Social Security: An Effective Support Program Reducing Mortality & Disparities - Essay Sample

Introduction

Social security fall among the most effective support program in the United States. Social security plays a critical role in seeing that elderly mortality is reduced. It is evident that with the implementation of these policies, benefits are realized as health status, and income support programs will reduce existing social disparities (Piatak, 2017). Before Medicaid program enactment, individuals were charged much thrice as the amount paid for an insurance cover by younger people. For these reason, there was a urgency to improve the health of the eligible population thereby creating a policy that would be able to fix and provide the best solution.This paper will be able to lay out an analysis of Medicaid social security policy in society and how relevant the policy is to the community.

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Medicaid Health Policy History

The review by Piatak (2017) suggested that Medicaid is among the biggest global health-public insurance program falling within the social security act of 1965. This program is mandated with the responsibility of providing health insurance cover to disabled and poor persons. Implementation of this policy - Medicaid goes hand in hand with the Medicare program operating at the federal level, however, its working is limited to an individual nation. The Medicaid statute policy was first signed in to the law on 30 July 1965 during the reign of President Lyndon Johnson at the Harry Truman presidential library in independence Missouri (Piatak, 2017). However, the first white house conference on aging was held in January of 1961 which was led by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in which setting up a health care program was first proposed. Later in 1965, Medicaid under the social security acts was enacted whose role was the provision of health insurance citizens of age 65 and over without considering their medical history or salary.

Piatak's (2017) review suggested that, before the introduction of Medicare policy, it was estimated that 60% of the people over 65 years were not covered by health insurance. There was a great need for the formulation of this Medicare policy since health insurance cover was barely affordable to people of this age group. Before the policy implementation, older people were charged much thrice as the amount paid for an insurance cover by younger people. Considering these, there was a need to improve the health of the aging population thereby creating a policy that would be able to fix and provide the best solution. This policy is funded by the federal government along with the retiree insurance plan for dependent, and disabled persons . It's a federally shared program with the major objective of funding low-income individual for their health support as well as expanding accessibility to quality healthcare to low-income persons and their families. Besides, the program also was implemented to improve medical assistance to recipients in the public as well as offering optional additional care to needy individuals. The program has been operational for more than half a century providing health insurance to many American families thus improving these family's well-being and saving lives. The goal of this policy majorly was to eradicate the problem that was facing disable and older adults in care provision. To ensure that eligible individuals are insured, the funding originates from the federal government channeled from individual taxes.

Since its implementation the majority of the old and eligible people in the society have been medically insured hence this program served its purpose. Besides, since the program does not clash with any known law, it can be said to be legal, just, and consistent with social security work.

Problem Description

Medicaid program which was created in 1965 necessitates health coverage insurance for parents, children, seniors, disabled, and pregnant women with low income. The policy cover 42 million elderly, disabled and low-income persons. Over 97 million people living under financial constraints in America benefited from health coverage in 2015. According to statistics, this figure was represented by 27 million low-income adults, 33 million young individuals, 10 million disabled individuals and 6 million old persons. Children account for almost 50% of Medicaid covered individuals indicating their increased need for health services. Individual who are eligible to receive the Medicaid coverage should meet the criteria which include children living below the poverty line, pregnant women living below the poverty line, an individual whose are eligible for state assistance, and disabled as well as senior persons falling within Supplementary Security Income (SSI). Accordingly, the Medicaid program is available for those individuals with income exceeding eligibility limits but are unable to attend their high healthcare costs. Thus, eligibility of Medicaid coverage is varied across states and problem conditions individuals are facing. Although medical coverage may extend among individuals in different states, Medicaid coverage is not an assurance to some cases, for instance, individuals who are not disabled and are over 21 years yet are poor, and legal immigrants living less than five years in the states. Therefore, although healthcare coverage problems may exist within the society and eligibility may be met, it is not an assurance the policy will provide security coverage.

Policy Description

Social security act (1965) formed this policy as a voluntary care strategy in the federal states. This program provided the states with an ability to rehabilitate and furnish the health of individuals and families attaining self-care independence. Although the policy was implemented as a well-fare program since 1996 the policy no longer associated with individuals' welfare because most of the eligible persons are limited to its assistance. The policy is formed under the partnership of state and federal government hence its authorization falls within the federal laws which are expressed in every state. Funding available for the implementation of this program is from the federal state by comparing per capita income within an individual states. Although the program is guided by the federal states, its responsibility falls within the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The working of the program in the healthcare delivery allows reimbursement of services highlighted in the Medicaid Act. However, all the highlighted services are not described by any procedure. A specific medical condition can fall within several categories that further can either be optional or mandatory. The Medicaid mandatory service defined by the federal government includes the physical service, family planning, outpatient care, inpatient care, pediatric and periodic screening among others. Accordingly, the program provides optional services including diagnostic, denture, clinical services, and personal care services. The program intention is to address the healthcare needs for individuals who are eligible most especially for individuals under 22 years, above 65 years, low income, and provision of nursing facilities to persons with 21 years and below. In order to ensure that the policy is implemented, children's health status is determined by the federal government by performing hearing, dental, and vision check-up following a schedule that is standardized. Recognized medical institutions are consulted to be able to schedule the services. To ensure that it is successful, families, individuals, and children who are eligible are notified by the state making sure that they understand the benefit of health services that later follow a coverage. All critically necessary health services are then covered by the Medicaid Act which may be altered if an individual condition is worse requiring a tentative limit from the state. The policy allows children to access health services beyond these limits as well as a medical condition that is necessary therefore meeting its implementation.

Although the first objective of the policy was to furnish the health status of eligible individuals falling within a limited category (65 years and above, children, disabled, and low-income individuals), its goals has turned to a Medicaid policy for just a low-income health furnishing program to a long-term service delivering program to disabled individuals (.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the Medicaid policy. For instance, it performs the responsibility of reminding the federal state on Medicaid program expectation as well as maintaining an efficient administration within the program. The mechanism to which the CMS uses varies to ensure that the state maintains fiscal integrity including action compliance, disallowance, deferral or federal funds recoup. By ensuring that fiscal responsibility is imperative, the CMS makes sure that the broadening of adults cares authorized in the expenditure Act is possible enhancing federal matching level. Its guidance is essential most especially in the Department of Health and other states without proper accordance with Medicaid eligibility. Besides, the CMS strengthen fiscal integrity in Medicaid by regulating the policy (Bachman et al., 2017).

There are various indicators put across by the policy as a measure of its effectiveness. For instance, the rate of health uninsured individuals among the eligible group, long term health improvement, and individual well-being. An example of a success indicator measure of Medicaid is the childhood mortality reduction in African American teenagers and mortality reduction among the general population of eligible candidates. Other informal indicators of policy effectiveness are the response of individuals to health coverage, for instance, an increase of percentage share of individuals acknowledging the positive impact of introduced Medicaid program (Grogan, & Park 2017).

Since the policy was implemented in 1965, it has over 50 years of presenting significant issues arising in the healthcare system. The policy that was enacted under an Act served about 70 million individuals in 2015 and expected to even attend the need of more people in the coming years. It is a federal program hence the state government partners are in partnership with it in ensuring a fiscally sustainable Medicaid program.

Hinde, West, Arbes, Kluckman, West, (2020) determined that, almost 50% of individuals living in America are linked with the policy either by their families or personal coverage and are thus in support of its spending. Enrollment into the program has increased over the years since its enactment. Although there are over half a million employees in the United States, not all individuals are employed and thus more focus on equity brings the intervention of the policy in addressing the vulnerable minority. Thus, evidence based techniques are possible in addressing and integrating health care within these groups. Social work plays a critical role in seeing that the mission to bring justice and equity in health landscape is possible however, the struggle defining the role it plays in accomplishing these is undefined and unclear hence an effort to creation of a social security policy that is necessary. The Medicaid thus attends the social justice goal in vulnerable individuals. In doing so, Medicaid policy qualifies to be informed by the social workers. For instance, social work defines the barrier existing in healthcare provision among the home-centered patient increasing the coverage and integration in the health care.

An Analysis of the Policy

Munoz (2018) suggested that Medicaid policy falls among the biggest welfare (assistance) program aiding poor individuals. The key goal of these policy is to furnish the health status of eligible i...