Low-Income Energy Assistance Program.

In fiscal year 1981, Congress appropriated $1.85 billion for home heating assistance to help low-income households meet rapidly rising energy costs. Eligibility for payments was based on income and energy-cost criteria. This procedure represented a departure from the earlier Federal focus of assisting households facing emergency hardships. Funds for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program were allocated to the 50 States and District of Columbia, six territories, and 55 Indian tribal organizations. This article presents program data and information on the characteristics of the more than 17 million persons who received aid under this program.

Effect of SSI on Medicaid caseloads and expenditures.

The 1972 Social Security Amendments replaced the Federal-State public assistance programs for the needy aged, blind, and disabled with the Federal supplemental security income (SSI) program. They also changed the automatic Medicaid eligibility provision under title XIX of the Social Security Act for the cash assistance population. This article provides information about recent changes in State Medicaid caseloads and payments following implementation of SSI and the possible effects of SSI on such changes. It does not appear that SSI was a significant factor in the Medicaid changes. The growth in Medicaid payments resulted primarily from expansion of medical services to include care in intermediate care facilities, inflation, and higher utilization of medical services.