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Medicaid is the giant, sprawling health insurance program for low-income people. If you’ve ever been on it, you know the struggle to find a dentist who accepts it. But you also know it covers a heart surgery that would otherwise bankrupt you. It’s clunky, but it’s there.

Medicare is its older sibling, for people 65+ and some disabled folks. It’s not exactly “welfare” in the public mind (old people “earned it,” after all). But it’s a massive government subsidy that keeps the elderly from having to choose between pills and heating. (Ironic side comment: the most popular government programs are the ones nobody wants to call “welfare.”)

And don’t forget the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Those tax credits that make health insurance affordable for middle-class freelancers and small business owners? That’s welfare too—just with a fancier name.

What Is a Welfare Program?

The Hidden Helpers: Housing and Energy

Ever seen a Section 8 housing voucher? That’s a program where the government pays a portion of your rent directly to a landlord. It’s supposed to let poor families live in decent neighborhoods. The waiting list often takes years, and some landlords refuse to accept vouchers. But for those who get one, it’s a lifeline from a shelter or a moldy apartment.

Then there’s LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)—which sounds like a drug, but actually helps you pay your heating bill in winter. It’s a small grant, but it can mean the difference between a warm house and a frozen pipe burst. (Side note: applying for LIHEAP is a bureaucratic obstacle course involving pay stubs, prior bills, and a signed oath that you will not freeze.)