Few government programs in the United States are as controversial as those designed to help the poor. From tax credits to medical assistance, the size and structure of the American safety net
is an issue of constant debate.
These two volumes update the earlier Means-Tested Transfer Programs in the United States with a discussion of the many changes in means-tested government programs and the results of
new research over the past decade. While some programs that that experienced falling outlays in the years prior to the previous volume have remained at low levels of expenditure, many others
have grown, including Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and subsidized housing programs. For each program, the contributors describe its
origins and goals, summarize its history and current rules, and discuss recipients’ characteristics and the types of benefits they receive.
This is an invaluable reference for researchers and policy makers that features detailed analyses of many of the most important transfer programs in the United States.
