The Senate is investigating whether insurance companies are forcing able-bodied people to apply for Social Security disability benefits, worsening a severe backlog in the government program while increasing their own profits.
Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the senior Republican on the Finance Committee, has sent letters to nine insurers, requesting detailed information about their handling of disability claims “as part of the committee’s ongoing inquiry into these important matters.” ...
“The last thing those who rely on Social Security need is for insurance companies to be clogging up the system by forcing ineligible applicants to apply,” he said.
Note that it is a Republican who is most interested in this inquiry.
I consider this inquiry to be a red herring that distracts from the real reason for the backlogs, a lack of adequate staffing at Social Security. Over 90% of those on long term disability benefits who apply for Social Security disability benefits are approved. Why is it a bad idea to encourage these people to apply? They have a much higher success rate than other claimants.
I rarely see anyone who is filing for dib because they were forced to by their insurance company. More often, I refer them back to their employer because they were unaware they might be eligible for state temp disability insurance, carried by the employer.
ReplyDelete