The Numbers Prove The Point
The numbers substantiate a shift to these hard to (dis)prove afflictions. Over the past three decade’s awards for mental illness climbed from 16% of total claims to one third by 2010. During the same period “back pain” increased its market share from 13 to 28%. It is a system begging for abuse. A study by the NBER (National Bureau of Economic Research) found that for workers with low paying jobs, SSDI including Medicare replaced, on average, 90% of working income. (SSDI recipients get free Medicare after two years of receiving benefits.) In times of tepid job growth, like now for instance, wages are often stagnant, so if there is a choice between working at minimum wage versus doing nothing and earning almost equal amounts, sloth trumps exertion much more often than not. What are other explanations why at this juncture of a theoretically improving economy is our nation weighed down by such a bloated system? Well secondly, the qualification standards have been severely watered down. As evidenced by above statistics “back pain” is questioned much less today. It is not difficult to claim otherwise when a person says they are depressed. Also, more attention is paid to the applicants claims of pain and special trust is placed in the report made by the applicants own physician. Third, once invited into the club, why leave. In 1983, 163 per 1,000 people terminated benefits. Jump ahead to 2011 and that number has collapsed to only 74 per 1,000. In a crummy job market the incentive is to stay put and live off the fat of the government. A fourth reason is that the labor participation rate, at 63.7%, is at its lowest levels in generations. This translates that of the millions who have thrown in the towel looking for employment, many have elected to enter the SSDI lottery. This leads us to the huge issue of fraud.
Fraud And Disability Equal A Multibillion Dollar Black Hole For Taxpayers - Forbes