The aging population is a global trend that requires reconsidering the policies that are expected to ensure that people aged 60 and over can maintain a high-quality life. According to the National Academies of Sciences (2015), the direct indexation of benefits annually can be an alternative to raising the normal retirement age. On the one hand, the social security system would not be able to cover expenses since the life longevity increases. On the other hand, the suggested policy is likely to offset social security by adjusting payroll tax rates and indexing benefits continuously, which will contribute to the integrity and proper allocation of resources.
The LGBT community members face challenges with employment, education, and healthcare, while there are policies that are called to protect them. For example, H-65.983 Nondiscrimination Policy ensures that it is not allowed to discriminate against a person based on sexual orientation (Underhill, 2020). On the one side, this policy confirms that health care providers must provide services equally and reasonably to all sexual minorities. On the other side, not all care providers agree with this policy, and violations that occur in practice are still numerous.
People of color have more challenges in the times of the coronavirus compared to the white population. Because of the wealth gap, people of color have more debts, problems with housing, greater unemployment, and other economic issues. It is proposed to introduce some policies that would extend economic assistance to this vulnerable population. For example, urban revitalization policies can resolve the challenges with transportation and unemployment (Maxwell & Solomon, 2020). The other side of the issue is that it takes significant efforts needed to address structural racism and achieve economic fairness.
References
Maxwell, C., & Solomon, D. (2020). The economic fallout of the coronavirus for people of color. Center for American Progress. Web.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, & Committee on Population. (2015). The growing gap in life expectancy by income: Implications for federal programs and policy responses. National Academies Press.
Underhill, K. (2020). Perceptions of protection under nondiscrimination law. American Journal of Law & Medicine, 46(1), 21-54.