Posted on 09/14/2010 1:55:38 PM PDT by goldendays
Disability numbers on the rise by Jared Hunt Daily Mail Capitol Reporter Advertiser
CHARLESTON, W.Va.--The percentage of West Virginians receiving Social Security Disability benefits ranks highest in the nation, according to data from the Social Security Administration.
In an August report, the agency said 91,273 people - 5.02 percent of the state's population - are considered disabled workers.
Following West Virginia in the rankings were Arkansas, at 4.44 percent; Kentucky, 4.41 percent; Alabama, 4.34 percent; and Mississippi, 4.11 percent.
Another 14,835 West Virginians were listed as dependent spouses or children of those on disability, bringing total beneficiaries to 106,108.
The number of disabled workers in the state has increased sharply over the past few years, in keeping with a national trend.
The figure has risen by more than 34 percent since 2002, when it stood at 67,905.
More than $108.5 million in disability payments were made to state residents last year, with the average monthly amount $1,128.
State Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, who worked as a surgeon for 28 years, said the state's high ranking can be attributed to poor health habits.
"We have an unhealthy population," Foster said. "We have the highest percentage of people with chronic disabilities, whether that's disabilities that are incurred in the workplace or related to chronic diseases that have occurred because of unhealthy habits of one sort or another."
Foster said the state's high rates of obesity and smoking are key contributing factors to non-work-related disabilities.
"Those few things there add up to a lot of issues related to complications of diabetes, chronic lung disease, congestive heart failure and cancer, so it would be shocking if we weren't at the top of the list based on those other recognized problems."
While there are state-specific issues keeping disability claims high, West Virginia's rise in claims also is part of a much larger national trend.
Disability program expenditures increased seven-fold from an inflation-adjusted $18 billion to $124 billion between 1970 and 2009.
A July report by the Congressional Budget Office says the disability program is "not financially sustainable." Its study found that should current trends continue, the Disability Insurance Trust Fund, which is financed through a 1.8 percent payroll tax, will be exhausted by 2018.
The study found the lack of jobs is a key contributor to rising rates of disability applications.
"When opportunities for employment are plentiful, some people who could qualify for DI benefits find working more attractive," the report said. "Conversely, when employment opportunities are scarce, some of those people participate in the DI program instead."
Researchers found that applications increased immediately following the onset of the recessions of the early 1990s and 2001. It also found that beneficiaries remained on disability even after the economy improved.
"Many people who have been out of the labor force for extended periods find it difficult to return to work, and new beneficiaries rarely leave the DI program to return to work simply because the economy has improved," the budget office said.Tuesday September 7, 2010 Disability numbers on the rise by Jared Hunt Daily Mail Capitol Reporter Page 2 of 2 Advertiser
The trend is predicted to continue.
"CBO projects that as a result of the most recent recession, the number of DI beneficiaries will continue to rise over the next few years by more than otherwise would have occurred, contributing to the long-term trend of rising enrollment already underway."
The report also cited changes in federal policy, including a 1984 Disability Benefits Reform Act, which expanded ways individuals could qualify for the program, as well a reduction in funding for disability reviews, which determine if a person's medical state has changed to a point where they no longer qualify.
Decreased funding resulted in a 65 percent decline in disability reviews between 2003 and 2008. An estimated 1.5 million reviews are on backlog.
The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General estimates disability outlays will be between $556 million and $1.1 billion higher nationwide as a result of the review backlog.
The budget office's study found that people's lack of private health insurance was a contributing factor toward their decision to apply for disability, since disabled dependents are covered by Medicare after a 24-month waiting period.
The report said it is unclear if recently enacted national heath care reform will result in a drop in beneficiaries. The changes are to make it easier for disability applicants to obtain subsidized, lower-cost insurance while they are in the 24-month waiting period for Medicare.
Regardless of the national issues, Foster said there are actions the state could take to reduce West Virginia's high number of disabled residents.
"The solution is, of course, to try to do what we can to make people healthier and to try to improve the economy so that there are more jobs," he said.
"If people had more opportunities for future employment, that would help, but getting a healthier population has so many benefits for the state.
"While people argue that it comes down to personal responsibility, there are things we can do to make it easier for someone to be personally responsible. It's a collaboration, in my view."
Foster said the state could provide better education about nutrition and exercise and more access to recreational activities. Improving the state's networks of trails and sidewalks could encourage better behaviors, he added.
He believes increasing the cigarette tax could be effective in limiting smoking-related chronic illness.
"Just increasing the cigarette tax a measurable amount, there'd be benefits you could account for," he said.
"And having an aggressive initiative to make people become more active and eat better - changing behaviors is not easy, but there are communities around the county that have done a better job than we have.
"We're paying the price."
Hey, great post, just imagine how it feels to be a tax payer working with MS to support those gaming the system, and I have run into a few, but I have worked hard, advanced in my field and that is a source of satisfaction that I would not give up until absolutely necessary.
“What’s funny is the TRULY disabled seem to still work a job, somewhere, unless they’re over 60 or so and mostly retired anyway”
Mainly since they have the God given grace to understand that their condition is a condition, not a lifestyle. I’m on it right now and while I have issues, I’m networking and plan on getting a solid education. Not forever for me.
All you need is a shyster lawyer who knows a quack and presto! Disability cash for life. The liberal shysters in MI advertise the scam on billboards.
There's just TOO MANY who've developed into system-dependent, and the Dem's know they can COUNT on their votes, as long as the freebies keep comin' from "those rich bastards don't need all that money"....
I recently interviewed a woman 24 years old who has six kids (one set of twins).
She has left the Employed? and Employer? questions on the info sheet blank so I asked if she had a job.
“Yep, she replied, “My job is to get all my kids on disability. My Mama did that for me and now I want to do it for my kids. I gotta figure out a way to get the lawyer’s money and we’ll be all set.”
As I looked through her paper work, I noticed she gets a disability check of $600 something a month. Her youngest child was also on disability getting $400 something a month.
I was pissed off at the system for the rest of the day.
Another fav of mine is to ask an interviewee if they have a job and have them spit at me, “I get a government check!”
I stood in grocery line tonight and the gal checking out said to the other lady standing there....”I’m moving up from public housing to section 8 housing”..”I’ve had 12 years in public housing and had enough of that”.
So it seems there are levels of Government housing they aspire to. Humm-mmm’
“I worked for an attorney who did disability. It isn’t as easy as some people think. Also, my husband is on disability now because of a horrible head-on collision where cops were chasing a guy and the guy hit my husband head-on doing about 85 mph. He’s in a wheelchair though he can use a walker on a limited basis. He is in constant, severe pain and always will be. He was denied the first time but approved the second. I hope those who think everyone is “gaming the system” never find themselves in the situation of needing disability.”
You should be outraged about the large numbers who game and cheat the system. SS disability was never intended for lazy individuals with marginal issues. It was intended for individuals like your husband. My older sister has Parkinson’s disease with devasting impact on her health. I believe that she was denied disability first also.
I believe a fundamental problem with SS disability is that disability payments become permanent without any time limits or continuing requirements to demonstrate handicap. The law should be changed to require evidence to continue disability payments. In addition, individuals should not be able to shop for friendly doctors. The government should have its own list of preferred physicians to screen fraudulent cases.
I have neighbors in their late forties who are both on disability AND working jobs under the table. Sickens me when they roll in every two years with a new car and truck. They oftentimes are handwashing their vehicles..and mowing thier lawn without a problem...so go figure! Makes me soooo mad!
Public housing is govt owned buildings. Typically dreadful environment.
Section 8 is like food stamps, the govt (aka your taxes) gives a voucher that the tenant uses to pay the building or home owner. Quality varies depending on location, but nearly always better than public housing.
The great society is wonderful, isn’t it?
Social Security disability is one of the hardest to qualify for of any. I think something like 90 percent are turned down initially and not all that many qualify eventually.
I agree that most people are turned down initially. Now most people get attorneys and by third or fourth try they are in. One gets paid back to the initial application, so there is a big chunck that is paid out. The lawyer gets a big piece of it.
I just was amazed that this lady would still be on the government dole after 12 years.....then I saw a video of people who have a lifetime doing so....this one ladies home had full screne tv...built in no less...wall to wall...georgous furniture..fresh flowers on her table etc. I just don’t get if these people are in such dire straits how can they afford these luxuries?
THANK you! my hubby’s ex wife made several attempts and twisted not a few school administrator’s arms (people she grew up with in her hometown of 5,000) to get the children labled as “learning disabled.” Their only disability is that they are never disciplined, never given any rules or boundaries, eat junk food 24/7, are given a free pass as “children of divorce” and have been given “adult spousal status” by mommykins. Oh and mommykins works for Child Protective Services.
Don’t forget if you are a MINORITY applicant, you are pretty much rubber stamped through because the agency doesn’t want to be considered “racist.”
The percentage of West Virginians receiving Social Security Disability benefits ranks highest in the nation... 91,273 people -- 5.02 percent of the state's population -- are considered disabled workers... Another 14,835 West Virginians were listed as dependent spouses or children of those on disability, bringing total beneficiaries to 106,108.
I have as little patience with welfare fraud as anyone, in fact I have reported people who I saw buying large amounts of expensive food with food stamps then driving away in a new Alfa Romeo Sports car. Of course it turns out they had borrowed the car.
One thing I do not begrudge is those who really are disabled. My parents told me of one of their distant cousins who had appendicitis. Her Father had been crippled in a logging accident and the family had become dependent on relatives who were not exactly rich themselves for their lively hoods. Since they had no money, the local hospitals would not take her. This was back in the 20’s. Finally they got Baptist hospital in Pensacola to take her but she died on the way.
As I say I am against the cheats, I absolutely hate them but we also don’t need to go back that far either.
It is a shame; those kids are basically being thrown away with an education for special children that they do not need and won’t benefit much from (social promotions versus earning them), just so the parent/(s) can put some change in their pockets. I don’t know how they sleep at night...
“This is one area in which I think there is some misinformation.”
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That is quite an understatement! There is a mountain of misinformation, there seem to be a large number of Freepers who think it is very simple to get disability without being disabled. Where I live it is the opposite, it is EXTREMELY difficult to get SS disability even though you really are disabled. My wife had doctors telling her she shouldn’t be working for fifteen years before she ever applied for disability and then she fought the system for twelve more years and appealed over and over again until she finally got approved for benefits retroactive for five years, meaning she didn’t get a penny for seven years out of the twelve she spent appealing her case. The whole story is disgraceful, it would make a two hour movie. The goal seems to be to drag a person through the muck until they finally either give up and stop appealing or die from whatever is wrong with them. It is far from being an easy way to get a free ride as some seem to think.
The current county I like in according to the last census has approx. 30,000 people, of which 10,000 are on some form of disability, a third of the county disabled! Unreal...
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What county in what state please, I live in South Carolina and it took my wife twelve years to get approved and then they gave her only five years retroactive out of the twelve and she didn’t file until doctors had been telling her for fifteen years that she should not be trying to work. The goal here seems to be to drag the applicant around until they either give up or die.
“I know a real dead beat, myself. What I don’t know is whether he’s 1 in 100, 1 in 10, or 1 in 2.”
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Probably not even 1 in 100, maybe 1 in 500. It really is not easy to get SS disability. There are a lot of fairy tales circulated about it, I have heard stories of people getting disability because of alcoholism or drug addiction but if you go the SS website it will tell you that alcoholism or drug addiction is an automatic DISQUALIFIER. Yet some people will SWEAR that they know someone who just walked in and said they were a drug addict and got disability approval on the spot. There is a certain urban legend quality to the whole subject.
As I mentioned previously I worked for a short time as a claims rep for SS. The system seemed to be set up to approve as few as possible. Almost no one was approved the first time. Then they filed an appeal. Now on appeal there were so few approved that it was basically just a way of dragging it out.
Nearly every one who was approved was done so at the administrative judge level. Apparently they wanted as many as possible to drop out. Those who kept at it until they got to a judge actually had a pretty good chance at that level. Unfortunately many people who actually were disabled just gave up before reaching that stage.
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