Reform talk passes disability program by (cuts via tie to SS not discussed

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/02/14/us_social_security_pact_with_mexico_faces_trouble


U.S. Social Security Pact with Mexico Faces Trouble
In an early test of strength over President Bush's immigration reform agenda, some conservatives and seniors organizations are campaigning to block implementation of a U.S.-Mexico pact on Social Security.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/02/14/reform_talk_passes_disability_program_by

Reform talk passes disability program by
By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff | February 14, 2005

CAVENDISH, Vt. -- <snip>The disability program has received relatively little attention amid all the talk about overhauling its sister program, Social Security retirement. Yet the disability program is one of the largest in government, providing $71 billion in annual benefits to 7½ million people. A raft of government reports has concluded that delays in granting benefits are all too common, with the full appeals process taking nearly three years.<snip>


The 12.4 percent in Social Security taxes that workers and employers pay includes a 1.8 percent tax that goes to a fund strictly for disability payments -- a levy that many workers may not realize they are paying. While every employee who pays Social Security taxes is entitled to retirement benefits, only those who pass a series of exams are allowed to receive disability payments.

The program has grown significantly as the baby boom population ages: About 7.5 million people receive the disability benefits, including 1.8 million dependents. The program's $71 billion per year cost is in addition to the $398 billion per year cost of retirement and survivor benefits.

While the White House says Bush is not yet focusing on the disability program, some in the disabled community worry that benefit cuts will be applied to both the retirement and disability programs as a way to save money. For example, if the retirement plan benefits are cut by tying payments from the current system of wage indexing to price indexing, as some have proposed, it is unclear whether the same cut would be applied to disability benefits.

In addition, Thomas Sutton, president of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives, worries that Bush's plan for private Social Security accounts could hurt people with disabilities. He gave the example of a person who is disabled at age 37 and cannot return to work. That person would receive disability benefits but under the Bush plan would not be contributing to a private account. Upon retirement, that person would not have nearly as much money in a private account as a nondisabled person.
<snip>

or anyone who might need to apply for Social Security Disability Income ...

one thing I learned was that Medicare doesn't start upon claim approval ... I knew nothing about Medicare; only assumptions ... not all doctors are Medicare providers ... more and more drop out all the time ... the Medicare benefit doesn't start until after 2 years after SSDI acceptance ... think about it: someone who is disabled and unable to earn income, but requires medical attention, has no medical insurance for 2 years ...

The article has some interesting facts for those who 'fret' whenever their case comes up for review ... like me ... I received the notice for my 3-year review last October ... worry subsided somewhat in January when a notice came saying that the case wasn't being reviewed 'at this time' ... a lot of anxiety, especially considering what's happening ... with this gang in DC, 'at this time' could be any time without notice ...

i.e.,

- About 7.5 million people receive the disability benefits, including 1.8 million dependents. The program's $71 billion per year cost is in addition to the $398 billion per year cost of retirement and survivor benefits.

- The disability program is scheduled to start taking in less money than it pays out in 2008, compared to 2018 for the retirement program, officials said. The disability program will then start relying on its trust funds, which are slated to run out by 2029

- While the disability program is run by the federal government, much of the decision-making authority is handed over to state-employed workers. That may explain why only 36 percent of initial claims are approved in Connecticut, close to the national average, compared to 60 percent of those who apply in New Hampshire. Medical reviews are performed by state bureaucrats, often based on evaluations done by private consultants whose expertise varies widely.

- Every year, about 2.5 million people file claims for disability benefits. Of those, 37 percent are initially approved. After appeals, the final approval rate climbs to 53 percent, according to Gerry.

- Gerry acknowledged that the system can be daunting, noting that the Social Security Administration employs 1,000 administrative law judges and holds 650,000 hearings a year, making the disability claims process ''the largest administrative law system in the world."

- 13,900 of 784,000 cases reviewed by the government in 2003 resulted in a cessation of benefits

ignores.

But even the Globe is careful - you can not find this via a link on there web site!

:-)