Disability Insurance Observer: SSDI politics

See also: GAO: Public SSDI claim help mostly a mystery

One wonders if the ALG newsletter ran an article about this serious, not very sensational subject because there weren’t any juicy scandals to cover, or because the people at ALG think the SSDI insolvency is a juicy scandal. If the latter: Maybe the ALG article could be the start of something big.

If the SSDI insolvency grows up to be the HealthCare.gov of 2015 and 2016: I hope members of Congress and other policymakers will come up with practical ideas and do right by people with serious disabilities when they debate SSDI fix proposals.

In the past, Congress has tackled the SSDI trust fund problems by shifting some old-age fund money into the SSDI pot. That helps extend the life of SSDI but brings the old-age benefits pot runs dry.

The ideal solution for the 2016 insolvency would:

• Create a stand-alone SSDI fix, without forcing members of Congress to violate their conscience simply to keep SSDI going.

• Get away from the idea that all SSDI recipients are completely disabled. We’ve all met SSDI recipients who have full-time, off-the-books jobs and look about as healthy as we do.

• Provide as much help as possible for people who really can’t work.

• Avoid making unrealistic promises simply because it feels good to make those promises, even though we have no money to fulfill those promises. Being honest with people about how tough the situation is, and giving them the information they need to try to make up for benefits gaps, is better than creating a castle in the sky that is all sparkle and no stone.