Discuss what is meant by a social insurance program, and provide examples.

What will be an ideal response?

Social insurance programs are those programs in which recipients attain eligibility for benefits through special payroll taxes paid when they were employed. The self-financing feature of these programs accounts for their strong public support. The premier social insurance program is Social Security for retirees, and it enjoys widespread public support. Social Security is an entitlement program, meaning that any individual who meets the eligibility criteria is entitled to the benefit. Government cannot decide one day to cancel an entitlement program or to deny the benefit to some previously eligible recipients while granting it to others. Another social insurance program is Medicare. This program provides medical assistance to retirees and is funded primarily through payroll taxes. Since it is based on an insurance principle, Medicare is also popular with most Americans.

Political Science

You might also like to view...

Pluralism contends that competition among leadership groups protects the individual

Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Political Science

Apartheid is BEST described as

a. a set of policies that limited the political rights of Africans. b. a set of policies designed to limit the mobility of Africans. c. a set of policies designed to ensure minority rule. d. a set of policies that divided South Africans into separate races, each with their own rights. e. a set of policies designed to limit the economic and political activity of Africans, most critically their ability to freely organize unions and to vote.

Political Science