Table Of ContentPB
THE AMERICAN
WELFARE STATE
Through a practical introduction to the policies of the American welfare state— a
wide- ranging subject much discussed but seldom described—t his concise volume
details the four main areas of social welfare policy: housing assistance, nutrition
assistance, income assistance, and medical assistance.
In plain, approachable language, author Brian J. Glenn explains, for exam-
ple, how Section 8 housing vouchers function, what the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program is, how Medicare has developed, and what Temporary Aid
for Needy Families does. Especially in the era of Covid-1 9 and a recession, there
is a need for citizens and students to understand the American social safety net.
The American Welfare State is written in a manner that allows a complete novice
to understand these programs in a brisk and comprehensive fashion that is both
short enough to read over a couple of nights in a course and yet detailed enough
for the programs to be understood at quite a nuanced level.
In this thoroughly updated second edition, author Brian J. Glenn outlines the
ways in which social welfare programs differ, sometimes dramatically, from local-
ity to locality. To help students understand how these policies function, Glenn
looks at the support households receive in five cities: Boston, Houston, Kansas
City, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. This approach provides not only a geo-
graphic spread but also an examination of the variability of support, giving the
reader a feel for the range of funding levels and also the variety of ways programs
can be implemented. In short, this book is a fully updated and handy teaching and
learning tool that fills a huge gap in the literature on a subject that many want to
teach but often lack the resources to do.
Brian J. Glenn writes about how Americans care for themselves and others in
times of need. He has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Hamilton College,
and Wesleyan University, among others. While teaching at Emerson College, his
Development of the American Welfare State class was named by the student
newspaper as one of the six courses every student should take before graduat-
ing. Brian’s work has received awards from the New England Political Science
Association, the Law and Society Association, and the American Risk and
Insurance Association.
PB
THE AMERICAN
WELFARE STATE
A Practical Guide
Second Edition
Brian J. Glenn
Second edition published 2022
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 Brian J. Glenn
The right of Brian J. Glenn to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any
form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without
intent to infringe.
First edition published by Routledge 2013
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
A catalog record has been requested for this book
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 04276- 3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 04221- 3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 19125- 4 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003191254
Typeset in Sabon
by Newgen Publishing UK
PB
TO MY FORMER PROFESSORS, WHO
CHALLENGED ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT
MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IS A REFLECTION
OF HOW THOSE IN POWER TELL STORIES
ABOUT THE NATURE OF RISK AND
RESPONSIBILITY, AND ABOUT THOSE
THEY THINK ARE PART OF THE US AND
THOSE WHO FORM THE OTHER.
PB
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations viii
Preface to the Second Edition xi
Acknowledgments xii
List of Abbreviations xiv
1 Some Introductory Thoughts on the American
Welfare State 1
2 Income Assistance 14
3 Housing Assistance 46
4 Nutrition Assistance 61
5 Healthcare Assistance 80
6 Concluding Thoughts 110
Index 115
vii
ILLUSTRATIONS
Tables
1.1 2021 Federal Poverty Line by Household Size, for the
District of Columbia and All States (Except Alaska
and Hawaii) 3
2.1 Maximum AGI to Qualify for the EITC 18
2.2 Maximum CalWORKs Benefits 22
2.3 MBSAC Levels for Los Angeles 23
2.4 Maximum Benefits from TANF, by State and
Household Size 29
2.5 Monthly Income Limits for EAEDC, by Living
Arrangement and Household Size 36
2.6 50% Massachusetts Median Income, by Household Size 38
3.1 Maximum Allowable Household Incomes for Section 8
Vouchers, by Household Size 48
3.2 LIHEAP Income Thresholds for Kansas City, KS in 2020 51
3.3 Housing Authorities and Public Housing 55
3.4 Point Allocation for Public Housing, New Orleans 56
4.1 Maximum Gross and Net Income for SNAP Eligibility,
by Household Size, for the Lower 48 States 63
4.2 SNAP Food Stamp Program Maximum Monthly
Allotments 63
4.3 How to Calculate Gross Income for SNAP Eligibility 64
4.4 How to Calculate Net Income for SNAP Eligibility 65
4.5 Louisiana WIC Program Participants Qualifying Medical
Condition for Special Formula 68
4.6 Maximum Allowed Annual Income to Qualify for WIC 69
4.7 Average Monthly WIC Benefits per Person, by State, in 2020 69
5.1 Sample Commonwealth Choice Plans and Benefits:
Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans, Family with
One Adult and Two Children 82
viii
ix
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
5.2 Program Characteristics for MassHealth Standard 86
5.3 Children’s Medical Security Plan Premium Schedule 89
5.4 Medicare Parts B and D Premiums, by Income, for 2021 92
5.5 Prescription Advantage Plans 95
5.6 VA Health System Priority Groups 101
5.7 VA Health System Cost Structure for Services 103
Figure
6.1 Monthly Resources Available to a Family of Three 113
ix
