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Social programs in the United States - Wikipedia
The United States spends approximately $2.3 trillion dollars on federal and state social programs include
cash assistance,
health insurance,
food assistance,
housing subsidies,
energy and
utilities subsidies, and
education and
childcare assistance.
Similar benefits are sometimes provided by the private sector either through policy mandates or on a voluntary basis. Employer-sponsored health insurance is an example of this.
American social programs vary in eligibility with some, such as public education, available to all while others, such as housing subsidies, are available only to a subsegment of the population.
Programs are provided by various organizations on a federal, state, local, and private level.
They help to provide basic needs such as
food,
shelter,
education, and
healthcare
to residents of the U.S. through
primary and secondary education,
subsidies of higher education,
unemployment and disability insurance,
subsidies for eligible low-wage workers,
subsidies for housing,
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits,
pensions, and
health insurance programs.
Medicaid, and the
Children's Health Insurance Program
are prominent social programs.
Research shows that U.S. government programs that focus on improving the health and educational outcomes of low-income children are the most effective, with benefits substantial enough that the government may even recoup its investment over time due to increased tax revenue from adults who were beneficiaries as children.[2][3]
Veto points in the U.S. structure of government make social programs in the United States resilient to fundamental change.[4][5]