The Social Security Administration has updated its statistics through the end of 2020 on the number of disability claims filed and adjudicated. (This website may be down at the moment. Social Security's websites seem to be having some problem this morning. I can't get up any of them including the main website.)
The number of disability claims for which adjudication began went from 1,309,863 in 2019 to 1,226,2236 in 2020, a decline of 6.4%. The number of disability claims entering adjudication has now declined by 36% from its peak in 2010. The number of claims approved went down by 38% over the same time frame.
By the way, do you remember what happened in the November 2010 election? Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives. They commenced relentless attacks on Social Security disability claimants and beneficiaries. That wasn't the only thing causing the decline but I'm pretty sure it was a factor.
6 comments:
At least we no longer have the Paul Ryan attacks. They were heartless attacks on the disabled. He had two goals. Overturn AHCA, and gut SSA. Oddly enough, McConnell shut him down on that Ryan's final year.
I have yet to talk to a single person in over 35 years that decided to file for disability based on national politics. Not saying it doesn't happen but perhaps your analysis is off.
I'd lean toward demographics. In 1960 the wave of baby boom births was cresting. Fifty ears later, in 2010, as those folks reached Closely Approaching Advanced Age, the number of claim also crested. As the number of 50 year olds drops, the number of claims drops.
There's also a significant spike beginning 2009, at the time of the last recession. That might explain the hump from 2009 - 2017, but wouldn't explain the continued drop from 2017 to the present.
I think Attorney Geelhoed is spot on! A favorite theory of some was that the economy was a leading cause, if not the reason, for the 2008-2012 "bubble." However, if economics was the most important factor of this bubble, then the percentage of awards should have increased while the number o applications decreased. But, awards have decreased FASTER than. CLEARLY, there has been an effort to reduce awards since 2010...and Huntington has been a convenient excuse.
Lawyers and ALJ's are supposed to apply the law to the facts of the case and not have preconceived notions about whether to grant or deny a case. If they are using preconceived notions to decide a case then they are being unethical and should be disbarred.
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