# Potential Changes to Social Security Disability Benefits



## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Another article (preceded by an editorial) posted to the Co-Cure Email list. I post this only as an FYI, as I personally receive Social Security Disability, and I know others here receive disability benefits as well. For that reason, I feel this is important information to post, as any changes made to this program will impact us greatly. _Please note: the opinions expressed in the editorial are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of the IBS Self Help and Support Group. _ **********************************************Potential Changes to Social Security Disability BenefitsBefore going on disability, I worked as a consultant on health care andretirement policy. Since I have been awarded Social Security benefits, Ihave been following the current political push to reform Social Securityfrom both a personal and professional perspective.I am very concerned about the administration's statements on the viabilityof the Social Security program and, as a result, I am suspicious of thereal goals of the supporters of privatization. While Social Securityclearly has some funding problems arising from the size of the baby boomerpopulation, it is not on the verge of bankruptcy. As the result ofactuarial projections showing a shortfall in the middle of this century,the Social Security Act was amended in 1983 to provide for a Trust Fundwhere excess contributions would accumulate. This accumulation would thenbe used to fund the mid-century shortfall.Unfortunately, the Trust Fund was not segregated and those funds wereallowed to be mingled with general revenue funds (remember Al Gore'swarnings about a "lock box" for Social Security? This is what he wastalking about). Consequently, as the Federal government has descended intodeficits, the Social Security Trust Fund has been drained.  When PresidentBush says that the Social Security program is bankrupt, he implies that theFederal government has no obligation to repay the Trust Fund money that hasbeen use to fund other government expenditures. This is misleading.It is becoming abundantly clear that the changes being discussed by thisadministration will result in significant reductions in Social Securityretirement benefits. The article below deals with the potential impact ofchanges in the calculation of the retirement benefit on Social Securitydisability benefits. This is an area that all disabled individuals, aswell as their advocacy organizations, need to monitor.While the article below contains reassuring comments from a representativeof the Heritage Foundation (which is, by the way, a conservative thinktank), there is no doubt that transitioning Social Security from aguaranteed benefit program to a risk-based program will place disabilitybenefits in great jeopardy.If you believe that privatization will harm the integrity of the SocialSecurity program (and I personally believe that is the case), I urge you towrite your Senators and Representatives and encourage them to oppose theadministration's plan to privatize the program.Updated: 04:00 PM ESTBush Plan May Reduce Disability BenefitsMillions Wonder About Potential Impact of Bush Privatization PlanBy LEIGH STROPE, APWASHINGTON (Jan. 17) - Social Security disability benefits may not be safefrom the across-the-board cuts that are likely in President Bush's proposalto allow personal investment accounts.Retirement and disability benefits are calculated using the same formula,so if future promised retirement benefits are cut, then disability benefitsalso would be reduced - unless the program is somehow separated.That also raises big questions about how investment accounts would bestructured for disabled people, especially if they get injured at a youngage or are dependent on a parent. Disabled beneficiaries typically workless and need benefits sooner, so the accounts would not provide enoughincome to these people."The Social Security programs are insurance programs, not investmentprograms, designed to reduce risk from certain life events," said MartyFord of the Consortium for Citizens With Disabilities.Currently, disabled workers move seamlessly through the Social Securitysystem, often unaware they draw their benefits from the disability programuntil they reach retirement age and shift to the retirement program. Thatwould change with investment accounts, advocates claim, with people fallingthrough holes in a new system.About 16 percent of the 47 million people receiving Social Securitybenefits are disabled workers and their dependents. The impact of accountson beneficiaries who aren't retirees hasn't been publicly discussed yet bythe Bush administration.Supporters of Bush's overhaul say that disability should be treated as aseparate program."The proper way to deal with this is to essentially make it clear thatthese are two different programs and to separate the benefit formulas,"said David John, Social Security senior analyst at the conservativeHeritage Foundation."One is an insurance program and one is essentially a retirement program,"John said. "They have vastly different characteristics, they have vastlydifferent administrative structures."But disability advocates argue that the two programs can't be easilyseparated. Bush wants to let younger workers invest much of their 6.2percent in payroll taxes into personal investment accounts, similar to a401(k). Of the tax, 0.9 percentage point funds disability benefits, whilethe remainder is for retirement benefits.Almost three in 10 of today's 20-year-olds will become disabled beforereaching age 67, according to the Social Security Administration. About 72percent of the private sector work force has no long-term disability insurance.Advocates worry that some of the nation's most vulnerable and needy peoplewill be hurt by Bush's plan to remake Social Security."Anything they do to the retiree formula will affect people withdisabilities," Ford said.That's what occurs in the main plan offered by Bush's 2001 Social SecurityCommission charged with crafting a proposal for investment accounts.Promised disability benefits get reduced along with retiree benefits, insome cases up to 46 percent. The cuts were used to make the plan's financesadd up in the report.The commission plan is serving as a blueprint for legislation the Bushadministration would like Congress to consider. Bush's commission did notrecommend changes for the disability program and cautioned that the benefitreductions shouldn't be viewed as a suggestion.But, "in the absence of fully developed proposals, the calculations carriedout for the commission and included in this report assume that definedbenefits will be changed in similar ways for the two programs," thecommission said.The commission noted that disabled beneficiaries may not have their fulladult lives to accumulate enough funds in their accounts, a rationale formaintaining their traditional benefits.But if future retirement benefits are cut and disability benefits weremaintained at levels being promised under current law, that would encouragean increase in disability applicants, and potentially, fraud, thecommission said.John said separating the programs, but continuing to coordinate benefits asdisabled beneficiaries move into retirement is not an "insurmountableobjective." Investment accounts also could be used to supplement benefitsfor some of the more difficult cases, he said. If a 32-year-old workerbecomes disabled, the account could continue to earn interest until hereached retirement age at 67, and help supplement retirement benefits.Some proposals bar workers from withdrawing money if they become disabled,when money probably is needed most, said Peter Orszag, an economist at theliberal Brookings Institution and former Clinton White House adviser."There is just an underlying tension between the kind of social insurancefeatures of Social Security and individual accounts," Orszag said. "Thereare all sorts of beneficiaries where the account model just doesn't reallywork that well."01/17/05 13:20 EST


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## 20806 (Aug 17, 2006)

I need help. I have been diagnosed with Endometriosis in 1996 and Fibromyalgia a few years ago. I cannot hold a job because I am always in pain. I had surgery in 1996 and took the luprin shots. I went through a divorce because of the pain during sex which caused a strain on my marriage. I haven't gotten pregnant by him in the 3 years we were together. I have never gotten pregnant since. Always been in chronic constant pain, depression, suicidal, etc. I have a doctors appt on the 23rd and would like to know if there is any financial support with Social Security disability? Please help me.


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Social Security Disability is financial support for people who are unable to work.If you are interested in applying for this aid, your first step is to contact the Social Security office, and request the applications.You may wish to have the help of a lawyer...Some folks do, and some folks don't.It can take a lot of time for your application to go through...Up to a year or so. So if you are interested in it, it is best to start the application process immediately.


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## 14278 (Sep 23, 2006)

As a person that has suffered for years from the pain of Fibro and has been out of work because of this how involved is it to get some disability. I have worked for many years but not now. How long did it take you to get SS disability. Can one do it one there on or do they need help from a lawyer. I have plenty of medical docs but I heard it is very difficult.


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

The main difficulty for me (and I think for most applicants) is the MOUNTAINS of paperwork! There are questionnares you have to fill out, and a billion forms. For me, that was the hardest part. Just getting all the forms filled out.But I did it a little at a time. I'd work for 10 minutes on it, and then stop. The same the next day, etc.As for how hard it is to actually qualify for the benefits, well, if your doctors have good, thorough documentation, you'll be fine. Some doctors don't keep real thorough records, but some do. You might mention it to your doctor, and get his/her feedback. That will help you know how much documentation they have of your disability.The only thing with Fibromyalgia or ME is that just being diagnosed with it, doesn't automatically qualify you for disability benefits. You have to prove the amount of limitations the illness puts on YOU. That's why good records from the doc are a BIG help. So, instead of just having the label of "Fibro Patient", they can see how having that effects YOUR ability to have an income. One thing I learned - If you've had a health condition for a while, and were able to work at one time, but now can't, sometimes it's harder to win your case. So, that's another thing the good documentation from your doctor will help you with. To help prove that your symptoms truly have gotten worse, and truly do prevent you now from working, even though at one point in the past they didn't.The good thing about applying with Fibro, instead of ME, is that the SS docs can do the "pressure point" test on you, and definitively find out that yes, you do indeed have a solid diagnosis. So that can help your case too!For lawyers...Well, I did get help from a lawyer. I only did that because the paperwork got to be too much for me, and I couldn't do it all. So the lawyer just helped me fill out the paperwork, and put all the correct (and important) information in all the right places. That was a big help to me, and it helped relieve part of the headache of applying for benefits.As for how long it takes...Well, that depends on the current backlog of cases they have. It can take anywhere from 6 or 9 months, to 2 years. I think it took me at least 1 year, maybe a bit longer, as I can't remember too well anymore. The bottom line is, if you're disabled, go ahead and apply NOW, because it will take a little while before you actually start to receive your benefits (if you win your case). So the sooner you get the process started, the better.The good news is, if you apply, and win your case, you will be awarded all your back pay - benefits from the moment you applied, up to the moment you won your case. Which is a real help when you've got medical bills piled up.If you don't win your case, you won't be penalized. So I think, if you can't work because of your Fibro, you should just apply, and give it a shot. It won't hurt anything if you don't win, but you do stand to gain a lot if you win!For more detailed information on applying for SS Disability benefits as a Fibromyalgia patient, this website might be of help: http://www.fibrohugs.com/forum/index.php?forum=27I hope that this information has been helpful. You'll have to keep us posted!


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