Social Services

Through cooperative federalism, the national and state governments provide social services to individuals. The Social Security Act of 1935 provides financial protection to wage earners and their families when the wage earner retires, becomes disabled, or dies. Contributions are financed through payroll taxes and employer contributions, and benefits are indexed against the effects of inflation.

The national government and states also help fund unemployment insurance programs. Health programs include Medicare, a health insurance program for senior citizens, and Medicaid, a program of assistance to the poor (Medicare and Medicaid). The United States has extensive medical facilities of the highest quality, but gaining access to them remains a problem for a substantial segment of the population. It has been estimated that more than 30 million Americans have no private health insurance coverage and do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid; perhaps twice that number either have inadequate basic coverage or do not have adequate coverage for catastrophic illness.

Federal, state, and local grants provide income assistance for the blind, disabled, and elderly poor and assistance to poor families with dependent children. School lunch programs for needy children and a food stamp program for poor families are also provided.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20