Medical Assistance ProgramsIntroductionWelfare or public assistance provides a minimum level of comfort and social support to all citizens. The Medical Assistance Program is designed to provide Illinois residents with access to quality health care. To qualify, you must meet certain financial criteria, residency requirements, and in most cases, you must be a citizen. Another qualifying requirement is that the individual must be either blind, disabled, 65 years of age or older, have children under 19, or be pregnant (“Medical Assistance Programs”). Literature ReviewThe medical assistance program has generated many political opinions. , and debates over whether the government should maintain its spending on programs intended to help the poor, or take steps to reduce government spending on its budget deficit. Seven in ten (69%) say maintaining current Social Security and Medicare benefits is more important than reducing deficits, while 59% prioritize maintaining current spending levels for programs in favor of the poor and needy rather than deficit reduction (“Debate on the deficit”, 2013). Two-thirds of Americans believe the country has made no progress in reducing the budget deficit. Usually, the public supports spending cuts and tax increases to shrink the federal budget, and most people say the best way to shrink it is to cut some major programs and raise taxes. The main focus should be on reducing expenses and not anything else. Feelings about budget cuts and spending reductions are divided between Democrats and Republicans. History In the United States, welfare generally refers to federal government social programs that were established to help the unemployed or underemployed. Help extends to middle of paper......medical assistance. DHS. Retrieved March 3, 2014, from https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=44574Golden, NG (2006). Pregnancy and maternity leave: taking small steps towards effective policies. Journal of Law & Family Studies, 8, 1-38In the deficit debate, the public resists cutting entitlements and aid to the poor. (December 19, 2013). Pew Research Center for the People and the Press RSS. Accessed March 3, 2014, from http://www.people-press.org/2013/12/19/in-deficit-debate-public-resists-cuts-in-entitlements-and-aid-to-poor/Medical programs help. (nd). EDS:. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=30359Wellness Information. (2014). American welfare system. Accessed March 3, 2014 from http://www.welfareinfo.org/Ybarra, M. (2013). Implications of paid family leave for welfare recipients. National Association of Social Workers. do I: 10.1093