Newly released data from the
U.S. Census Bureau show that in the fourth quarter of 2011, nearly half
of all Americans — 49.1 percent — received benefits from one or more
government programs.
Out of a population then estimated to be 306.8 million, 151 million received benefits from at least one government agency.
More than 82
million people lived in a household in which one or more people
received Medicaid benefits, and 46.4 million people got Medicare
benefits.
Nearly 50
million people received Social Security payments, 49 million got food
stamps, 20.2 million got Supplemental Security Income, 13.4 million
lived in public or subsidized rental housing, 5 million received
unemployment compensation, and 3.1 million got veterans' compensation.
About 23.2 million people were in the Women,
Infants, and Children program, and 5.8 million received benefits from
the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, according to the
data released on Oct. 22.
Other funds
paid out in the last three months of that year include those for
Railroad Retirement benefits, workers' compensation, and veterans'
educational assistance.
The figures
for means-tested programs such as food stamps and Supplemental Security
Income include anyone residing in a household in which one or more
people received benefits from the program.
The Census
Bureau also reported that out of 118.8 million U.S. households, 29.5
percent received Medicare benefits, 20 percent got Medicaid benefits,
and 32 percent received Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits.
Also, 15.4 million households, or 13 percent of the total, received food stamps.
When and if
Obamacare is fully implemented next year, a new benefit program will
begin — Americans earning up to 400 percent of the poverty level for
their households will qualify for a federal subsidy to purchase health
insurance.