... Social Security offers disability beneficiaries some incentive to ease back into the work force. For nine months after starting a job, they can earn any amount without threatening their benefits. For another three years, if their income falls below $1,000 a month, they can immediately receive full benefits again. And they can keep Medicare coverage for eight and a half years after going back to work, something few beneficiaries may realize.In 1999, Congress passed a law authorizing the Ticket to Work program, which offers beneficiaries practical help with a job search. Social Security also waives medical reviews for those who participate.
So far, the program has had little success. Out of 12.5 million disabled workers and those who receive benefits for the disabled poor, only 13,656 returned to work over the last two and a half years, with less than a third of them earning enough to drop the benefits....
Officials say they have streamlined and simplified the Ticket to Work program. But even with more awareness, they say not enough people could go back to work to make a difference in the disability trust fund.
“We could make this program exponentially more successful and it wouldn’t be enough to dramatically improve the solvency picture,” said Michael J. Astrue, the commissioner of Social Security. “You do it because work — for people who can work — gives them dignity and improves their economic condition.”
Apr 7, 2011
Ticket To Work -- A Waste Of Money
From the New York Times:
I have a suggestion. Ticket to Work doesn't work. There's no way to make it work. Let's get over our fantasies that there's some way to return large numbers of disabled people to work. Just end Ticket to Work and save the money.
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8 comments:
There are ways to get disabled people back to work, but it won't happen in this economy, and possibly won't happen with the lack of decent semi-skilled jobs. David Travers has posited on many, many occasions his view of the way the disability system is broken, and that is that the system does nothing to get people back to work. I agree with him. It would take an investment into the vocational rehabilitation programs, however, and since that program is probably seen as a "welfare" type program, it's not likely we'll see that happen.
Historically, vocational rehab programs came into being as a way to get disabled vets back to work. That's a really noble cause. You all know that the majority of your clients would go back to work, but they don't see those hand packager jobs the vocational experts love to talk about or the bench assembly jobs in very great supply in our communities.
How much money could SSA save by killing Ticket To Work, but the first thing they kill to supposedly save money is sending out Social Security Statements.
I distinctly recall Bill Clinton on signing this legislation saying this is the last significant legislation of the millennium. Being in the system I et al knew this would never achieve much if anything
I think the point of Ticket to Work is to try to encourage those "disabled" receiving benefits who do not really meet the definition of a disability (unable to do ANY work of ANY kind) to get back to work. I personally know of two, completely blind SSA teleservice reps who work (who could clearly qualify for SSDI/SSI if they wanted to take advantage of the system). I know you are a disability lawyer and probably fight for the many who deserve disability benefits and are initially denied, but there are way too many people who are cheating the system.
TTW was a waste of time and resources since the beginning.
This is the first time I think I'm agreeing with Charles. We waste millions and millions of dollars on the TTW program each year. CUT IT!!!!
More awareness of Ticket to Work??? What awareness? Every time I mention the program to SSA employees or supposedly experienced reps the response is always "huh?" and I have to explain it.
Voc rehab would be a great solution but the problem is no one is going to fund it at the level that would be required. Without a change to the disability system such as a rating system determining percent disabled there is little incentive to spend a year or two training for very little if any added income.
Agreed, to get many disable and almost all able bodied back to work, get the economy functioning in the USA, with jobs and not imports. Including a choice of well paying jobs for a law school graduates.
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