to travel. A celebration of Bill’s life will be held on Sunday, June 20, 2010 from 2:00-4:00pm at Loyless Funeral Home. A committal service will be held at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL, on Monday, June 21 at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to HPH Hospice (www.hph-hospice.org).