Health and Welfare: 

Searching for Rationalism

I.        The Nature of Poverty

    A.    What Is It?

        1.    Official Poverty (example)

        2.    Latent Poverty

        3.    Net Poverty

        4.    Inequality

    B.    Extent of U.S. Poverty

    C.    Who are the Poor?

    D.    Causes of Poverty (a second statement on causes)

        1.    Low Human Capital

        2.    Low Aggregate Demand

        3.    Discrimination

        4.    Culture of Poverty

        5.    Family Disintegration

        6.    Rise in Rates of Illegitimacy

        7.    Unwise Public Policies

    E.    Prevention

        1.    Social Security (history)

        2.    Unemployment Compensation

        3.    Survivor and Disability Benefits

    F.    Alleviation

        1.    Supplemental Security Income

        2.    In-Kind Programs

            a.     Food Stamps (example)

            b.     Public Housing

        3.    Temporary Assistance for Needy Families      

II.        Health Care

    A.    Multiple Problems

        1.    Medical Treatment

        2.    Health Maintenance

        3.    Preventative Strategies

    B.    Federal Policies

        1.    Medicare:  Health Care as Government Insurance (Govt. web site)

        2.    Medicaid:  Health Care as Welfare

        3.    SCHIPS     

        4.    Cost Issues

        5.    Prescription Drugs (background;  Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act - Executive Summary )

    C.    Reform Proposals

        1.    Single Payer Plans (con) -- Single Payer Plans (pro)

        2.    Employer Based Plans

        3.    Clinton's Failed National Health Care Plan

Key Web Sites

World Bank Statement on Causes of Poverty

Families Who Left Welfare and How They are Doing

Focus on Social Security Issues

Focus on Medicare Issues

Managed Care Glossary of Terms

Almanac of Policy Issues