Social Security Disability Trust Fund Could Run Out By 2018

New York Times:

Programs intended to steer people with more moderate disabilities back into jobs have managed to take only a small sliver of beneficiaries off the Social Security rolls.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[Intolerantcentrist]

09:13 PM on 04/09/2011

See this: http://neweconomicperspectives.blogspot.com/2011/04/4-trust-fund-3-problems-why-is-other.html

And this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIYpdoKKsKc

[nothingchanges]

10:43 AM on 04/09/2011

Part of the problem is the Workers Compensation Insurance industry. When a W.C. insurer determines that one of their "clients" is a dog (their term, not mine, it refers to someone who is costing them more in claims, then they take in in premiums) they look for any means possible to get them out of their system.

One of their favorite strategies is to force them onto Federal Disability.

Another case of American Capitalism in action. Privatizing the profits, and socializing the losses.

If you're looking for a scam, or fraud, you should be looking at the insurance companies and how they do business. That's where the "BIG" money is. The bigger the reward, the higher the incentive for fraud.

[abbynormalz]

08:28 PM on 04/08/2011

Everyboday has to sacrifice, especially the poor and disabled, while the uber rich get tax exempt and big rebate checks, make those Bush Tax breaks perminate people! Vote GOP! Someday you'll get the trickle down rain of golden showers as your reward.

[Wex]

03:17 PM on 04/08/2011

The far right, especially our new Tea Bag friends (who will all be gone in the next election), all have the same mindset, if it doesn't benefit me, or jive with my religion, it's a scam. It's pretty simple, I have paid into the program, and now it's helping me out. I don't use the Medicare that is offered, as I still have insurance thru my wife. I could easily drop it and get additional benefits, but i dont need it, and leave that extra money to someone who does. However, my income has stopped and SSD is helping me pay the bills and eat. You will find most, not all, of SSD recipients all want to work, but sometimes it's not a reality. It's also not a lifetime benefit, as every few years you must show documentation that you still are legally disabled, or they discontinue the payments. Unlike our elected officials, who get the best health insurance around, and get it for life, even after they leave office. Why is this not considered a scam? They are taking something from the tax payers and not giving anything back. They are "freeloading" off of us, are they not? Where is the outcry? I would trade my disability payments and be pain free and live a normal life in a second!

SSI is closer to a form of welfare payment, and could use more regulation, but again, not everyone who is on it is a scammer, stealing from the general

[dayzee10]

01:56 PM on 04/08/2011

This is only going to get worse if the Democrats continue to compromise with the Retealibanbaggerican Party.

[TAMPA M]

10:42 AM on 04/08/2011

Key West Residents to Send Rick Scott a Giant Jar of Their Urine
blogs.miaminewtimes.com
Rick Scott really is a big fan of having people pee in cups. He plans to start mandatory drug testing...
This might not mean nothing but it is a little interesting to me is that Rick Scott's wife owns the urinalysis company. I'm just saying,

Targeting the disabled — A heartless, impractical move
www.orlandosentinel.com
Late last week, Gov. Rick Scott blindsided tens of thousands of disabled Floridians and their caregivers by signing an executive order to immediately cut their funding.

why do Republicans hate this elderly and people with disabilities.

[ThinkinPerson]

11:09 AM on 04/08/2011

Gosh, I had no idea about Florida. If the caregiver who helps me is cut, I won't be able to get to the store or laundry like before, and since I am not allowed a wheelchair, this type of cut is devastating. I simply can not understand what is wrong with these people that they would go after disabled. They are really messed up. They see cheats and lies in everyone but themselves as they go around cheating and lying, and get bonuses to boot!

Something is really, really, really wrong in our country.

[dayzee10]

01:59 PM on 04/08/2011

The Retealibanbaggerican Party just dont hate the elderly and disabled they hate 98% of us. The only ones they love are the top 2% and the corporate greed machine the rest of us are to be used and disposed of

[Aldyth]

08:11 AM on 04/08/2011

Ticket to Work has been a bad deal and pretty much a useless program since its inception. Organizations that help people with disabilities to get jobs only get full payment if the person gets a full time job and keeps it.

Problem with that is that most people who are disabled enough to qualify aren't healthy enough to work full time. They don't want to risk losing their benefits, especially health care. Yeah, right. Ticket to Work provides for people to get back on their benefits right away if they lose their job. When you have chronic health problems, even a one month delay in getting back on is a serious problem.

Many people with disabilities would be happy to work two to four hours a day, just to make a little to supplement their government check. It would improve their quality of life significantly. But, it's all or nothing and so most choose not to take the risk. I cannot blame them.

In this economy, employers want versatile people who can move from one task to another as needed. People with intellectual disabilities can't do it, if it exceeds their skills. People with physical disabilities have limitations that they can't get around. Therefore, these folks cannot compete in the market when there are plenty of people without disabilities looking for work.

[OhioIsHome]

12:27 PM on 04/08/2011

It is an "OK" program but requires you to attend college FULL time now (at least that is what I was told by Vocational Rehabilitation).

One employer fired me when I had Vocational Rehabilitation talk to her about her receiving an approximately $3000 tax credit for hiring an individual with a disability (me). Prior to that she was so excited about the tax credit she was going to give me a raise. Oh, but she said I was not "fired"...Just permanantly taken off the schedule.

[Aldyth]

12:53 PM on 04/08/2011

If you've been able to use it successfully, you are in a distinct minority. In Illinois, DVR snatched up all the tickets so that they could get more money for anyone who actually went through their system and wound up in full-time employment. DVR loves to serve people who have minimal disabilities and are likely to successfully find employment once they have some accomodations or retraining.

In the days when I did job placements, I got a lot of requests for clerical workers who knew all the current software, could type 60 wpm, and happened to use a wheelchair. It's the guy with blue collar skills who has a bad back, can't lift more than 5 pounds and needs a sit down job that doesn't benefit from Ticket.

In spite the the Americans With Disabilities Act, a lot of things haven't really changed.

[Gimlet29]

07:27 AM on 04/08/2011

I hope the program goes bust and is never funded again. It is a program so racked by fraud and abuse that really it is a scam. When I see the number of people at my workplace who abuse the system I feel bad for the taxpayers who are being ripped off by this scam.

[lostnspace]

08:13 AM on 04/08/2011

The program isn't a scam. The people who abuse it are the problem. There are people who have worked all of their adult life and for whatever reason get sick, get in an accident, or whatever, and programs like this are what keep them alive. You may have a need for it someday. Anything can happen to any of us at any time. That said, my understanding is that it is actually very hard to get approved, so my feeling is, and as the article points out, that demographics (aging baby boomers) play a large role in the increased claims. This is a curve that will level out as the boomers die off in the next few decades.

[tpsnow]

09:42 AM on 04/08/2011

If you feel that way you should write up a contract saying you will never accept benefits from the Social Security Program, no matter how disabled you might become in the future, and mail it to all your friends and send it to the local newspaper.

[Clem2]

04:03 AM on 04/08/2011

SSD is very important as a lot of people worked until they simply could not. And, yes, if jobs could be found, folks would take them. But in this economy even able-bodied, degreed, experienced people can't find jobs. And it's true your skills fall behind, as well.

This is very different from people taking money from a program they have not paid in to or don't want to work.

Finally, there is, of course abuse. I know of someone who weighed over 300 lbs who, naturally, had back pain. He got disability and retired on a great pension from the county. He was diabetic for at least 25 years.

Long story short, he is now 69 with alzheimer's. ;-( I bet his wife still gest the disability $, which she doesn't need as she has a high six figure income. And the really sad thing is that now he can't feed himself, his food intake is regulated, and he lost 60 lbs. The diabetes is gone. So in a sense he is healthier, but who wants to live like this? Some drs. call Alzheimer's diabetes Type III, there is such strong causation. It is very, very sad ;-( He was a great guy, although I always thought it wrong he got the questionable disability retirement..

More than anybody wanted to know... guess I had a need to talk about the loss of this friend.

[landskroon]

03:37 AM on 04/08/2011

In states that are growing towards real societies or, communities you see the state taking care of the disabled and the vulnerable. In the USA the state only cares for the wrong, for the people that can afford all. So now the rich even eat the food of the poor, actually you have broken down Society and Community on your way down. The USA is again a state of Robberbarons.

[williamgarcia07]

03:19 AM on 04/08/2011

Starting this year your child (or children) cannot be denied coverage simply because they have a pre-existing health condition. If you don't have insurance for you and your children search "Wise Medical Insurance" online they are the best.

[PieInTheSky]

03:07 AM on 04/08/2011

If you are interested here is the Social Security listing of Impairments that qualify for SSI and SSDI. http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm

I am disabled I was born with Muscular Dystrophy. I worked for 12 years and then I went out on SSDI because I was in extreme pain due to my MD. For awhile I was an advocate for the disabled. I helped people apply and fight for their SS. Yes there are people who try to get SSDI that don't need it. Surprisingly enough Social Security does weed many of them out. For those who are disabled many have to keep applying and appealing for 5 years before they get their benefits.

Just so you know its no picnic living off of SSDI. I make less then a $1000 a month. After rent and the bills I got very little left. I don't like to complain because I have friends who have SSI and they are living off of $675 a month. I don't even know how they survive. I would love to go back to work. I've tried three different times and each time my health took a turn for the worse. Finally my doc told me to give it up. Its not in the cards for me. Anyways I am thankful for Social Security. Without it I would probably be dead. I have no way of living with out it.

[Demidan]

09:54 AM on 04/08/2011

I am on SSDI ,(brain injury), and wish you the best.

[dgoose50]

12:01 AM on 04/08/2011

I think you have to understand the difference between SSD and SSI to even make a comment on this Post.

[Wex]

12:27 AM on 04/08/2011

Agreed. I was so upset with a few posters, I combined SSD and SSDI a few times. Sorry for the typos and confusion, for those of you who don't know the difference.

And no, I would really wish my pain on anyone, that was a poor choice of words. Really trying to say walk in my shoes, before calling me a freeloader. However, in the past few years, I've come to find that most people who make those comments, are the same finding the tax loop holes, stealing far more from the government, then I will ever get from the fund.

Cheers

[tpsnow]

09:47 AM on 04/08/2011

And they would be the first to complain that they had to wait too
long for their first check to come through if they really did become disabled!

[Wex]

11:50 PM on 04/07/2011

I had to register on this site, just so i could respond to the comments below. Are there people that abuse the program, sure. Reading through some of these comments though simply amaze me that people can criticize something they really know nothing about, and put everybody into the same group.

Take me for example...I ran my own company for 14 years, paying not only my share of social security, but matching all my employees shares as well. Throughout the final years, I had roughly 13 major back surgeries, just so I could continue to work and provide for my family. Finally, I got to the point where doctors are telling me my spine is basically disintegrating, so make the best of your time. Even with mountains of paper work, it was not easy to get approved. Should I feel bad and ashamed, as a lot of you say, well screw you. I've paid plenty into SS as a small business owner, with very little tax benefits. Some of you use terms like freeloaders, well I'm willing to bet I've paid more into the SS fund (and I'm quite young) than a majority of you.

My favorite line is, ouch my back went out and I know just how you feel! Sorry, perhaps on my best day. I don't get to play outside with my kids, or have normal vacations and enjoy life, while my very small SSDI checks come in. I get to spend most of my day in

[tpsnow]

09:48 AM on 04/08/2011

Wish you well and I agree with you 100 per cent.

[Chlowina]

11:47 PM on 04/07/2011

First off, my husband collects SS after 40 years of working and diagnosed with MS. It was heLL getting it.

Then I look at my nephews step-children and see how they have managed to get laid off (one intentionally got fired), collect unemployment for 99 weeks then go for disability using depression as their illness. However, each girl is on medication and is functioning well. They are no longer depressed, so why should they be entitled to collect?

There are so many people out there who have legitimate disabilities and need assistance and can't get it and yet, a woman who has a 7 year old kid who is has been tentatively diagnosed as autistic and is being mainstreamed into the public school system gets $700/month for him. Why? I won't get $700/month when I turn 62.

Once they approve people, SS never keeps track of them. They need to make it mandatory they receive proper medical attention, other then a written note from their pcp. Proof they are seeking and receiving medical treatment.

[AutonomicsMps]

01:18 AM on 04/08/2011

And where shall the disabled GET "proper medical attention".. No private doctor accepts medicaid..you have to it in a hopsital clinic... i have been trying to get a help for 10 years. sicne a spinal cord disorder.......and they tell me ..disability will not PAY for private doctors to do extensive diagnostics..so i can never improve. they even canceled my disability hearing and approved me immediately because I am too sick to attend a meeting without need of an ambulance.....simply put---..there is no money to pay for'proper medical care" .

[Chlowina]

10:21 AM on 04/08/2011

If you are getting SS for disability, that puts you in line for Medicare. Of course, it will take 29 months from the day of originally filing, but you will get it.

I hope I am giving you correct information...basic Medicare is free. It covers hospitalization and some other stuff. You can get the book and it explains everything. There is Supplemental Insurance you can purchase which is taken out of your monthly check. Research and make sure you get quotes from at least 3-5 companies. AARP, local BX&BS, etc. Compare benefits. There is also the Part D which covers drugs. You have to pay for that also.

Knowing what I did about MS, I opted to get him the best we could afford. It's my private pay that is driving us into the poor house. But knowing he's got good coverage is all I care about.

With all of this, his medical treatment is cheap. THANK GOD!!! Doctor visit is $10.00, specialist is $25.00. All labs and testing are covered in full. ER visit would be $50.00 unless he's admitted.

Please check it out. Do your homework. And if you can't afford to get supplemental check around your city/town for assistance. It can be found if you meet their requirements/guidelines. Assistance saved our lives when hubby first lost his job and we had nothing, including healthcare. :~)

[get a clue]

11:15 PM on 04/08/2011

I don't understand how people who have rarely worked a day in their life,go from collecting welfare then once they have exhausted that benefit because they no longer have children under eighteen in the home to qualify decide to access SSDI.This also would ensure them they won't lose their section eight voucher which they should no longer qualify for because this originally was developed for single mothers or fathers and low income family's.It was not designed to stay on it for the rest of your life,it was designed to be hand up not a hand out.Unfortunately this program is also abused and poorly monitered.This individual was told what to do,and say before they were sent to see the SSDI doctor by someone else who's scaming the system.Approval time for benefits 6 to 8 months,amazing considering alot of people are denied up to 8 times before they get approved.Second individual addiction to prescription drugs and suffers from depression has a prescription for antidepressant to qualify for benefits and a methadone script.

[Chlowina]

11:42 PM on 04/08/2011

I don't understand it either.