Massachusetts Social Security Disability Lawyers BlogThe candidates for the Republican presidential nomination have been making big headlines for the past several months talking about the problems with the Social Security disability benefits fund and how it is running out of money. While the candidates are not suggesting any specific plan for fixing the situation, they say a major overhaul is needed before agreeing to allocate additional funding to the program. Continue reading
Articles Posted in Boston SSDI
Appealing a Social Security Disability Benefits Denial
Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits without the help of an experienced attorney can be one of the most frustrating processes you can imagine. A recent article from the Bradenton Herald takes a closer look at the application and appeals process by asking a series of frequently asked questions and providing the answers. Continue reading
Number of Americans on Social Security Disability Benefits Increasing
According to a recent news feature from Forbes, the media focus on the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the United States Social Security Agency (SSA), which oversees the disability benefits program, is nothing new.
In 2013, NPR ran a series explaining how the number of Americans collecting disability benefits was increasing and showed the SSDI program as being outdated and mismanaged. It also implied many of the people collecting Social Security disability benefits were exaggerating their illnesses or other disability to get benefits to which they were not rightfully entitled. The exaggeration of benefits is known as malingering by administrative law judges (ALJs) who oversee hearings and make determinations as to whether a denial of benefits by SSA employees was correct. Continue reading
Budget Problems with Social Security Disability Insurance Program
There has been a lot of news lately about the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs, which are both facing a major budget shortfall. It is estimated that if Congress does not agree to reallocate funds from the Social Security retirement system by the end of 2016, the program will be out of money and unable to operate at full capacity.
In other words, by late 2016, over 9 million Americans will have their Social Security disability benefits cut by nearly 20 percent. Many of these disabled Americans will not be able to make ends meet or take care of themselves and their families with only 80 percent of their benefits. It should be also be noted, the system was designed so people could not make as much sitting at home and collecting benefits, so even at 100 percent of their benefits, a disabled individual is only making around two thirds of what they made before becoming disabled.
According to a recent report from Bloomberg, the program itself has various issues that should be corrected, aside from seeking money from Congress. First, the author looks at the history of the Social Security disability program. The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Social Security Retirement program was already up and running, as it had been created by Roosevelt as part of the New Deal plan to get out of the Great Depression when Eisenhower added a disability benefits program in 1956. Continue reading
National Cancer Survivors Day and Social Security Disability
The first day of June each year is National Cancer Survivors Day across America. Many of these cancer victims have managed to survive the deadly disease but are still unable to return to work. Even after cancer has been removed and patients have gone into remission, many are left with significant health issues from surgical complications and weakened or non-existent immune systems from chemotherapy and radiation treatments necessary to remove and kill tumors.
According to a recent news feature from The Daily Courier, many of these cancer survivors must turn to the Social Security Administration and their Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to economically after they have survived cancer. Continue reading
Social Security Administration Restores Disability Benefits to Hundreds
According to recent news article from Kentucky.com, the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) has decided to reinstate benefits for hundreds of disability claimants whose benefits they had earlier suspended. There will be a full investigation and hearing to determine eligibility before any benefits are terminated. This will help ease the fear of imminent economic hardship and “ruin” benefits termination has caused to many families.
The trouble for these hundreds of disabled Americans began when SSA became concerned that nearly a thousand Social Security Disability Insurance benefits recipients had received benefits to which they may not be rightfully entitled. Rather than conduct an investigation and then make decisions as to whose, if any, disability benefit would be terminated, SSA sent out around 900 letters to disability benefits recipients announcing their disability benefits were to be immediately terminated. Continue reading
Johnson v. Colvin: Social Security Disability Benefits
Johnson v. Colvin, a case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, involves claimant who suffered from a variety of serious medical conditions including, morbid obesity, chronic asthma, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and intellectual functioning impairment.
Claimant has never been employed and only completed school through ninth grade. She never obtained a GED and never learned to drive a car nor obtained a license to drive. When she applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) required her to undergo a series of cognitive and behavioral tests performed by a Ph.D. of their choosing. Continue reading
Engstrand v. Colvin: Denial of SSDI Benefits
Engstrand v. Colvin, a case from the Unites States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit involves claimant who was working as a dairy farmer before becoming disabled. Claimant worked until he turned 47 years old. He had been suffering from various health conditions prior to becoming disabled, but it was his diabetic neuropathy and osteoarthritis which both became unbearable. His last day at work was in July of 2010.
In his claim for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, claimant alleged he first became disabled in July of 2007. He was initially denied when he applied for SSDI and appealed several times in writing before requesting a formal hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). Continue reading
Study Shows Students With Disabilities Have Trouble Graduating
According to a recent news article from Disability Scoop, almost 40 percent of students with disabilities do not graduate high school. Education policy officials predict around 90 percent of children with disabilities should be able to graduate with the systems and practices in place. In reality, we are seeing only six out of ten of these disabled individuals actually being able to complete all requirements and graduate from high school.
These recent numbers come from a study that examined much of the available federal education data. This 60 percent graduation rate for students with disabilities is significantly lower than the total graduation rate of around 81 percent.
It should be noted, the graduation rate for disabled students is higher than in previous years, so the new special education system is working to some extent, but a rate of 20 percent below the average graduation rate is still an alarming issue for many researchers and, more importantly, parents of students with disabilities.
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New Disability Liaison at White House
Contrary to the opinion of many looking to get rid of the Social Security Disability Insurance program as part of a presidential campaign bid, the vast majority of Americans with disabilities are at a point where, without benefits, they would not be able to afford basic necessities for themselves or their families without it.
According to a recent news article from Disability Scoop, President Barack Obama has recently hired a new disability liaison to work with the White House to bridge the gap between Americans with disabilities and the federal government, so as to make lives easier.
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