
Social Security Disability Claims On The Rise
Recent efforts by the Social Security Administration to cut through a massive backlog of disability claims is being tempered by a sharp, spiked rise in applications this year. Experts blame the current economic downturn, and the expansive increase in applications shows no signs of slowing.
Last March, The Social Security Administration revealed that as many as 3 million new applications were expected in 2009, however this week the Associated Press reported that SSA officials are now expecting more than 3.3 million claims to be filed.
As one would expect, the surge in filings has increased the backlog of those waiting to have their disability claim processed by a whopping 30 percent.
The Social Security Disability Program Under Fire
In today’s hostile, polarized political climate, many things are said about the viability and long-term sustainability of the Social Security benefits programs. News networks, television reports, radio personalities and political pundits take extreme positions on whether the Social Security disability program needs a complete overhaul to avoid total collapse, or whether the program simply needs fine-tuning to stay afloat. Economists and financial experts disagree on most of these matters, indicating that in truth, no one really knows for sure.
Social Security Facts
The Social Security benefits program is a pay-as-you-go service. In other words, the benefits received by today’s retirees and disabled are paid for by today’s workers. As more people retire or become disabled, more workers are needed to pay into the program. As life expectancy increases and as birth rates decline, then the amount of money that’s needed to sustain the program must increase per capita. Over time, there will be fewer workers to support more disabled and retired persons.
Projections About Social Security’s Future
Based on workforce trends and rate of increasing filings, the Social Security Administration predicts that as soon as 2017 there will not be enough workers to support the number of retirees and disabled benefit recipients. However, a Social Security trust fund exists (at least on the general ledger) that is supposed to be credited by today’s payroll surpluses, pushing sustainability predictions to 2041. Many analysts do not believe that the program will remain viable for that long without deep, fundamental changes. Others claim that the skeptics are merely fear-mongers, trying to stir up controversy and debate for political gain.
Many academic political scientists argue that it is probably safe to simply trust the Social Security Administration’s predictions on the matter. It has been said that that any federal bureaucracy’s first goal is to remain solvent, and any underestimation of future fiscal needs would only serve to injure the administration’s need for survival.
Ultimately, members of Congress appear to unanimously support the program as a whole, and history shows that legislators tend to work together when it comes to maintaining social programs that benefit all Americans regardless of social class or political affiliation. And, although the prescription for a long-term solution is uncertain, most agree that the prognosis is good.


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