This paper examines the U.S. social insurance system, which we define broadly to include both programs supported by dedicated taxes and other federal programs that provide income support, assistance in meeting basic needs, or services to improve economic opportunity. The paper considers the social insurance system as a whole as well as its…

Attaining a postsecondary education can greatly increase success in today's labor market. But it is often out of reach for students from low-income families, who often receive little or no financial family support for school and who have significant unmet need even after financial aid. Students of color face additional systemic racial and economic…

Graduate medical education (GME) is critical to the career development of individual physicians, to the functioning of many teaching institutions, and to the production of our physician workforce. However, recent reports have called for substantial reform of GME. The current lack of established GME outcome measures limits our ability to assess the…

National and state policymakers are considering whether to expand or establish work requirements for safety net programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. During this process, policymakers should take into account what safety net program recipients need to meet those requirements and place themselves on a…

A project developed a model curriculum to be delivered by computer-based instruction to teach the required literacy skills for entry workers in the health insurance industry. Literacy task analyses were performed for the targeted jobs and then validated with focus groups. The job tasks and related basic skills were divided into modules. The job…

A special issue of "Policy Analysis" on the HEW Mega-Proposal contains papers on restructuring all programs and policies of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Comments by Elliot Richardson about the origin and need for the Mega-Proposal preface an introduction by Laurence Lynn and John Seidl of the story of the…

Legislative and professional medical committee developments in graduate medical education needs and directions are reviewed in this background paper. The Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee (GMENAC) represents a critical nonregulatory step in the establishment of goals for the training and differentiation of physician manpower.…

This integrated review of national trends affecting the health care system is primarily intended to facilitate the planning efforts of health care providers and consumers, Government agencies, medical school administrators, health insurers, and companies in the medical market. It may also be useful to educators as a textbook to give their students…

The study on Australian health manpower focuses on lessons of value to the United States, on the eve of an expanded national health system. Researchers asked: What can be learned about the soundest approach from a similar country that has had an extensive health insurance program for many years, and is about to enact a more comprehensive one? The…

This document reports on a Congressional hearing on assistance to workers dislocated or unemployed due to the serious economic deterioration impacting the country, partly due to the events of September 11, 2001. Testimony includes statements of United States Representatives John Boehner and George Miller; Michael Hannah, representing Local 13358,…

In Fiscal Year 1997, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has an estimated budget of $34.4 billion and is authorized 16,614 full-time-equivalent staff-years. DOL's many programs fall into two major categories: enhancing workers' skills through job training and ensuring worker protection. The DOL's work force development mission is being challenged…

The kit and flyer explore employee benefits offered to professional staff by member institutions of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). To find out about these benefits, ARL surveyed its 119 members in 1993, and received 71 replies. Of responding libraries, 100% provide health care insurance, 69% have a major medical plan, while 86.4%…

The purpose of "Focus" is to provide coverage of poverty-related research, events, and issues, and to acquaint a large audience with the work of the Institute for Research on Poverty by means of short essays on selected pieces of research. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Changing poverty and changing antipoverty policies…