Public Benefits
Public benefits kept 44 million out of poverty in 2017 according to data from the Census Bureau with Social Security responsible for keeping 27 million people above the line on its own. Given the enormous importance of these programs, figuring out how best they should be structured to assist those in hardship and encourage opportunity is a crucial question.This section of the Spotlight website gathers the latest research, news, and opinion around government benefits and programs.
Related News
Trump's Next Target: Poverty-Stricken Kids
“As the Trump administration has hacked away at the Department of Health and Human Services these past few weeks, most of the attention has focused on the cuts applied to high-profile agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Three States That Are Especially Stuck if Congress Cuts Medicaid
"If congressional Republicans go through with some of the deep Medicaid cuts they are considering, three states would be left in an especially tight bind.
HHS Layoffs Hit Meals on Wheels And Other Services For Seniors And Disabled
“The layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services slashed the staffs of major federal aging, disability and anti-poverty programs, leaving the future of those programs uncertain.
Many People With Disabilities Risk Losing Their Medicaid if They Work Too Much
“PLEASANTVILLE, Iowa — Zach Mecham has heard politicians demand that Medicaid recipients work or lose their benefits. He also has run into a jumble of Medicaid rules that effectively prevent many people with disabilities from holding full-time jobs.
RFK Jr.'s Food Stamp Plan Fuels Tension with USDA
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign to swiftly bar the use of food stamps to buy soda is fueling tensions between his team and the Agriculture Department, according to four people inside and outside government familiar with the dynamics.
In a Shift, More Republicans Want Government Investment in Children
“Democrats have long looked to the government to support their families through public programs and spending. Increasingly, Republicans want the same.
How the Education Department Cuts Could Hurt Low-Income and Rural Schools
“President Trump’s efforts to shutter the U.S. Department of Education are in full swing.
Kentucky Senate Passes Medicaid Reform Bill Amid Late-Hour Debate
“LOUISVILLE, Ky. — House Bill 695 passed the Senate Friday night in the eleventh hour. The bill includes changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid program and adds a work requirement to the program.
Millions in U.S. Live in Places Where Doctors Don't Practice and Telehealth Doesn't Reach
“BOLIGEE, Ala. — Green lights flickered on the wireless router in Barbara Williams’ kitchen. Just one bar lit up — a weak signal connecting her to the world beyond her home in the Alabama Black Belt.