politics in states and communities (15 ed.) · pdf file© 2014 pearson education, inc. all...

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


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.


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


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.


Poverty in America


Poverty Rates


Poverty in America


An Overview of Welfare Policy

• Social Security

• Unemployment Compensation

• Supplemental Security Income

• Family Assistance

• Food Stamps (SNAP)

• Earned Income Tax Credit

• Other Social Programs


Social Welfare for Everyone


TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and Medicaid Recipients


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.


Health Care

• Community Public Health and Hospitals

• Medicare

• Medicaid

• Medicaid in the States

• Medicaid Expansion

• SCHIP


Is Welfare Reform a Success?


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”


ObamaCare: Health Care Transformation

• Provisions Individual Mandate

Employer Mandate

Medicaid Expansion

Health Insurance Exchanges

Taxes

No “Public Option”

Costs

• Coverage

• Tort Reform Missing


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


Best Way to Reduce Mass Murders


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

politics in states and communities (15 ed.) · pdf file© 2014 pearson education, inc. all...

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