New medical research suggests that autism and other intellectual disabilities may be caused by environmental factors. While it does not necessarily shed light on treatment possibilities, it could give rise to research in prevention. According to the report, an analysis of 100 million U.S. medical records indicates that autism and…
The Census data on disabled individuals in the United States paints a disturbing picture. An estimated 11 to 12 percent of people in the United States have a disability that the Census defines as “serious.” The Census restricts its questions on disability to people over the age of 15, so…
The Social Security Disability benefits program is one of the few lifelines that people who are sick or disabled have in the United States. If you cannot work because of a severe and incapacitating illness or injury, you can receive a monthly check from the Social Security Administration. The amount…
No one who has ever applied for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits has ever argued that the process was too easy. This argument is reserved for TV pundits and politicians who have never known the worry of not being able to pay the bills because a disability prevents you from…
Individuals with intellectual disabilities face many challenges as a result of their conditions, including a pervasive difficulty in supporting themselves with paying employment. Despite billions of dollars in government programs designed to help people with intellectual disabilities enter the workforce, more than half of people in the U.S. who have…
In recent months, lawmakers have almost waged war against the disabled. From proposals of chained CPI that would cut the cost of living increase, to crack-downs on disability fraud, to proposals to slash disability benefits for those on unemployment, the news coming out of Washington has been nothing but bad.…
The month of February is American Heart Month, and there are public service announcements and educational efforts throughout the month designed to draw attention to the serious risks of heart disease. Each year in the United States, around 600,000 people die from heart disease. These deaths account for around ¼…
Veterans who are disabled and who need financial help currently face a bureaucratic nightmare. There are lengthy backlogs in the veterans’ disability benefits system that leave some people waiting years to have their claims evaluated. In addition to navigating through the VA system, veterans who also qualify for Social Security…
In a recent New York Times editorial piece, Social Security Administration administrative law judge D. Randall Frye laments what he considers holes in the system that allow claimants to perpetuate fraud. He calls for drastic changes to the system, such as allowing judges to tap into social media when making…
More than 100 defendants have been indicted on charges that they sought to defraud the Social Security Administration of disability benefits by feigning physical and mental illness. Officials say the retired New York City firefighters and police officers were coached on how to behave and what to say during their…