By skyforbes 
Understanding OSHA, Medicare and Medicaid
The U.S. has been facing “crises” of exponential debt ever since the year 1791, ultimately. The last time the government was not in debt was in 1835 under the presidential term of Andrew Jackson by selling a lot of property on the Western frontier, and accumulating even more debt during to the American Civil War. (Smith 15).
Some of the main specific reasoning of the establishment of debt, detailing the financial point, was the recent shutdown of the federal government. The Covid-19 pandemic also plays a significant role in this as well. According to the Treasury Department’s ruling in October, “the U.S. hit $37 trillion in gross national debt in August this year.” (Hussein 2). Currently, the outstanding public debt is stationed at about $38.2 B. To find more information on how much money the government is spending, and what the government is spending on, you can look up the U.S. National Debt Clock.
Many government-funded organizations were not able to provide for the people who depended on them, and certain strategies could’ve been considered to solve these problems. As the shutdown has concluded, we will be looking into what these medical-associated companies stand for.
Types of Fiscal Federalism
Dual Federalism is referred to as a “layered cake” because it distinctly separates the states from the federal government’s responsibilities.
Cooperative Federalism is referred to as a “marbled cake” because the federal government and the states pave the way for an integration of resources. Oftentimes, The United States uses more Cooperative Federalism than Dual Federalism.
Economics helps us define our slice of life.
Utilizing Federal Government Money
Whenever the states face an issue revolving around problems that relate to education, the environment, mental issues or dealing with the homeless population, they need funding in order to solve those issues. Through the taxes we pay, a percentage of money is provided to the states, but also to the federal government. Grants, also referred to as “grants-in-aid,” help states gain and then implement their finances through federal funding.
Categorical grants are used for specific purposes, while block grants are designated for broader categories that need to be solved. Grants must be utilized for their intended proposition. In order to more efficiently comply with these rules, the federal government must institute and follow certain pieces of legislation. These are called mandates, and they state what must be followed in federal guidelines. Funded mandates are funded by the fed. gov, while unfunded mandates are not.
Whenever the government goes into debt, people have to hold bonds. Bonds allow us to go into debt once sold. When debt is accumulated to greater extents, after mandatory spending matters, we have less money to institute in discretionary spending.
In terms of government-funded programs, when taxes increase, ultimate spending percentages decrease. But, this influences how people may become upset about certain governmental powers and vote them out of their positions in office.
Fed. Cuts and OSHA
OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and several common initiatives it has stood for in the past to eliminate discrimination are the following:
- any public building that has more than one floor must have a way to get from one floor to additional floors
- any public building must have a ramp
- work in inspecting U.S. workplaces
OSHA’s main goal is to prevent diseases throughout the public and place emphasis on sustaining people’s health. However, we can a greater visual emphasis in the points stated in the bullet points above.
Medicare and Medicaid
Medicare provides healthcare benefits for retirees and people with certain disabilities, helping people receive more social security.
Medicaid joints the fed. and state governments to help pay for medical expenses of those who come from less economically priviledged backgrounds. “Medicaid also pays for Medicare premiums and cost sharing for individuals who are dually enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare.” (MACPAC 6).
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit who provide “low-cost reproductive, sexual health, and family planning medical services through clinics across the US.” (USA Facts).
It is most noted for it’s polices about abortion, and how everyone deserves receiving equitable reproductive healthcare.
[1]: “Medicaid 101.” MACPAC, 2025, www.macpac.gov/medicaid-101/.
[2]: News, PBS. “U.S. Hits $38 Trillion in Debt, after the Fastest Accumulation of $1 Trillion outside of the Pandemic.” PBS News, 23 Oct. 2025, www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/u-s-hits-38-trillion-in-debt-after-the-fastest-accumulation-of-1-trillion-outside-of-the-pandemic.
[3]: Smith, Robert. “When U.S. Paid off National Debt (Why It Didn’t Last).” NPR.org, 15 Apr. 2011, www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/04/15/135423586/when-the-u-s-paid-off-the-entire-national-debt-and-why-it-didnt-last.
[4]: Treasury Direct. “History of the Debt — TreasuryDirect.” Treasurydirect.gov, treasurydirect.gov/government/historical-debt-outstanding/.
[5]: US Debt Clock. “U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time.” Usdebtclock.org, 2025, www.usdebtclock.org/.
[6]: USA Facts. “How Much Government Money Does Planned Parenthood Receive?” USAFacts, 13 Sept. 2022, usafacts.org/articles/how-much-government-money-does-planned-parenthood-receive/.
