Administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)—a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—the Medicare program also covers younger people with disabilities and those with end stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Because it is a government program, Medicare differs from traditional private insurances in that it disseminates the financial risk associated with illness across all U.S. citizens, thus protecting everyone in society. Private insurers, on the other hand, adjust pricing based on perceived risk.