politics in states and communities (15 ed.) · pdf file© 2014 pearson education, inc. all...
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Politics in States and Communities(15 Ed.)
Thomas Dye and Susan MacManus
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter 17
The Politics of Poverty, Welfare, and Health
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learning Objectives• Describe the extent to which Americans live in poverty, and compare poverty rates among
the states.• Establish the link between poverty rates and demographic characteristics, including family
structure race, ethnicity, and age; and describe how poverty rates have been impacted by the Great Recession.
• Outline the various government programs that provide assistance to families to help combat or avoid poverty.
• Evaluate why Americans are conflicted about welfare policy, and describe how the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program works.
• Outline the various policies enacted by the federal, state, and local governments to provide health care to certain Americans.
• Describe the efforts by state government to expand health insurance to more Americans and to reign in health care costs.
• Outline the policies established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and explain why so many Americans dislike the law.
• Explain the responsibilities given to states for implementing the Affordable Care Act, and discuss the efforts by some states to weaken or repeal the law.
• Describe the role of the federal and state governments in protecting citizens suffering from mental health issues, and evaluate whether or not these measures have been effective.
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Poverty in America
• How Many Poor?
Episodic Poverty: Poverty conditions that are temporary; hard times
occurring for a brief time.
Chronic Poverty: Permanent, persistent poverty conditions.
Official Poverty Rate: The percentage of the population whose annual
cash income falls below that which is required, according to the federal
government, to maintain a decent standard of living.
• Variations among the States
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Who Are the Poor?
• Family Structure
Feminization of poverty: The concept that poverty is most common
among female-headed families.
• Race/Ethnicity
Minorities are generally poorer than whites.
• Age
The aged experience less poverty than the younger population.
• Wealth
Income, not wealth, is considered while calculating poverty.
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Poverty in America
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Poverty Rates
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Poverty in America
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An Overview of Welfare Policy
• Social Security
• Unemployment Compensation
• Supplemental Security Income
• Family Assistance
• Food Stamps (SNAP)
• Earned Income Tax Credit
• Other Social Programs
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Social Welfare for Everyone
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TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and Medicaid Recipients
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Welfare Reform
• Officially, it refers to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) program enacted in 1996, which included the “devolution” of
responsibility for cash assistance programs to the states.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Federal aid
for state programs of cash assistance to poor families. It replaced
the AFDC federal entitlement program.
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Health Care
• Community Public Health and Hospitals
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Medicaid in the States
• Medicaid Expansion
• SCHIP
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Is Welfare Reform a Success?
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Stimulus to Health Care Reform
• State reforms: About 60 percent of Medicaid patients now in
managed care plans
• Managed care: Many programs resemble Health
Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
• Massachusetts mandated health insurance: Was first state;
served as model for “ObamaCare”
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ObamaCare: Health Care Transformation
• Provisions Individual Mandate
Employer Mandate
Medicaid Expansion
Health Insurance Exchanges
Taxes
No “Public Option”
Costs
• Coverage
• Tort Reform Missing
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The States and “ObamaCare”
• State compliance with Medicaid expansion: Supreme Court said
state participation optional; federal funding a strong incentive
• State participation in exchanges: Federal government stepping in
when states choose not to participate
• States lose their challenge to the individual mandate: Supreme
Court ruled 5-4 in favor of federal government
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Best Way to Reduce Mass Murders
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On the Web
• www.hhs.govU.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• www.ssa.govSocial Security Administration
• www.childrensdefense.orgThe Children’s Defense Fund
• http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreformWhite House Health Reform page
• http://www.medicare.gov/Medicare