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+--- Thread: unfit for work (/showthread.php?tid=150278)
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unfit for work - mattkime - 03-22-2013
http://apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/
quite well done. fascinating.
Re: unfit for work - Ted King - 03-22-2013
In the past three decades, the number of Americans who are on disability has skyrocketed. The rise has come even as medical advances have allowed many more people to remain on the job and new laws have banned workplace discrimination against the disabled. Every month, 14 million people now get a disability check from the government.
For those who want to know what the link is about before clicking on it.
I agree with mattkime, it is well done.
Re: unfit for work - cbelt3 - 03-22-2013
It is a well done program. It's relatively thorough. There *is* a huge industry in this country in getting disability. And in denying it. I will take HUGE exception to the statement that people on disability "have made a choice for themselves".
It's not always the case. Also the 'aparent ease' of being declared 'disabled' is quite untrue. Damn near ever single application for disability is denied by the Social security office. Then you have to hire a lawyer to go for it for you. And when you DO get your disability... your lawyer gets a percentage for the rest of your life.
But yes, being 'on disability' has by and large replaced 'welfare'.
Re: unfit for work - SDGuy - 03-22-2013
cbelt3 wrote:
...being 'on disability' has by and large replaced 'welfare'.
I can see the incentive...
"Your estimated monthly benefit amount, beginning at age 62 and 1 month in 2027, is $1,699.00...For disability and survivors estimates, we assumed that you became disabled or died today: Disability Monthly benefit amount $2,367.00"
So - if I could claim disability, I would get a nearly 40% greater benefit TODAY than I would if I were to continue working (and contributing) for another 14.5 years? If I were the dishonest and lazy type - sign me up!
Re: unfit for work - davester - 03-22-2013
It's unfortunate that there are so many apparent malingerers on disability, since it creates a welfare state supporting people who are not really disabled and takes away from those people who really need it. The case described, whereby a doctor can make judgement calls regarding whether relatively minor ailments such as back pain and high blood pressure (suffered by a large fraction of society) can disqualify people from working because he feels that his particular town has a dearth of non-physical labor jobs, shows that the system really is broken.
It seems to me that what is needed is a more evenly applied standard as to what a disability is, and that doctors should not have such broad latitude in making that determination. Also, people with certain types of reversible disabilities should be enrolled in mandatory programs aimed at getting them healthy or finding them jobs that they can do. It wouldn't hurt to go after the monetary incentives for states to push people onto the federal disability rolls too.
Re: unfit for work - cbelt3 - 03-22-2013
Davester- the doctor is not the decider. That's the job of "the lady that sits in the Social Security office". The article did not explain the process. There is a federal level decision . And then lawyers , etc. it's a real pita.
Re: unfit for work - davester - 03-23-2013
cbelt3 wrote:
Davester- the doctor is not the decider. That's the job of "the lady that sits in the Social Security office". The article did not explain the process. There is a federal level decision . And then lawyers , etc. it's a real pita.
That's not really true either. The way it works is that a doctor makes a determination that someone is unfit for work. That person then applies for SSI with that as the basis. If the SS office denies the claim for whatever reason (and you are correct that in at least some jurisdictions they deny every claim as a matter of policy (shockingly, this happened to my disabled son who has a significant and indisputable disability). Then an appeal is made that goes before a judge working for social security. The doctor is the one who makes the primary determination and generally his/her findings can't be challenged. The "lady" you speak of may reject the claim based on policy, but most claims with any kind of validity go to appeal. My understanding is that during the appeal, the judge pretty much has to take medical findings at face value. This is a problem if the doctors writing up those findings don't have firm requirements that they have to meet in order to make a determination of "unfit to work".
It galls me to sit with my son in the SSI office and see so many people who seem very fit and capable collecting their money. I have also known people who managed to get on the disability rolls who knew that they were scamming the government. I know that some valid disabilities are difficult to spot, but it seems unlikely that so many seemingly well-abled people are really unfit to work.
So where is the solution? My son is enrolled in a voluntary program to train him and find him employment based on his strengths and abilities. I think that attendance and progress at similar programs should be mandatory for anyone expecting to collect an SSI check.
Re: unfit for work - swampy - 03-23-2013
It took my older brother two years to be approved for SSI. He had cancer where the tumor invaded his spine and was in treatment for almost three years. His SSI approval came through when he was in hospice care and 6 weeks before he died. This was 15 years ago so I would imagine things have gotten more difficult to qualify.
Re: unfit for work - Speedy - 03-23-2013
The State Medical Review Team goes over every disability application. It took my daughter, IQ 70, kidney transplant, congestive heart failure, age 22, weighing 70 pounds and standing 4' 6" tall, 9 months to get a disability ruling. We provided reams of medical information and she had to be evaluated by a local physician selected by SS. Not an easy process.
Re: unfit for work - Dennis S - 03-23-2013
Are we talking about SSI or SSDI?