In this video Marc Whitehead, a Board Certified Social Security Disability Attorney, discusses how to secure the future of Social Security Disability Insurance.
If you are nervous about the Social Security Disability Program and how it is going to work in the future, you’re not the only one. Recently a Sub-committee from the House of Representatives held the last in a series of Hearings about the Social Security Disability Insurance system. They asked academic and business researchers, a director of public policy, and a witness from the Governments accountability office Social Security Disability questions.
What came out of these Hearings?
While no real changes have been made to the SSD system, there are some alarming trends.
Two researchers argued that the rules needed to be changed because they believed that many of the people who are currently listed as disabled could work if they wanted to. These researchers say that they just aren’t working because they are getting money for doing nothing. In short, they say that some SSD claimants are lazy.
Talk like that is offensive to many people who’s very lives are dependent on their SSD benefits, but it is not surprising that some people on the fringe have this opinion. What’s more disturbing is that the witness from the Governments very own Accountability Office said that they supported changing the criteria to be labeled disabled so that it is more about how people function in the world rather than their medical diagnosis.
Why is this so bad?
Because while medical diagnosis’s are based on medical facts and evidence opinions on how you function are just that, opinions. They are highly subjective and even the GAO witness basically said that giving them more weight would make rulings less consistent.
To put this in plain English- If two people have the exact same illness, one might get full benefits while the other person receives nothing.
The lone voice of reason came from the Government Public Policy Office, Marty Ford spoke about improving the way SSDI works instead of trying to blow it up. Her completely reasonable suggestions included:
Making sure that the SSA has the resources they need and the money and personnel they need to do their job.
Loosening eligibility requirements
Maintaining or even expanding the health care so that many people receiving the disability benefits can find jobs.
By not putting time limits on benefits and eligibility
While her suggestions don’t answer all the SSD questions, they could solve a lot of the problems.
