Introduction
A number of American citizens are of the opinion that the majority of social programs in the nation need to be discontinued. On the other hand, these programs have genuine beneficiaries whose lives will never be any easy or bearable if they are phased out. Examples of these programs include Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The argument is that it is not justified to take the yields of some other individual’s toil to cover the costs of these programs.
It is as well incorrect to compel citizens into an inexhaustible succession of reliance, which according to this group is the only outcome at the end of the day attained by these programs (Zeleny, 2009, p. 1). It is in addition divergent to the purpose of the United States government, as projected by the founding figures. The opponents suggest phasing out times covering a length of time spanning from five years at the least and fifty years at most.
Social Security
This refers to the national Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program. It is financed by way of devoted payroll levies referred to as Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It avails benefits to retired persons and those without employment, and another benefit when one passes away.
The disabled are also covered by this act. Imbursements to present retired individuals are covered by a levy on present employees’ earnings, partly directly as a payroll levy and partly remunerated by the employing firm. States also are assigned funds to offer support to elderly persons and the disabled (Samuelson, 2005, p. 1).
Medicare
This is a societal assurance scheme run by the American government and it offers health care assurance coverage to persons above sixty five years of age, and those who conform to other exceptional standards.
This scheme’s coverage caters for eighty percent of any given medical care expenses with the rest twenty percent being catered for through other means which the patient will be responsible for. Generally, all people who have attained 65 years of age or above and have been official inhabitants of the United States for leastways 5 years are entitled to Medicare.
Other beneficiaries in the nation are those with impairment, provided their circumstance(s) are innate or else everlasting, not considering age (Medicare.gov). This is as a result of the provision that such impaired persons are as well intrinsically warranted to Social Security Disability Insurance. Participation in this gives one the right Medicare coverage. Medicare also finances nationality education courses for the greater part of medical doctors in the United States.
Medicaid
This is the United States’ healthcare scheme for entitled persons and households with little earnings and resources. The program is in cooperation financed by the state and central administrations while management is carried out by the states. Amidst the groupings of individuals covered by this scheme include low-earning grown-ups together with their children, and individuals with given impairment. Medicaid offers the major fraction of central administration funds used up on health care for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Conclusion
The above social programs are offering invaluable aid to their beneficiaries and need not to be done away with. This is for the simple fact that the intended beneficiaries have no other way(s) of catering for what these schemes make possible (Zeleny, 2009, p. 1). Efficiency of these programs should be ensured at all times while making sure that fraud is avoided at all costs.
Reference List
Medicare.gov – the Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare. Web.
Samuelson, R. (2005). “It’s More Than Social Security (washingtonpost.com).” The Washington Post. Web.
Zeleny, J. (2009). “Obama Promises Bid to Overhaul Retiree Spending.” The New York Times. Web.