The Center for American Progress has issued a report in Q&A format on Social Security's disability programs. Here are a few somewhat random excerpts:
...
Controlling just for income, participation in Supplemental Security by working-age adults who are potentially eligible because of low income has actually declined over the past decade and a half. In 2011 there were 17.6 nonelderly adults receiving Supplemental Security for every 100 nonelderly adults with incomes below 100 percent of the poverty line, compared to 18.5 nonelderly adults in 1996. In other words, the number of nonelderly adults receiving Supplemental Security grew at a slower rate than the number of nonelderly adults with very low incomes. ...
How does the United States compare with other countries?
According to a recent analysis by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, the United States has the least generous disability-benefit system of all OECD member countries except Korea.
So the proposal in the report to raise SSI to $937.00 per month really caught my attention. While I will agree that raising the resource limits and income exclusions could be helpful in getting claimants in a more financially secure position, raising the monthly benefit that high without adjusting T2 is insane. If the average benefit for those that worked and contributed to the system is about $1129.00 per month, I can't see giving someone who has never worked or been incarcerated most of their lives a comparable benefit. If that were to somehow pass, there would be an overwhelming flood of people who currently get a T2 benefit that would become potentially entitled to SSI because of the changes.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the report notes how much less generous the U.S. system is than other countries. Having said that, does anyone know if disabled or poor people from the U.S. can go to these other generous countries and draw off if their system? While we do have policies that preclude some immigrants from filing, I have seen many, many people from other countries who come here to take advantage of our less generous system.
From $710.00 a month to $937.00, that will help the 8.1 Million people who get SSI, now since SSI is a separate program that people who get Social Security or who gets SSDI can get or like I do one can get if one has nothing else, if one is a Senior, is Blind or is Disabled, that raise would help, of course without legislation/appropriation from Congress, I'd think this would only be false hope. Though I would turn down $227.00 more per month, I'd sure like to save up for an a/c system for the mobile home that I live in(last estimate was for $6000) and right now with a $2000 liquid asset limit that has been around since 1989 that is totally inadequate and needs to be $10,000 as one bipartisan bill said it should be that got killed in committee by repubs, twice. Plus stingy $1500 limits on Life Insurance and Death Benefits that have been around since 1972, that's $1500 each on the last two benefits and which need abolishing of the $1500 limits as their both stupid, since currently I couldn't be buried for less than $3500(Heck I can't even bury My Moms ashes, so She's still up in My closet) if I died and life insurance does not sell a $1500 policy and probably hasn't in 41 years...
ReplyDeleteThat should be: 'I would not turn down'...
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're okay if saving up for an AC unit is high on your list. I don't even have have central air for my home. I guess getting $710 isn't so bad.
DeleteIf you can afford to set aside $10,000, then you probably should not be collecting SSI, because your economic situation should probably make you ineligible.
ReplyDelete