<p>Has anybody read the first link in the op? The last graph is very interesting.</p>
<p>I wish we could just have a different name for it. I think putting it under the umbrella of social security is a bit unfortunate, really. Just because I think that assists those who want to argue about needing to end ss, or whatnot, with numbers that have nothing to do with retirees who paid into the system.</p>
<p>OTOH, I think we would really be a sad nation if we did not want to make sure people could eat and live out of the elements but were willing to give so much corporate welfare. It is the measure of a country that it’s weakest and its children are protected, and this is what I want my taxes used for, priority 1. I wish as taxpayers we got to have checklists of: this is the most important use of my tax dollars. As a kind of way to register our priorities. I think it would turn out that making sure people are taken care of would be high on the list.</p>
<p>carry on.</p>
<p>CTTC, does the 136 page paper say how many people get disability by appealing to the courts?</p>
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<p>That is the last step in determining whether someone is disabled, but how can that work? How can applying a national standard in areas as disparate as Manhattan and rural Alabama work? Coburn might find that the majority of the disabled in the Alabama county could sit behind a desk and work, but isn’t that a big “so what” there?</p>
<p>I heard most of the NPR story in the car last weekend. I thought it was extremely well done, and I learned a number of things that I hadn’t known. </p>
<p>First, as others have posted, some people are on disability because they can no longer do physical labor or stand all day, and they don’t have enough education to quality for “sitting” jobs and, in some areas, “sitting” jobs just aren’t available. These people would prefer to work if suitable jobs were available. They are not included in the unemployment statistics.</p>
<p>There are law firms making a fortune representing people whose disability applications have been turned down. They argue their clients’ cases before a judge who works for the government, but there is no one arguing the other side, i.e., the government’s case. These lawyers are paid DIRECTLY by the government. One firm was paid $68 million in one year.</p>
<p>This was what I found the most shocking: States pay consulting firms over $2000/successful case to move people from welfare to disability (because they pay for welfare while the federal gov’t pays for disability). The consulting firms aggressively ■■■■■ the welfare rolls for candidates, and they do everything for them, get medical records, arrange medical appointments, fill out applications. 75% of these applications are successful.</p>
<p>So there are certainly some abuses, and I don’t like the idea of our tax dollars going to law firms or consulting firms. But the system as a whole is necessary as a safety net, a bare subsistence living, for the least fortunate among us. That is a good use of my tax dollars. I wish we did more for these people.</p>
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<p>Basically, what I understand and here from this thread and many people who are on SSDI is that SSDI is a lifeline but has its problems. Some of them may be easier to fix than others, but it at least does some good. It has also been pointed out that there is a lot of room for abuse and improvement. I hope it gets improved and abuses are reduced before there is more talk about wholesale slashing of this vital lifeline for many.</p>
<p>What HI said. </p>
<p>Yes, it’s a program that helps millions who desperately need it. However, the fraud (which is fairly rampant) is political fuel to slash these programs completely. Anyone who legitimately needs SSI/SSDI should be (IMO) outraged at the fraud as its putting their lifeline at risk. JMO though.</p>
<p>I am in MN.
I don’t understand why people say it is easy to get benefits. </p>
<p>A husband of my distant cousin has Parkinsons. He started to have symptoms about 10 years ago. He tried to stay employed as long as possible (he is a software engineer). He was even working when it was dangerous for him to drive, because one of his children has Crohn’s disease and his wife does not have very good health insurance. He lost his job about 2 years ago (for the last time - it was not the first time during his battle). However, because of the way he now talks, walks, looks, he is unemployable. Nor should he be hired anymore - he is not the same man he was even 4 years ago. Yet, he still cannot get SSI.</p>
<p>I also have a friend, who two years ago, had a benign brain tumor removed. Even though the surgery is considered a success, she still sometimes has seizures, her left hand is not completely functional and she gets irritated by too many noises, bright lights, etc. She gets really tired very easily. She is lucky in a sense that she worked for large corporation and she gets long term disability from them. She was told by that company that she needs to apply for SSI. So far, she did not get SSI.</p>
<p>I know those two examples are just anecdotal evidence, but still.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if there are some people who scam SSI, I doubt they live on just $600 per month. I am sure they apply for other government programs, like food stamps, section 8 housing vouchers, free school lunches, free health insurance, etc. So, I guess there is incentive for people to scam, because it is not just $600 at stake.</p>
<p>P.S. I agree with HImom and Romani.</p>
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<p>Are they married? Where do they live? Could it be that they have family support and decent living arrangements despite being unemployed, and were denied on that basis? It would make sense to me that assistance may not be available to people who have other means of support.</p>
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<p>They both live in MN. They are both married with children. </p>
<p>My friend has one child and her husband makes decent money. </p>
<p>My cousin’s husband has 2 children and his wife does not make that much. I doubt she makes more than 30K. She does not have good benefits, and this is one of the reasons he had to continue working - health insurance for him and his sick child.</p>
<p>I don’t know why they were denied. I ask too many questions and that’s why I know a lot about their situation, but they don’t like to volunteer this information, so it is kind of hard to get all details.</p>
<p>“I don’t understand why people say it is easy to get benefits.”</p>
<p>Because people don’t know what the … they are talking about.</p>
<p>I can talk about some of these numbers…but it just a waste of time…</p>
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<p>My family practically lives on government programs/support. And since my mom is mentally ill and sometimes we take her to the psychiatric emergency, does this mean she owes money to the government since the insurance she uses fee waives her medical expenses?</p>
<p>lerkin - did they have attorneys? Locally, you will not get disability benefits without an attorney.</p>
<p>I don’t know what kind of support you are looking for…</p>
<p>SSI does not look at family members income or wealth after the applicant is 18. However, the applicant can never have more than 2,000 in assets. The way to get around that is a special needs trust.</p>
<p>I participate on many online forums with folks who have chronic disease. They all are mystified why some get SSI or SSDI and others are denied and have to fight so hard. Part of it is medical documentation supporting disability. </p>
<p>There definitely is room for cost savings and improvement with savings but arbitrarily slashing the lifeline would be dire for many of our nation’s most vulnerable.</p>
<p>The lifeline is soooo small too.</p>
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<p>I think it is fair to expect spouses to provide support for each other, and parents to provide support for their children under 18. Otherwise, no, it might not be “fair,” but I hope my non-spouse family members will also help support me if I need it. I will do the same for them. That is what family is for.</p>
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<p>I know my friend for sure did not have an attorney. However, I have to ask if the company she used to work for hired one. It did not even occur to my friend to apply for SSI, until her ex-employer insisted that she has to. I think SSI payments reduce her long term disability benefits. In fact for quite sometime she was thinking that eventually she will return to work. However, it is clear now that she will not be able to work in any foreseeable future. She cannot even drive her kid to school, because of the seizures issues. </p>
<p>I am not sure about my cousin’s husband. They don’t really like to talk about this and for a long time when it was clear he was sick, we all had to pretend that there was nothing wrong with him. At least now, we can acknowledge the condition.</p>