Final answer:
Social Security and Medicare provide critical support to the elderly, helping to reduce poverty rates among this group.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social Security and Medicare are significant distributive social policies in the United States, notably assisting the elderly. Social Security offers retirees, their dependents, and survivors financial support based on their previous wages, while Medicare covers the medical expenses of those over 65. These programs have effectively reduced elderly poverty rates and have expanded to assist a broader segment of the population, including the disabled and certain self-employed individuals.