Imagine being diagnosed with a devastating illness, losing your job, going through your savings, then your retirement and finally losing your home.
That is exactly what happened to Suzanne Beveridge.
About 14 years ago, she shattered her elbow and broke her arm in three places. Even with two surgeries, her severe osteoporosis won't let her heal.
Beveridge struggled for years before she finally filed for disability. By that time, she had multiple illnesses.
That was more than five years ago. As of today, even though the government says she's eligible, she hasn't seen a dime. ...
And she is not alone. According to a report issued by the American Association of People with Disabilities, Arizona has more than forty six hundred people backlogged and waiting for disability. And almost twice that if you count those waiting to get assigned.
Sherry Whitener is the head of Advocates for the Disabled here in Phoenix. By the time the disabled go see her, they have lost everything.
A process the Social Security Administration says it's trying to change. Changes include reorganizing the administration, hiring more law judges and filling their dockets, and triaging cases electronically with Quick Disability Determination.
It's what they call Compassionate Allowances--to help keep people in their homes.
Are compassionate allowances the new Disability Service Improvement, a plan that Michael Astrue can tout as the solution that lies just around the corner, even though "compassionate allowance" is nothing more than empty words?
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