[Numbers Guy]

I understand that only about 20% of welfare dollars actually makes it to the poor.

Well, in a way that's true. That's because most of the money goes to medical providers who serve the poor. If a Medicaid recipient spends 5 days in a hospital and runs up a $6,000 bill, that's $6,000 paid by the taxpayers to the hospital, not to the Medicaid recipient. Would you rather see the state cut a check to the recipient in hopes that he'll turn around and pay the hospital, just so you can say that the welfare dollar gets to the poor person?

[GeronL]

I'm refering to food stamps and other food programs, as well as housing/utility programs.

[GeronL]

Sure, cut the check to the recipient and let them pay for the service. Make it like food stamps, call it health stamps or something.

[GeronL]

I like the sliding scale. Lets say we're both getting free healthcare from government and I am the one who makes nothing while you are earning $20's. I think I should at least pay a small sum for hospital visits, more if I missed the last appointment for a check-up, plus at least a small percentage of actual costs. I think a person who makes more should contribute more to their healthcare.

we're talking in generalities, of course. In a perfect system a person who makes $20G's would have healthcare providers making offers for their services.

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"If you don't need maternity care, buddy, we can get your monthly payment to $70"... you know with competition.