Depending on the government

I started to question the longtime stability of the Medicare system when I received my Medicare card. The Social Security system, in its wisdom, issued a card printed on cheap cardboard that looked like it might last 6 months. Why couldn't they at least laminate it? The card has begun to fray significantly around the edges, especially because I have to pull it out of my wallet from time to time. Is this a reflection of how long I would have to use it? Would I expire before the card fell apart? My father lived to be 99--did his Medicare card last?