Health is an essential aspect of the economic well-being for our families and communities.

As renewed threats to vital social safety net programs emerge at the state and federal levels, it is more important now than ever to establish a clear and common understanding of why these programs exist, how they are funded and administered, who is eligible to enroll in them, and what the broader economic impacts of these programs are. CFI released an issue brief Medicaid & Medicare: Prescribed to Thrive to highlight why Medicaid and Medicare matter so much to Colorado families and communities.

This brief is part of a series examining what these types of programs look like today and detailing their expansive impact. SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, TANF, and LIHEAP are often derided and debated in the context of budget cuts. Myths and misunderstandings persist about who benefits from these services and to what extent. However, at their core, they represent vital public investments that help otherwise struggling families make ends meet, help to ensure and sustain their well-being, and allow our economy to survive and provide a stabilizing effect during downturns. Without these programs in place, every downturn and every recession would have a ripple effect reaching far more families and businesses and making recoveries much more difficult.

Safety net programs exist to help families who receive services. But the safety net helps catch us all when the economy is in a free fall whether we know it or not.