Health
One of the largest areas of government spending is health. Next to social security, healthcare services are in high demand. To meet this demand, several government sponsored schemes help those people that are considered eligible for reduced cost healthcare. Funding for these schemes comes from the federal government's mandatory funds. The amount spent on government sponsored healthcare schemes is determined by the number of people that need access to them.
Probably the two healthcare schemes you will be most familiar with are Medicaid and Medicare. Both programs are designed to help individuals and families that meet the scheme's criteria to receive low-cost or reduced cost access to health care. The bulk of funding for the Medicaid scheme comes from state governments, which spend a large slice of their annual revenues on Medicaid services. Medicare, on the other hand, is funded solely by the federal government.
The Medicare system is a national health insurance scheme. It caters for all people over 65, some people under the age of 65 with disabilities, and people of any age with end-stage renal disease. If you fall into one of these groups, you are unlikely to be able to get health insurance from other sources, which is why the government provides for you.
Most people receiving Medicare insurance through the federal government are also entitled to receive social security payments. Medicare Part A is provided free of charge for those people over 65. However, a second part known as Part B requires you to pay a monthly premium and annual fee to cover the cost of doctor’s appointments and tests.
For this reason, federal government spending on healthcare is the subject of some criticism. Medicare is undoubtedly a useful system that many people rely on, but it fails to cover the full cost of healthcare services in most circumstances. Vision care, dental care and regular doctor's check-ups are not covered by government schemes. This is one reason government sponsored healthcare in the U.S is subject to continuous debate.
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