Social programmes in the USA

In each of the 50 states there are programmes which are designed to help people in need. Among them are:

- Wealth payments – sums of money which are given by the government each month to these whose income is too low to provide necessities such as food, clothing and shelter;

- Medicaid – free medical and hospital care;

- Food stamps – books of special stamps which can be used to buy food at any store;

- School breakfast and lunch programs providing free meals to schoolchildren;

- Surplus food programs under which food is purchased in huge quantities by the government and distributed free of charge to the poor.

There are many other government programs. The largest is the Social Security Program. It is financed by a tax paid by all working people. Everyone who works in the USA has 7% of the wages deducted to support the Social Security Program. This money is used in several ways:

· When people reach retirement age (62 years), they can stop working and receive a monthly Social Security payment.

· When a worker becomes disable and cannot work, he can receive the social security payments.

· Social Security payments are available to widows and young children of workers who die before retirement age.

· Older Americans (over age 65) can receive medical and hospital care from Medicare program. It does not pay all medical expenses: only about 74% of the money needed for hospital care and 55% of the money needed to pay doctors’ fees.

Federal and State governments can help people in some other ways:

· Unemployment Insurance – for those who loose their jobs through no fault of their own. The unemployed worker can receive weekly payments for up to six months while he/she looks for a new job. The states also have agencies which retrain workers or help them to find new jobs.

· Veteran’s Benefits – for persons who have served in the armed forces. Such people can receive a cost0free hospital care at specials veteran’s hospitals.

· Education program – all children must be given a completely free education at public schools for up to 12 years, ending when the young person is 17-18 years old. All states and many cities have colleges and universities at which the cost of education is much lower than at private ones. Young people can get loans or grants through government programs. They must be repaid when the student is working after graduation. All states and cities have free public library systems. Everyone can come to these libraries to read or borrow books, magazines or photograph records.

· Business program – there are certain government agencies which help people who run businesses or who wish to run it, sometimes by providing loans to business people.

· Job Training program – help young people and adults from poor families or minority groups to learn a skill that will get them a good job. These programs are designed to help young people with talent in mechanics, art and certain other trade.

But the majority of Americans live comfortable lives without the support of a public welfare system. Medical care in the USA is expensive; university e4ducation can cost $20000 per year; living well after a worker retires requires more money than will be paid through the Social Security System. Most Americans prepare for these needs by saving a part of their salaries in savings banks; the others invest in industries or service corporations in hopes of receiving greater profits.

Most Americans also buy insurance. Private companies sell insurances of many kinds. In buying insurance, a working person agrees to pay a certain sum of money every month or at regular intervals. In exchange, he/she receives money when needed. Life insurance guarantees a sum of money to survivors of the person in case of death. Medical and hospital insurance guarantees payment of large medical and hospital bills. There is also dental insurance and insurance that pays money when a home burns down. An American can also insure a car, furniture or other personal belongings.

Other benefits for working Americans are provided by the companies they work for or labour unions they belong to.