From today’s New York Times:

…Unfortunately, at this point more than six million people have been unemployed for six months or longer. More than one million have already given up looking for work because they believe no job is available. And a drastic rise in applications for disability insurance suggests we may be headed for more long-lasting trouble. The number of disability applications has reached more than 750,000 a quarter, according to the Social Security Administration, an increase of more than 50 percent from four years ago.

The disability insurance program provides crucial support for people who can no longer work because of a disability. But once someone begins receiving benefits, the likelihood that he will re-enter the work force is almost nonexistent; recipients become permanently dependent on the program.

The result is not only lost economic productivity, but also a fiscal burden for the federal government: disability benefits now cost more than $120 billion a year, and Medicare benefits for those on disability add $70 billion. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/opinion/10orszag.html See Op Ed piece here:

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This October the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced some positive changes to the fast-track process for disability benefits. The fast-track, or Quick Disability Determination process, is used by the most severely disabled applicants. It requires less checking on the part of the SSA because of the obviousness of disabilities.

The change focuses on identifying cases that should simply be approved for benefits without additional work by the SSA. In the past, medical reviews were required in every case, but this review is not always necessary. Now, medical reviews will only be required for cases that require fuller medical evaluation.

SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue explained to Federal News Radio that “For the people that are in these categories [who have severe disabilities], it will be a blessing, it will be quicker, it will be less paperwork…we’ll free up more time with the medical doctors for some of the cases that are trickier and require more medical expertise.” FUll story here:

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