Social Security disability on verge of insolvency

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER

WASHINGTON (AP) - Laid-off workers and aging baby boomers are flooding Social Security's disability program with benefit claims, pushing the financially strapped system toward the brink of insolvency.

Applications are up nearly 50 percent over a decade ago as people with disabilities lose their jobs and can't find new ones in an economy that has shed nearly 7 million jobs.

The stampede for benefits is adding to a growing backlog of applicants - many wait two years or more before their cases are resolved - and worsening the financial problems of a program that's been running in the red for years.

New congressional estimates say the trust fund that supports Social Security disability will run out of money by 2017, leaving the program unable to pay full benefits, unless Congress acts. About two decades later, Social Security's much larger retirement fund is projected to run dry as well.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110821/D9P8D0B00.html

---

In this Nov. 15, 2010, file photo Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue responds to questions at a hearing in Akron, Ohio. A Senate oversight committee told Astrue the agency hasn't done enough to trim its disability claims backlog. Applications are up nearly 50 percent over a decade ago as people with disabilities lose their jobs and can’t find new ones in an economy that has shed nearly 7 million jobs. Many wait two years or more before their cases are resolved. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)

[eShirl]

1. the payroll tax cap is a luxury we can no longer afford

[HelenWheels]

4. Unearned monies

such as dividends, should pay into FICA.

[StarsInHerHair]

60. +1,000,000,000

[raccoon]

71. A-fricking-men! nt

[tcaudilllg]

2. K&R... utterly unacceptable.

So much for Republican arguments that civil suits are sufficient to get work for the disabled. Only criminal prosecution truly suffices.

[independentpiney]

3. So what happens to everyone dependent on ssdi in 2017?

Work or die? I can't work, that's why I'm on disability. Starvation and exposure are slow ways to go, I'll find another alternative.

[jwirr]

21. SSDI is the same system but they do pay different amounts to the

recipient. My guess is they are trying to make the payment plan the same.

[DesertFlower]

43. the disability amount is higher.

i started collecting SSDI in '91. when i reached full retirement age it went into regular social security at the same amount. had i stopped working in '91 and not gotten disability my check would be very low. i got much more out of the system than i put in. on the other hand hubby has paid the max in since he started working in his early 20s. he's 64 and plans to keep working. it's doubtful that he'll ever collect as much as he paid in.

IMO it evens itself out. there are those who collect for a year or 2 and die.

[Igel]

24. Two things might.

The first is that you get reduced benefits. Retirement benefits are supposed to undergo the same fate in the 2040s, down to about 75% of currently planned benefits, and everybody seems to think that's a great counterargument to amending Social Security now. "What? No, it's not going to be insolvent, it'll still pay 75% of benefits, don't change it--I got mine, or soon will."

The second is that something will happen to ensure that the benefits continue unchanged.

Actually, there's a third thing: The forecast might simply be wrong. Many think of them as some sort of fact, when they're forecasts for the purposes of planning--nothing more. They might be over optimistic, they might turn out to be pessimistic. Hard to say.

[JDPriestly]

40. The payroll or FICA taxes should be imposed on all income.

That would solve the problem. Helping the disabled is the responsibility of everyone. Why should every person, poor and rich, pay to fund this obligation beginning with their first dollar, but the very wealthy not pay for it with their last?

It makes no sense. Helping the disabled is a moral duty.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Steve please tell me where I can find these 'new Congressional

estimates' as they do not seem to be from the CBO. 'Congressional' can mean 'Senator Paul's new estimate' as well as many other things. The fact that the article neither specifies or identifies that source makes me call for the source to be named. I like to see the facts raw and direct. This is because I am not all that young, and I can not remember a time when some people were not saying SS was about to go bust, and my Dad said they said that the day it passed into law, and every day since. So I like to see the actual facts, unfiltered, on such hot button subjects.
Thanks for providing the information in advance, as I am sure you have it on hand.

[Jazzgirl]

6. It's really hard to trust anything from AP.

n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

9. I do not trust anyone's retelling of a story that could be presented

with facts.
I just want to be able to find the 'new estimates' being touted so I can judge for myself. I can not find any such source by searching. I search well, so I asked to see what others found. But no, I do not trust 'some say' reporting. In fact, I trust no reporting unchecked.

[Mojorabbit]

16. THe numbers seem weird

The article is saying in 37 years regular SS will be insolvent?

[suffragette]

27. See post 26. At least one source has a longtime agenda

and links to Simpson and Gregg.

[Yo_Mama]

47. These are CBO forecasts

Start on page 122 in this CBO doc:
http://cbo.gov/ftpdocs/120xx/doc12039/01-26_FY2011Outlook.pdf

In the absence of legislative action, CBO projects, three major trust funds will exhaust their balances during the baseline period: the DI trust fund, the HI Trust Fund, and the Highway Trust Fund. In 2010, the DI and HI trust funds had negative cash flows, including the interest earned on invested securities, of $21 billion and $30 billion, respectively. In CBO’s projection, the negative cash flows for the two funds continue throughout the baseline period; their balances are exhausted in 2017 (DI) and 2021 (HI).

DI is disability and HI is the Hospital Insurance component of Medicare, which is funded by the 2.9% Medicare tax (part of FICA).

[hollowdweller]

7. It may only get worse

Problem is we got a lot of people now who are older and have worked at service type jobs that are hard on the body.

Also nobody gets a pension anymore.

I see a lot more people in their 60's applying. Also 50's. They really aren't severely disabled but they can't do their old work anymore because they have chronic health problems. In a just and healthy economy those people would be able to find a lighter type of job and still work. However with the economy the way it is they have no option. Or maybe they need medical coverage and can't get it unless they get disability.

In the 80's Reagan tightened up the regs and it resulted in lots of people who were on getting denied when they came up for re review. There was such an outcry they completely stopped doing the reviews for a while and then when they started them again they made the critera that you had to have gotten better from the standard that you were allowed under rather than the new one. In the 90's the republican congress did away with the obesity listings as well as made it tougher for kids to get it.
However most of those people were allowed anyway at the ALJ level since while theoretically the ALJ's follow the same guidelines as the DDS in reality they can put people on the people at the DDS would never be able to allow without their QA unit giving them errors.

So really congress can't stop the backlog because they are unwilling to provide a social safety net or to do things to create lighter jobs that people who are disabled could do. Although a tremendous number of people in my community that get disablity work nearly full time off the table doing stuff like roofing , home improvement, etc. But most of them were allowed by judges where you don't have to be as bad. Almost anybody allowed by the DDS because they are forced to hew closer to the actual regs would be unable to do any heavy labot off the table.

One of the biggest reasons for the backlog is that nearly everybody denied applies for a hearing before an ALJ because they allow a majority of their claims and unlike the DDS that can have their claims reviewed by QA and DQB the ALJ's really only are reviewed by the appeals council which really only sees majority denials so they can allow pretty easily compared to the DDS.

But traditionally when congress tries to reduce the amount of awards and backlogs they end up just changing the regs which mainly impacts the DDS so it just drives more and more people to the ALJ's to get allowed and causes more of a backlog. Bass ackwards.

[jwirr]

23. Who are the ALJ? May have a friend who needs to know.

[Yo_Mama]

57. It will get worse if they try to raise SS age and esp. early retirement age

There are an awful lot of people with chronic health problems, and of course they rarely improve with age.

People talking about raising the SS retirement age more aren't thinking about all the people who will apply for disability, and get it.

[mopinko]

72. +1

plus medical benefits once they do, is that right?

[Yo_Mama]

73. After two years

You get Medicare after two years SS disability, although there are a few exceptions with immediate eligibility.

But even at a full retirement age of 67, a lot of people are going to apply for disability instead of early retirement. When full retirement age was 65, you didn't take nearly as much of a cut in monthly benefits as you will when you are disabled at 62 and your check on early retirement is one third less than it would be if you could have worked until 67. The people will be disabled, too!

And if they actually raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67, you'll have even more people opting for the longer wait for disability rather than taking early retirement just because of the need to get on Medicare.

People just aren't thinking about the realities involved with all of these facile reform plans.

[The Wizard]

8. Stop coddling the wealthy elites

Remove the income ceiling and all Social Security questions are answered. If there was a bottom line advantage in creating jobs the wealthy elites would have done it already. They have no incentive to put Americans to work at a living wage. Tax the bastards at a 90% rate, and give them deductions commensurate with the living wage jobs created. It's worked in the past, and we'd not be in the depression if Reagan didn't destroy the middle class.

[Zenlitened]

39. Excellent, excellent point:

If there was a bottom line advantage in creating jobs the wealthy elites would have done it already.

:applause:

[Historic NY]

10. Sounds like a red herring story to me...........the real story is

the comntinuing policy of deny, deny, delay with the hopes people will go away. It tokk almost 4yrs before they settled my case even after workmans compensation affirimed disability.

[hollowdweller]

45. The criteria for disability under Social Security is much tougher than Workmans Comp

Also to be found disabled for welfare is not as stringent.

[GiveMeFreedom]

11. Not good news

for me. I have just been awarded SSDI, plus, now, I'll be able to file for my union pension for being disabled. It only took two weeks to get my award, from when I applied. Having cancer (plus my age) is one of those SS blue book disability's that automatically qualifies for disability. Now if I can live another 20 years? Most likely not, the cancer is spreading and eating my bones. Am I turning into an invertebrate? Jelly fish?

[Mojorabbit]

17. I am so glad you were accepted so quickly

I hope you will be healed. :hug:

[CountAllVotes]

22. my god!

I hope you get better if it is possible. You sure do not need the stress of worry on top of the fight you are now going through with your health.

Get well soon if you can! :hug:

[Raschel]

34. I received SSD immediately through 'Compassionate Allowances'.

Here is the link with the disabilites allowed for Compassionate Allowances.

http://www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances/

[No Elephants]

69. I'm so sorry you have those problems.

[bemildred]

12. Unlike the Pentagon, which is never "insolvent". nt

[area51]

14. +1

There is no shortage of money for SS, Medicare, Medicaid, & Disability payments; there's only a shortage of political will to put the Pentagon on a diet. :mad:

[christx30]

46. We have to be able to fight

6 wars at a time. If we can't do that, then the TERRORISTS win! Look out! There's one behind you! <Grabs a french fry when you aren't looking>

[Zenlitened]

54. LOL!

:applause:

[christx30]

56. Don't laugh at me

I was taking a page out of the Bush Doctrine. Using fear to achieve the results that I want. Frightening someone into giving up their freedom, in this case, the freedom to enjoy hot potato goodness. If I could do that with social security or medicare, I would. But that would take longer, and an act of Congress to complete.

[Zenlitened]

58. I wasn't laughing AT you. I was laughing TOWARD you.

;) J/K

The laughter and applause were for a line well-delivered.

Plus, I like potatoes.

[No Elephants]

65. Bush would have called it a freedom fry, though. Then, he would have heehee'd, moving

his shoulders up and down as he did so.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

61. Er, I think you mean "Freedom Fry" n/t

[CountAllVotes]

13. you often read of it taking 4 or 5 years to receive benefits

However, I happen to know of someone that had an on the job accident and retired with a full pension from his job. He has a bad back from the accident.

Being he is a greedy person always wanting more, he filed for SSDI and got it right away! This person is now pulling in over $4,000.00 a month between the pension (that includes full benefits) as well as SSDI. He did not want to wait to collect his social security as he won't be old enough for that until he turns 65 and is now 60.

I couldn't believe this man actually got SSDI so quick and easy. :wtf:

I've known others with conditions like MS, AIDS, and other incurable illnesses wait for years to get benefits; some have died waiting in fact! Often people in this boat are too sick to fill out forms and have everything lined up nice and orderly being they are indeed very ill, not like this man I know who had everything in order, lined-up and ready to go with a few M.D.'s in his hip pocket too I might add! :grr:

I really feel like he is a half-baked (or fully baked) fraud quite honestly, especially when I see him driving around in his new and very fancy $50,000.00 car that he recently bought .

It irks the hell out of me personally. He has some big connections in this particular field, that much I can state. Frankly it sickens me as he doesn't really need the money and he is well enough to travel and takes no medications but his case went right on through with NO questions asked (or so he said). Hmph!

In the meantime, those that are completely desperate with no pension to fall back or nor resources wait in silence as poverty envelopes their lives and as I've already mentioned, some die waiting. :(

[Big Blue Marble]

31. It is not being greedy to apply for your private pension

and your SSDI as you have paid into both. They are both there to protect
your income when you cannot work. If he got his SSDI right away, he most
likely was qualified to receive it based on his health status not his financial
status.

Instead of resenting what he has, it would be healthier for you to work to insure
that others receive more of their entitlements as well.

This is not to say that some do defraud the system; that is always the case.
I have an intimate knowledge into to area, as my first husband was an ALJ for
over twenty years and saw it all.

[CountAllVotes]

35. I did not say he was greedy for retiring with a pension

The part that got me is when he filed for SSDI after he was retired!

I seriously do not believe that this man has a hell of a lot wrong with him. He goes to the gym and works out, travels around the world and drives a new car worth $50K.

He has no need -- his wife earns yet another $50K a year.

Some people never have enough and if they can play the system like this guy has, they get what they seem to want.

However, I will add, said man was greatly distressed when he had to give up his fine health benefits and was required to enroll in Medicare. :nopity:

He even tried to get out of that!

As I said, some people never have enough and having connections at the top of the ladder helps tremendously! :argh:

In the meantime, someone doing without and laying their half dead waits and waits and waits. :grr:

[No Elephants]

67. Regardless of his pension, if he was disabled, it was not greedy to apply for disability.

[DesertFlower]

37. i agree. nt

[hollowdweller]

52. It doesn't take that long if your condition is really bad

And you have documentation.

For instance you have a guy who worked as a pipefitter with a back problem. He's 55 years old. He has a herniated disc say.

OK so he files. The person at DDS requests his records. The records show his condition is legit.

The case is sent to a doctor and the doctor says he can only do light work. Pipefitter is either heavy or medium work. So at that guys age even though he doesn't meet the criteria where his condition limits him from performing his past work he would be an allowance because at that age he could not be reasonably expected to learn another job.

OK, now take the same impairment, and put in on a guy 30 years old. He's also limited to light work but at his age the regs say that he can still learn a lighter job like maybe a telemarketer so he's a denial.

Person 2 then has to file reconsideration, likely be denied, and then file for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. The judge probably can't say that the person meets the actual listing for his back but he can take testimony from the guy about how much pain he's in and then he might limit him to less than a full range of sedentary work which would so limit the jobs he could do he'd be an allowance. The judge can reduce the guy,not on the basis of the objective medical findings but on the guys statements which the earlier steps could never do because they have oversight on their decisions.

[bitchkitty]

59. I don't get it.

Are you confused as to why he was approved for disability? I got approved too, without any denials, even an initial one. I didn't have a lawyer at the ready but I would have gotten one if I were denied. I did have an advocate who extensively documented my disabilities and more importantly, how they affected my ability to earn a living. One of things she did was talk to all of my doctors, get referrals to other doctors, and made sure there was extensive documentation of that.

If you want to get approved for disability, that's what you need to do. I don't see any immorality in it.

[christx30]

62. A friend of my wife

moved from Texas to Colorado about a year and a half ago. Still collecting Texas unemployment. I would report her, but she has 2 little girls that I adore, and they would be seriously hurt if anything happened to their mom, as she is raising them by herself. It really irks me that she is taking money that should be going to someone else.

[boppers]

64. THOSE KIDS ARE FRAUDS!

How DARE they take that money to eat!


sad that I need this:

:sarcasm:

[No Elephants]

68. Your sarcasm is misplaced.

The poster did not report the woman precisely because of his or her concern for the woman's children.

And her children were not violating the law. She was.

[No Elephants]

66. Why is it greedy to apply for disability after you've become disabled?

[CountAllVotes]

15. found elsewhere ...

>>New congressional estimates say the trust fund that supports Social Security disability will run out of money by 2017, leaving the program unable to pay full benefits, unless Congress acts. About two decades later, Social Security's much larger retirement fund is projected to run dry as well.

Much of the focus in Washington has been on fixing Social Security's retirement system. Proposals range from raising the retirement age to means-testing benefits for wealthy retirees. But the disability system is in much worse shape and its problems defy easy solutions.

The trustees who oversee Social Security are urging Congress to shore up the disability system by reallocating money from the retirement program, just as lawmakers did in 1994. That would provide only short-term relief at the expense of weakening the retirement program.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/21/social-security-disabilit-benefits-insolvency_n_932409.html

If they have reallocated money before (in 1994) they can do it again IMO. This is yet another scare tactic IMO.

Everyone that works pays into SSDI in case they should be unfortunate enough to become permanently disabled. SSI is a whole other story and nothing is mentioned about how solvent SSI might be.

:kick:

[jwirr]

25. What sources does Huffington cite? Is there anything directly from

the SSA?

[CountAllVotes]

28. nothing from socialsecurity.gov that I can see

This could all be a bunch of B.S.

I found another story similar to this via Fox News. :puke:

I found this; a report re: what happened in 1994. http://www.socialsecurity.gov/history/pdf/report94.pdf

Nothing found otherwise. :tinfoilhat:

[Yo_Mama]

48. Yes this is real

And yes, this is an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office in 2011.
See this document and start on page 122:
http://cbo.gov/ftpdocs/120xx/doc12039/01-26_FY2011Outlook.pdf

[JDPriestly]

41. Obama should not be asking for an extension of the payroll tax reduction.

That extension is counterproductive.

[DesertFlower]

44. i agree. raise the CAP instead.

[Yo_Mama]

49. I agree

Even if theoretically the money is reallocated from the general fund to make up the gap, in future years when boomer retirements impact the system more deeply we will need to borrow that money (it's not real money they are giving the trust funds, just an IOU), and then when we can't the response will be to cut benefits.

Guarding the program means we must guard its revenue stream, and in fact one of our first priorities should be figuring out how to shore up SS at least with additional revenues.

[Donnachaidh]

18. ahh, a pincer movement to attack SS on all sides

Rather than raise the cap to fix the problem.

And who was it that put SS on the table in the debt ceiling fiasco? Hint -- it wasn't the republicans....

[suffragette]

29. Donna, see post 26

And yes, you nailed it.

[jwirr]

19. How can this be true? It is the same system. Either the whole thing

is going bust or none of it. And yes, when Clinton did welfare reform states reacted by screening their clients from other programs that were about to be cut off to see who would qualify for Social Security. The states then suggested to these people that they should apply for SSA. So that was the first large move to SSA. Now unemployed workers are applying. It was not easy in the 90s.

[Yo_Mama]

51. It isn't.

There are separate trust funds for regular SS (OAS) and DI.

Currently FICA tax is 7.65 for both employer and employee, or a total of 15.3%. Out of that:
2.9% goes to HI - Hospital Insurance.
1.8% goes to DI - Disability Insurance
10.6% goes to OAS.

Here is a table on the SS website that shows you current OASDI rates and how they have been changed over time:
http://www.ssa.gov/oact/progdata/oasdiRates.html
Note that the last change to cover DI was in 2000.

[Fuddnik]

20. An obvious solution.

Cut Payroll Taxes!

It's simple VooDoo, er, logical economics. When you're running out of money, cut your revenue, and magically you have more money.

[dixiegrrrrl]

55. It is called the Vacuum Theory of Economics.

I have been using it for years.
When I spend the money I have, it creates a vacuum in the universe and more money flows in.

Sheesh, don't you guys get the "science" of money?
:evilgrin:

[suffragette]

26. A longer version quotes Charles Blahous as a source - he has quite an agenda

http://news.yahoo.com/social-security-disability-verge-insolvency-090119318.html

The disability program "got into trouble first because of liberalization of eligibility standards in the 1980s," said Charles Blahous, one of the public trustees who oversee Social Security. "Then it got another shove into bigger trouble during the recent recession."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Blahous
Charles Paul "Chuck" Blahous III (born 1963) is a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, specializing in domestic economic policy, a U.S. public trustee for the Social Security and Medicare programs,<1><2> and a former (2001–2007) Special Assistant to US President George W. Bush for Economic Policy within the National Economic Council whose Deputy Director he was in 2007-2008.
Between 1989 and 1996, Blahous worked as a legislative aide to Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming; he was his Congressional Science Fellow in 1989-1990 and Legislative Director in 1994-1996 (sponsored by the American Physical Society). After Simpson's retirement, Blahous served from 1996 to 2000 as a Policy Director for Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. From June 2000 through February 2001 he served as the Executive Director of the Alliance for Worker Retirement Security. From 2001 to 2007, he served as a Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, during which time he also served as Executive Director of the bipartisan President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security.<3> From 2007 to 2008, he held the position of the Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. After the end of George W. Bush's second term in office in January 2009, Blahous joined the Hudson Institute as a Senior Fellow.<4> In 2010, Blahous left the Hudson Institute and became a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution.<5>



So, one of the the people whose policies led to the current economic mess and who came up through the ranks as a protégé of Simpson and Gregg is directly quoted here. Given the overall tone and direction of the article, I think it's likely he contributed more than just the quote.

And yes, Obama appointed him to this position:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-intent-nominate-charles-blahous-member-board-trustees-soc

More here, this was an architect of Bush's plan to privatize Social Security:
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/10/19/pro-privatization-bush-aide-nominated-to-social-security-board/
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/ask/20050608.html

[Doctor_J]

30. American Pravda prints AEI/Cato/heritage lies verbatim

no more reliable than World Nut Daily or Moonie Times.

unrec

[Yo_Mama]

53. This is not made up - the disability system will go broke later this decade

unless, of course, more money is moved from the SS portion to the DI portion. Everyone expects that to happen. The last joint calculated date for OASDI (both trust funds) to go bust and cause benefit cuts I have seen was in 2037, but our current economic troubles likely mean that next year the date will be projected at 2035.

Under current law, once the DI trust fund is drained (it's been running at a loss for years), benefits will be cut to match the amount of tax income into the system. Before when we have gotten close to this point Congress has simply made the DI portion of the OASDI tax larger, which of course makes the retirement portion of SS less financially viable.

Here is a historical chart from SS that shows the rates:
http://www.ssa.gov/oact/progdata/oasdiRates.html

Here is the CBO estimate from earlier this year. Go to page 122 (internal numbering), and see for yourself:
http://cbo.gov/ftpdocs/120xx/doc12039/01-26_FY2011Outlook.pdf

It serves no one to pretend that facts you don't like are made up. It is certainly not valid politically.

[dorksied]

32. This is what Republicans want... what happens in the next few years

will be ...unpleasant. When we have disabled people who cannot afford to pay bills and buy food, people will be getting VERY angry.

Its only a matter of time before the Republican Austerity really sets in, and people start STARVING.

When that happens, bloodshed isn't far away, then riots, death and finally, a civil war.

Personally, if I were you, I would begin to prepare for this.

Its coming, its inevitable on the current path we're on. It may take 10 years, or even 15, but it is coming.

Be ready.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[blkmusclmachine]

36. Seems everything's going according to plan:

:nuke: But a Dominionist outfit called Bless 7 will be there to pick up the pieces. You have to sell your soul to them first, but they won't let you starve: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/08/20/3302990/bless-7-taking-money-making-promises.html

[silenttigersong]

38. huff post

has brought out many bigots,trolls ,paid trolls plain ignorant posters,this is the time to read the shock doctrine.The goal is to drown it in the bathtub.http://www.usbig.net/index.php

[WillyT]

42. K & R !!!

:mad:

:kick:

[hollowdweller]

50. Here's something they could do that would help keep it solvent.

OK so every year I don't have any idea of the numbers but tons of people file for disability who have no chance of getting allowed.

The reason?

They have private disability insurance or disability insurance thru their jobs and it's in their policy that they have to also file for SS Disability. Many companies even provide a lawyer to help.

So the reason behind this is that once the person is found disabled, then the payment that comes from the private insurance provider is reduced by the amount of the disablity check.

Essentially what you have is the gov't subsidizing the private insurance companies disability payments.

Now most private disability insurance firms definition of disability for a worker is for that worker to be unable to perform their past job. Where Social Security Disability criteria is for you to be able to perform ANY job. ie if you are under 55 and your condition prevents you from doing your past work as a groundskeeper but you can still be a security guard. So the policy forces a lot of people who are unable to perform their jobs but aren't really disabled by SS standards into the system which gums it up for the truly desperate.

So if they changed the regulations to where if the person has private insurance that the DISABILTY CHECK adjusts for the amount the private insurance pays that would save tons of money.

[Kashka-Kat]

63. SO THEN WHY the reduction in FICA tax collection that Obama did - no one asked for it and no one

really even notices it - so WHY was it ever done .... except to further weaken social security. I DONT GET IT.

[No Elephants]

70. I don't get it, either, Kashka, especially after he pledged to cut OASDI and Medicare.

Seems as though he wants to improve the economy on the backs of the sick and elderly. And it has a little of "starve the beast" about it.

[fascisthunter]

74. they want to destroy social security and give OUR money to Wall Street

every man and women who is a part of this agenda should live in abject poverty.