Tag / Medicaid

by Hoosier Econ

Medicaid Eating Up State Budgets

Medicaid spending in state budgets is becoming the largest line item costs in many state governments. State Budget Solutions had this national average stat:

Though the federal government provides some Medicaid funds via matching rates, this welfare program has been taking up a larger and larger share of state budgets in recent years. In fact, Medicaid is the largest category of state spending, accounting for 23.6 percent of state budget expenditures according to the National Association of State Budget Officers.  That percentage is likely to increase over time.

Indiana currently spends over 27% of their budget on Medicaid.

by Hoosier Econ

Census Bureau: 109 Million on Welfare

The Census Bureau released their fourth quarter 2012 results and found 35.4% of all Americans to be receiving welfare. Here is more from a lengthy CNSNews Report.

109,631,000 Americans lived in households that received benefits from one or more federally funded “means-tested programs” — also known as welfare

The number jumps when other programs are added in:

When those receiving benefits from non-means-tested federal programs — such as Social Security, Medicare, unemployment and veterans benefits — were added to those taking welfare benefits, it turned out that 153,323,000 people were getting federal benefits of some type at the end of 2012.

Here is a breakdown of what welfare program is received by Americans and how many on it:

82,679,000 Medicaid
51,471,000 Food stamps
22,526,000 Women, Infants and Children program
20,355,000 Supplemental Security Income
13,267,000 lived in public housing or got housing subsidies
5,442,000 got Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
4,517,000 received other forms of federal cash assistance.