Intro to American Politics Rhoomberg Ch 17
What is public health? What are major federal public health programs and what do they do? what do state and local public health programs do?
Public Health:the health of the population as a whole, especially as monitored, regulated, and promoted by the state. National Institute Health-create to do biomedical research Center for Disease Control-monitores health outbreaks of disease and implements prevention measures, coordinates public-health campaigns. ObamaCare, Medicaid, Medicare.
List and explain the programs and policies your text identifies as being designed to promote equality of opportunity.
"No Child Left Behind"-it aimed to improve standards through stronger federal requirements for testing and school accountability. "Medicaid and Medicare" are also forms of equal opportunity programs designed to give health care to older or disabled, and needy families. Leading to the "Affordable Care Act"
What did social policy un the US look like prior to the New Deal? Why did social policies change and begin involving the government? Describe the history of social policy after 1935.
1)Before the New Deal the US social welfare system was almost entirely private composed of an extensive system of voluntary donations through different organizations. Most often it was called "charity," and although it was private and voluntary, it was thought of as a public obligation. 2)The programs were in response to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call the "3 Rs": Relief, Recovery, and Reform. That is Relief for the unemployed and poor; Recovery of the economy to normal levels; and Reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression.
What is the tole of state governments in the administration of TANF, SNAP, and Medicaid? How was welfare "reformed" in 1996? Why was it done? What has the result been in how many people receive welfare benefits via TANF?
1)Their is a growing divide evident in state chooses about social benefits. The rest is a patchwork that is growing more diverse. 2) In 1996 abolished AFDC and replaced it with TANF (block grants); they also introduced "means testing" which was a procedure that requires applicants to show a financial need for assistance. The new laws also established time limits and imposed work requirement. The aim was to reduce welfare caseloads, promote work, and reduce out-of-wedlock births. 3) after this law was enacted the number of families receiving assistance dropped by 60% nationwide.
What is the difference between contributory social programs and non contributory social program? give example of each. Is there a difference in public support if the two kinds of programs? Why or why not?
Contributory Programs: social programs financed in whole or in part by taxation or other mandatory contributions by their present or future recipients. ex. Social Security is one because working Americans contribute a percentage go there wages and from which they receive cash benefits after retirement of if they become disabled. NonContributory Programs: social programs that provide assistance to people on the basis of demonstrated need rather than any contribution they have made. Also known as "public assistance programs" or "welfare". ex. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which is also known as food stamps, and Medicaid; a federally financed, state-operated program providing medical services to low-income people.
What benefits do elderly, middle class, working poor and nonworking poor get from social programs in the US?
Elderly: they receive social security and Medicare Middle Class: benefit form the shadow welfare state, social benefits that private employers offer to their workers: medical insurance, and pensions. Working Poor: Affordable Care Act, Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program Nonworking Poor: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, but they also rely on SNAP and Medicaid
How does the US define the poverty level? what was the poverty level for a family of three in 2013?
If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold, then that family and every individual in it is considered in poverty. In 2013 it was $19,530
Describe the issues regarding current and future funding for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. What are some proposed solutions for Social Security?
Social support programs like Medicaid and SNAP are also in jeopardy. As a shared program between states and the federal government, Medicaid's rapid growth is putting enormous stress on both federal and state balance sheets. Unless lawmakers promptly reform Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, America faces a future of soaring taxes and government spending that will cause poor economic performance. Americans will pay onerous taxes, and future generations will have lower living standards than Americans enjoy today. The longer lawmakers wait to enact the necessary reforms, the more painful those reforms will be.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
TANF cash assistance is a program providing temporary financial assistance to needy families. The receipt of TANF cash assistance is limited to 60 months in an adult's lifetime.
What are tax expenditures and how do they relate to "shadow welfare"? What are two kinds of tax expenditures discussed in class?
Tax expenditures are government subsidies provided to employers and employees through tax deductions for amounts spent on health insurance and other benefits.The concept of a shadow welfare state is developed by Gottschalk to contextualize health insurance policy as it progressed through collective bargaining within the larger context of a US political economy. In essence, the shadow welfare state is the result of benefits gained through collective bargaining and those achieved through the broader political process.
Difference between Deserving Poor/Undeserving Poor
The deserving poor were those who were poor through no fault of their own, either because of illness, accident or age, or because there was no work available for them (perhaps because of a factory closure for example). The undeserving poor were those who were poor because of laziness or personal problems like drunkenness.
Social Security
a contributory welfare program into which working Americans contribute
Medicare
a form of national health insurance for elderly and disabled
means testing
a procedure by which potential beneficiaries of a pubic-assistance program establish their eligibility by demonstrating a genuine need for assistance
equality of opportunity
a wifely shared American idea that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential
What is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010? What were its main provisions? does the Supreme Court believe that PPAHCA is constitutional? why or why not?
also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or "ObamaCare".The ACA was enacted to increase the quality and affordability of health insurance, lower the uninsured rate by expanding public and private insurance coverage, and reduce the costs of healthcare for individuals and the government The Supreme Court upheld ObamaCare on June 28, 2012. The final ruling on ObamaCare was a made by Supreme Court Judge Vinson. The basic idea of the ruling was that ObamaCare was declared a tax and not a mandate and was therefore declared constitutional.
cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs)
changes made to level benefits of government program based on the rate of inflation
In-kind benefits
noncash goods and services provided to needy individuals and damsel by the federal government
indexing
periodic process of adjusting social benefits or wages to account for increases in the cot of living
Medicaid (paired with CHIP)
provide free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Both programs are run jointly by federal and state governments, and details vary somewhat between states.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
the largest anti-poverty gram, which provides recipients with a debit card for food at most grocery stores; formerly known as "food stamps"