From syndicated columnist
Froma Harrop:
We who work through colds, bad backs and low moods — however liberal we
might be — have permission to resent those who could hold a job but
don’t, preferring to collect disability checks...
More than 5 percent of eligible American adults are now receiving
disability payments from Social Security. Twenty years ago, it was 3
percent. One reason is easier requirements giving more weight to
self-made diagnoses of back pain or mental anguish.
Social Security’s disability insurance benefit has morphed into a $124 billion welfare program. ...
This discussion is ... about the
reasonably able-bodied playing the scam and the doctors helping them.
It’s about a government that doesn’t tighten the rules.
I'm a beneficiary. I was reading a post on the open gov website of ssa. It had a post with the same spirit. But after reading it fully,the person was a denied claimant. That says alot.
ReplyDeleteBut my logic suggest if the Disability program should be dismantled then so should social security retirement and other benefits.
Afterall,being old is not a disease.
I don't think anyone is suggesting the disability program be dismantled. It just needs to be reformed. I tend to agree with the idea presented above. I was diagnosed bi-polar, anti-social and OCD 12 years ago. I have not stopped working because if it. It has been very difficult to maintain my employment through all the highs and lows, but I have endured. Would I rather sit at home, in the dark, away from everyone? - most days yes, but I force myself to get up and get out. More and more people find it easier to give up rather than fight. After all, can you diagnose "mental problems" beyond a shadow of a doubt?
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous at 8:07 - the converse of your argument is the real truth. It's not that people find it easier to give up, it's that the average person does not have the ability, mental, physical, or both, to "fight" through it. What type of employment do you have? Is your employer understanding and accommodating? Do you have paid sick days and personal leave days you can take? Much as I hate some VEs, it is those considerations which must be taken into consideration.
ReplyDeleteMy current employer has been more understanding than previous employers. I have never been fired or "let go". Never used the diagnosis as a crutch or excuse.
DeleteClick on the link to read the article--all of the examples that this "reporter" cites have nothing to do with Social Security disability. Gross misinformation.
ReplyDeleteThis article is really outrageous. Most of the back pain cases that I see awarded disability are hardly mere self-reporting. Most are post-surgical or are for older individuals who can no longer perform manual labor. I know how hard it can be to get approved benefits- particularly in light of the increasing trend to deny cases at ODAR. The suggestion that there is a contingent of able-bodied workers aided by shady doctors is sinister out to bilk the system is a joke. .
ReplyDeleteI have lower pain, I wish it weren't real, but then I'm at least 400lbs according to the Doctors scale and I'm 6'1" tall with protruding abdomen that I detest, it causes red painful rashes, yes I'm a beneficiary, not like I wanted to be, but in 2002 I broke the lower left leg bones and had 3 titanium screws inserted by moving the left ankle from side to side, that leg is very strong now, but the ankle is very abused cause of the surgery and no rehab, I'd also dislocated the right hip joint in the fall, it made an audible thunk sound as it went back in, plus when the temp gets too cold My left hip joint requires 4 tylenol to make the pain go away, I also have osteoarthritis in My shoulder blades and have had that since I was 40, I'm 52 now and fully disabled, I got SSI with sound medical proof, I also suffer from an under performing thyroid which affect other parts of the brain, like short term memory(concentration problems, I use a spell checker online), eyesight(I have prescription glasses), severe anxiety, weight. SSA also takes into account ones educational background, ones ability or the lack to compete for work, ones age and income or the lack. Or at least they did back in 2003, from what I've read children are admitted to SSI with less strict qualifications than for an adult, some children are pretty obvious, like the ones who have autism or maybe progeria maybe(being born old and all that entails), I'm sure there are others beyond ADHD(today that's called ADD, I knew a kid who had to take medicine to calm Him down, so that He could be normal(whatever that is), the parents were worried about their son, who wouldn't be? And no that's not Me, that was a neighbors kid at one time, I moved away from there when I turned 18 and I never saw them ever again). In any case I'd look at the kids, are there some who are just prescribed drugs? Possibly, but I'm not a Doctor and so I'm not qualified, nor are most people, some people just see things like that and then think it's fraud and judge a person by how they look and what their doing without seeing any hidden disabilities. Just sayin of course.
ReplyDeleteThe only shady doctors I ever come across are the CE providers. Here is your eight page report from a five minute "examination." And this amputee has full range of motion in a joint that does not exist. And this arthritic lifelong seamstress has full grip strength in hands that are covered in lumps bigger that golf balls. Sure they guy who uses a walker can stand for six hours out of eight.
ReplyDeleteThese lame reporters and their incessant SSDI stories are getting beyond old.
ReplyDelete"Almost all of them should go get jobs!"
What jobs? People in good health can't find jobs.
People like this reporter need to have an unhinged schizophrenic or PTSD riddle war vet put at the desk right next to them. Then we'll see what kind of tune they sing.
I'll bet she'd be crying to management and screaming for a security guard.
@ 11:07 am: Agreed.
ReplyDeleteBack @ 2:45 PM
ReplyDeleteIf I was going to write a rebuttal argument for this media troop of pundits, I'd probably call it SSDI: Not In My Backyard!
And I would write about how this group of genius reporters that keep claiming all these mentally and physically should simply go back to work, and the same readers that chow-down on their dog-food articles, would actually freak-out if these people ended up with them as co-workers; hence the allusion to "not in my backyard."
For fodder, I'd add a lot of TMI (too much information) characteristics of how the mental and physical limitations and quirks of these disabled workers would impact these people that want them back in the workforce. You know, maybe put the war vet with the horrible, constant sinusitis from the oil well fires in Kuwait (in addition to their multiple other physical and mental issues) as their burger-chef at the local fast-food joint. Because anybody can flip burgers, right?
Then I'd probably finish the piece off with the recommendation that the Federal Government subsidize these disabled people enough that the pundit's employers would hire them instead. That shouldn't be a problem either, because according to them, jobs are easy to get too, right?
So you're saying these people are throw aways and can serve no purpose in society other than to receive a subsidy?
Delete"Federal Government subsidize these disabled people"
ReplyDeleteThat's an idea i had,seems to be the only compassionate way of reducing the disability rolls. I'm a beneficiary.
My belief is,if a person has legitimate difficulties with full time or sga work then the federal government should subsidize employers who in turn hire disable people in an effort to reduce the disability rolls.
ReplyDeleteWhy not just give them all government jobs! I mean most government workers don't deserve their pay anyway, right? I mean that's just as good as the government buying them a job.
Delete