From what appears to be a press release:
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced three bills on Wednesday, each aimed at improving the administration and integrity of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Essentially, Hatch’s legislation modernizes the antiquated “grid rules,” which have been used for many years to determine the level of disability and eligibility for the program. The bills also simplify the benefit process and create a medical-evaluation standard on par with Medicare.Notice what's going on here. Hatch and other Republicans are afraid to say they want to cut Social Security disability. No, they use the euphemism "modernize" but, trust me, this is about making it significantly harder to get on disability benefits. And it's not just the use of a euphemism; they want to keep their fingerprints off the unpleasantness that results from the "modernizing." They want to force the executive branch to do the "modernizing." They'll then blame the executive branch for the resulting public anger. Nice jujitsu move if they're allowed to get away with it. Also notice how it appears that they're timing the introduction of this bill to coincide with what's going on in Kentucky. I don't think that's coincidental.
“For far too long, the SSDI program has failed to keep up with the rapid changes in medicine, technology and education,” Hatch said. “These bills are the first step in modernizing the SSDI program to make it more effective and efficient for both beneficiaries and taxpayers.”
The Guiding Responsible and Improved Disability Decisions (GRIDD) Act would require the Social Security Administration (SSA) to update the medical and vocational grids that are used by disability decision makers. (The “grid rules” take a number of quality-of-life issues into account to determine whether an individual is or is not disabled, but the rules were originally written in 1979 and have never been updated to today’s standards).
The Promoting Opportunity Through Informed Choice Act would create a support system for disability beneficiaries who want to return to work by mandating that the SSA develop public online tools to assist beneficiaries.
The Disability Evidence Integrity Act would discourage the SSA from making determinations on whether disabled individuals should receive Disability Insurance benefits based on any evidence provided by those who have been convicted of a felony or are otherwise disqualified from participating in a federal health care program.
So Senator Hatch doesn't make any suggestions on how to "modernize" the Grids himself. So SSA is given a lot of latitude on how they choose to update the Grids. Besides perhaps getting rid of the illiteracy bump to those 45-49, does anyone think SSA would actually bump the Grid ages up so as to make disability more difficult. How binding on SSA is a bill like this which doesn't give any specifics or time frames?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Disability-checks-stopped-for-clients-of-Ky-attorney-targeted-in-fraud-investigation-305103791.html
ReplyDeleteSSA has problems. This article may support changes to the program.
Meanwhile, how does this address the immediate concerns with the DI trust fund? It does not. And any real affect it may have on the disability rolls remains to be seen. Without seeing the actual bill language it all seems pretty vague.
ReplyDeleteCharles - A couple of things. First, this news is 3 weeks old. He introduced the bills in early May. So, the connection to the Kentucky stuff is, I think, a little off. But, more significantly, this is just another step in the continuing crusade by the GOP to make sure that everyone in the country understands how broken the disability program is. The three proposals are all stupid, to some degree or another. (The "Informed Choice" one is of no value. No online tool is going to substitute for a qualified counselor in helping navigate the Byzantine system of work incentives. The "Disability Evidence" item is yet another solution in search of a problem. And the "Grid" item only requires SSA to do what it is already doing--slowly. Nothing of substance.) It's all political posturing. They know that none of these will see the light of day. They just want the headline. That way, a few more people will think: "Oh, yea. I remember hearing about how bad that program is." One small step on a long path toward re-educating the public in preparation for the real action to come. But, this isn't it, yet.
ReplyDeleteSo the Republicans are now trying to make us believe that the effects of age on the human body and mind have somehow changed in the past few decades so the rules need to be "modernized"? Hah!
ReplyDeleteNo doubt Chuck has it right. Republicans sit around thinking about proposals that keep people with disabilities off the program even when they can't keep a job. Then they put a bunch of cosmetics on it and try to sell it as "modernizing" or "reform".
It's bad enough that they are trying to make changes that would likely make thousands of people with disabilities suffer and prematurely die (yes that is what can happen to people with disabilities who lack necessary income or support and have no way of getting it through work). Transparently trying to trick the public about their aims adds an element of insult. They lack the courage to be honest about their aims because they know how unpopular they are. Well, Mr. Hatch, we're not fooled. When you wash all the makeup off your proposal it reads "Republicans Want To Cut Your Social Security Benefits."
I agree that the grids should be changed. The age categories should be reduced to 48 at sedentary and 53 at light to account for the decrease in sedentary and light unskilled jobs and the increased barrier to entry into the skilled job market.
ReplyDeleteI agree, 12:56, that an argument can be made that the Grids should be "loosened" to reflect today's job market that contains less sedentary/light unskilled jobs. However, like all SSD advocates, I hold my breath whenever I read anything from a Congressman and just hope that things don't get tougher for the claimants and those who represent them. Wouldn't it be nice, though, to have the Grids start at age 48...
ReplyDeleteThe Grids are unlikely to be significantly changed if at all; previous proposed rulemakings have died a quick death. Also even if the Republicans could pass a bill tightening standards and somehow convince Obama to sign it, the social workers running SSA would find a way to subvert the changes just as was done with child's SSI with the invention of "functionally equals".
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