Honors Blog #1

In a thoughtful, thoroughly researched and well-revised essay that is 500 words or less, make the case for what you consider the most significant element of health care legislation in American history. Be sure to organize your writing around a specific thesis statement and series of direct quotes from thoughtfully-chosen pieces of evidence and inlcude a works cited at the end of your writing (your works cited does not count towards your word count).

                The most significant element of health care legislation is the Social Security reform because it has continued to make changes for the better since 1935 when it was created. Social Security is also most significant because even though the system isn’t perfect and hasn’t ever been the government is still working to improve it to improve the life for people enrolled.

The first step of the reform was on August 14, 1935 when Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law. The Social Security act was originally made to provide security economically to people during the great depression but went on to aid the unemployed, elderly and children, and many state health and welfare programs. It also created a system which gave benefits fanatically to retired workers in “commerce or industry, except railroad workers,” that are of the age 65 or higher. According to the 1935 law, the system was funded by payroll taxes which started out at 2 percent.

                The first change that was made to Social Security was made in 1939, when the payroll tax turned into the Federal Insurance Contribution Act, or FICA. The Federal Reorganization Act begins making the Social Security Board a part of the newly established Federal Security Agency, which removed the status of an independent agency. New amendments expanded Social Security to and added benefits for the families with dead workers and retirees' descendents, like their children and spouses.

                After inflation on August 28, 1950 President Truman signed the 1950 Social Security Amendments. These enacted the first "cost-of-living-adjustment", which ultimately changed the benefits of Social Security, making it more affordable for people enrolled.

                Payroll taxes continued to rise reaching 9.2 percent in 1972 and 11.4 percent in 1983. This raised taxes for everyone not just the people with Social Security.

                In 1995 the Social Security Administration became an independent agency again.

                On August 22, 1996 President Clinton signed a welfare reform bill, which eliminated eligibility benefits if alcoholism or drug addiction had something to do with the disability.

                President Clinton approved the Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act on April 7, 2000, which eliminated the Retirement Earnings Test for beneficiaries at or above normal retirement age of 66. This suede about 900,000 people to want keep their jobs instead retiring for another year so they wouldn’t miss out on any benefits.

                Social Security has changed over its existence and will continue to until it is gone, if that ever happens. There have been advancements and drawbacks and decisions that didn’t make sense, which is the exact reason it’s most significant. Although there are problems with the program and decision making, the government is looking to change Social Security. People still deal with program today and it is something everyone comes in contact with in their life.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/social_security/reform/timeline.html