Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income,
Medicare and Medicaid are all in jeopardy.
The growth in recipients cannot be sustained. However, the standards for receiving Social
Security Disability and SSI have eased.
At one time, the standard was that the recipient could not engage in any
substantial employment at all. Now there
are television lawyers who promise people that they are entitled to these
benefits and that they will help them receive them.
What most people do not realize is that “going on
disability” is not finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In general, it means living in poverty. Having nothing to do and no money to do it
with it is a common complaint from people who are on disability. Which brings us to the fact that working is a
quality-of-life issue at least as much as a need-to-work-to-pay-my-bills issue.
At this time, people legitimately receive disability benefits
for three reasons: 1) They really and truly cannot work (this is a
small percentage of recipients); 2) They are unemployed due to discrimination
because of their disability (ADA needs more enforcement); and 3) They need to
be on disability to receive essential services that are not available unless
someone is on disability.
Clearly, we need to address how disability policy works
in this country so that people are not forced to live in poverty simply because
they have a disability.
Annette Bourbonniere
401-846-1960
Fax: 401-846-1944
Twitter:
@AccessInclude
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