How long should families be allowed on Medicaid and food stamps?

Question

Should states start demanding people and families to take care of themselves after a couple years of having been on assistance?

I work in the human services field and it surprises me to see how many people with children state that they don't work and demand to have financial assistance because they don't want too. Some of them do not work and request financial assistance for daycare when there kids get out of school for the day. It kills me to see so many hardworking people not spending time with their families because they are working for a better life. And because they do work, they don't qualify for assistance they may need to help lessen their burden. While others do nothing and get food stamps, medicaid, welfare, and housing. And is this a message we want to endorse to children. Study hard, try and pay your way through college while racking up debt and work hard or get pregnant young, have hard working citizens pay for you and your child's healthcare, education, housing.

Misty M- I understand what you are saying. I am a full time college student and work full time as well but other than for pell grants and scholarships based on my grades I don't get any other help. Two of my friends who are unmarried, unemployed but have children get college paid for and still recieve welfare for over 5 years. I would love to have more time for my studies but have to work so I can survive. How long is too long on Medicaid.

Answer 1

If it were up to me, everyone here would be authorized no more than three years of federal assistance. They could use it all, part or none at their discretion. Like a bank account, they could pay into the system and accumulate more time, or they could use it all, not pay in and be working without a net. They would be given housing, daycare if needed, food, clothing and a marketable skill. If they fail to show for class or their kids fail to behave or show for school or daycare, the parent is docked a given amount of money/benefits per day. Miss too many days and they're shown the door. Those that get in, will be required to assist in daycare and what have you. Classes would include parenting skills, as well as finance management. Success would then be measured on how many people we could get out of the system and self supportive. Enrollees would not be allowed to live at home, but wuld have to live in the dorms provided. The campus would be its own little community. But there would definitely be no more WIC, food stamps, medicaid/medicare or welfare. You want the assistance? It's going to come with a price tag.

Answer 2

Well it just depends, not everyone that needs help are using the state to support their kids. Some people just have a hard time getting things in order. Not everyone can go out and get a high paying job, minimum wage can only take a person so far. Some people just fall on hard times. There are those people who are on welfare and just keep popping kids out, I think those people should only be able to have so many kids while they are on welfare. It can be a very helpful thing to people who are trying very hard, yet just can not make it on their own. I get help going to school, I am working to make a life and carreer for myself, if I did not get help with school, I would nto be able to go through school. I am working towards my future but just need a little help getting there.

All I recieve are grants also, my husband is working full time and we have 2 kids. We do not recieve food stamps or housing through the state, we do that ourselves. As for how long people should be allowed to stay on welfare, it should depend on the cimcumstance. They need to be forced to find a job if they are able, or at the very least to be forcefully looking for a job. Those that are not willing to even attempt should have a time limit placed on them, maybe 2 years.

And to comment on a nother answer, sadly enough there are some people who can not get through or even attend college. Some people have the drive, yet not the ability.

Answer 3

Hmmmmm.....Study hard, try and pay your way through college while racking up debt and work hard or get pregnant young, have hard working citizens pay for you and your child's healthcare, education, housing.

Are these really the only two choices here.

Have you considered that our government has underfunded the education system and that the schools and poverty in the poor neighborhoods creates a never ending cycle of poverty for many people. People without the basic skills will remain functionally illiterate for the bulk of their lives. Many people get stuck. Should we turn them out onto the sidewalk and walk by them like they don't exist?

You make a good point in that the system gets milked. The solution is to create a country where we can be proud of our education system and provide a quality and free education for everyone through the college level if they have the intellect and desire. Further support could be provided in terms of a viable and robust vocational education for others. Over a generation the problem you describe can be vastly reduced. However, blaming the individuals trapped into the cycle of poverty is no answer.

Answer 4

There should definitely be a limit to this. If someone loses their job they have unemployment usually for six months. During this time they are expected to look for work. The same should go for food stamps. There needs to be limits. I hate people who sit at home and do not want to work because they are afraid of losing their benefits. People who have several children should still have to work. In fact it should be mandatory. I would rather give food stamps to a working mother who is attempting to work than one who sits at home eating a bag of cheese pufs and orange soda.

Everyone can make something of themselves it just matters how much they want it. I have chosen to put myself thru undergrad and make good grades then go onto a prestigious grad school while working full time and having a second job. By the way, I am doing while being 100% debt free without anyone's assistance.

Answer 5

Don't waste your time filing for medicaid or food stamps while you are still living with your parents. Food stamps can't be given to someone while they are in a household where the total income of the household is too high. Medicaid can't be given to anyone who is not pregnant while they are in a household where the total income of the household is too high. In some states, medicaid can be given to a pregnant woman in that situation, but only for her and the fetus, not for any of her children who have already been born. The only ways that you have any possibility of getting food stamps for you or the children or getting medicaid for the children are if, before you file, one of these things happens first: a) Your father moves out of the household b) You move out of the household c) The kids move out of the household d) You and the kids move out of the household e) Your father loses his job f) Your father dies g) Your father quits his job h) Your father's employer cuts his pay at his job is reduced at his job enough so that the household income is low enough to qualify Again, one of these has to happen before you file. You have to wait to file after one of these happens.

Answer 6

It is sad. It is also sad when there are families that need it because they live in a reccesed area where there are little/no jobs. I don't think putting a time restriction would be the best answer. I think weekly "un-anounced" house visits would be best. So to recieve benefeits you would have to agree to these house visits. Also if you are not working, they should have a program that monitors the sourounding jobs and that aplicants "job searching". Medicaid is different. You can still be working and recieve medicaid. Medicaid is great for diabetics and others with life threatning diseases. Because you just might not recieve medicais, here in NY they also have CDPHP which is medicaid for families with a hihger income.

Answer 7

Well... I have an acquaintance who is a quadriplegic from Multiple Sclerosis with two Jr. High aged children. Her husband left her when she was diagnosed - and is gone with the wind.

You tell me.

Should they only get assistance as long as the children live with her - and then cut off so she can no longer get food or medical coverage when they are old enough to move out on their own and she is then left alone?

Her husband thought so. ...Big fan of Newt Gingrich, that one was.

Peace.

Answer 8

If a person can not work due to health problem, then help them.
Do not pay woman to stay home and make more babies.
The only way to stop them is to limit each to one child on government welfare, if they have a 2nd child, no pay unless they are made to have the IUD (Intrauterine Device) with last up to 10 year or can be remove if the woman can show support for a new child.

Answer 9

Amen, sister!!! What can we do about this? I agree, it is a problem, but if we start becoming too rigid then people who really need it may be left out in the cold........

Answer 10

I don't support government "handouts", federal or state, to anyone.

My mother's parents had 12 children and provided for 10. Two children died in infancy. They sustained themselves on a farm with milk cows, pigs, chickens, vegetable gardens, and bee hives. My grandfather built his own smoke house for preserving meat. They had a "separator" to separate their cow's milk from the cream, selling/trading the cream for sugar, flour, shoes for their children. They sold/traded eggs for the same. The children learned to hunt squirrel, rabbit, deer, opossom, and fish to put food on the table.

My mother was valedictorian of her Senior class in 1940. Everyone of her 10 siblings graduated from high school, one served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. My mother's oldest brother is now 97, my mother is 86, she has three living sisters, 84, 82, and 73. To my knowledge, my mother's family never applied for, or received, "government" assistance. My mother's family were of Irish, English, and Black Dutch descent.

My father's family was of Cherokee Indian descent, forced by the U.S. Government to relocate to what is now Oklahoma. The "government" was certainly not "looking after" them. They were starved, forced to live in abominable conditions.

How long should families be allowed on Medicaid and food stamps? There "should" be no Medicaid or food stamp program for anyone. The early colonists didn't have these programs, and they survived. Families were strong; they depended upon each other. Today's families are weak, depending upon the "government" to "take care of them". Legislation requiring U.S. public schools to "feed" the children who aren't fed at home, to "educate" children who don't want to learn, or whose parents don't care whether they learn, only that they be somewhere other than at home, is a sad documentary.