CONGRESS WANTS TO MAKE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY HARDER TO GET
At the request
of Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the Congressional Budget Office issued a
report on July 16 (2012) titled "Policy Options for the Social Security
Disability Program." One section concerns approaches to "fundamental changes"
in the Social Security Disability Insurance Program (SSDI). The CBO
report takes note of the tremendous growth of the disability program
since 1970.
What is troubling to me is that politicians are looking at "fundamental changes" in SSDI in light of projected budgetary shortfalls and a recent barrage of media reports concerning the Social Security disability program, some of which contained false, misleading or inaccurate information.
3 of the specific options presented in the CBO report are especially troubling:
While the objective of the CBO report was to produce a non-partisan analysis of economic issues in support of the Congressional budget process, there are concerns among many Social Security claimant's advocates, myself included, that Congress may make unnecessary and harmful choices to the detriment of disabled claimants--especially new claimants who try to access the SSDI benefits in the near future.
I am providing the link to the entire CBO report in case anyone is interested in reading it.
Congressional Budget Report on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
What is troubling to me is that politicians are looking at "fundamental changes" in SSDI in light of projected budgetary shortfalls and a recent barrage of media reports concerning the Social Security disability program, some of which contained false, misleading or inaccurate information.
3 of the specific options presented in the CBO report are especially troubling:
- Change the benefit formula
- Change the eligibility rules
- Change the waiting period from 5 months to 12 months
While the objective of the CBO report was to produce a non-partisan analysis of economic issues in support of the Congressional budget process, there are concerns among many Social Security claimant's advocates, myself included, that Congress may make unnecessary and harmful choices to the detriment of disabled claimants--especially new claimants who try to access the SSDI benefits in the near future.
I am providing the link to the entire CBO report in case anyone is interested in reading it.
Congressional Budget Report on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
This post from 2012 is not really outdated--because Congress keeps talking about cutting (or gutting)the Social Security disability program. The "cut or gut" mentality has taken hold and senators from both parties are getting on the cut or gut wagon. While some changes in Social Security need to be made, I urge voters to let Congress know that the program is a vital lifeline to millions of Americans and changes should be gradual, careful and fair.
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