Social Security Eases Path to Disability Benefits – Know About SSDI Updates

If you’ve applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and were not approved, pay close attention to these new changes in the United States. The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a significant update this summer that could help more people qualify for disability benefits. This change addresses a crucial aspect of the application process and aims to make it fairer for those in need.

Determination System

One key step in determining eligibility for disability benefits involves assessing whether an applicant can find another job based on their abilities. The SSA has been relying on a jobs database to identify potential employment opportunities for applicants.

However, many experts and applicants have long argued that this database is both unjust and outdated, having last been updated 47 years ago. The database includes old-fashioned jobs such as reptile farmer, railroad telegrapher, and watch repairer.

Removing Occupations

In response to these concerns, the SSA has decided to remove these obsolete occupations from the database. This decision follows a report by the Washington Post, which highlighted the case of a disability applicant who had worked as an electrician but was denied benefits. A judge determined he could find employment as a nut sorter, dowel inspector, or egg processor—jobs that are effectively nonexistent in today’s job market.

This change is expected to have a significant positive impact on disability applicants, ensuring a more accurate and fair evaluation of their eligibility for benefits. By updating the job database, the SSA is taking a crucial step towards improving the system and supporting those who need it most.

Impact

This significant change will impact both the SSDI program and the SSI program. The SSDI provides benefits to individuals who are unable to work due to a medical condition expected to last at least one year or result in death. Meanwhile, the SSI program supports disabled individuals with low incomes.

Outdated Criteria

Both Social Security’s and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability programs have been identified as “high risk” by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). This designation is given to federal programs that are particularly vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse, or require significant improvements to enhance their effectiveness. According to an April study by the GAO, both programs currently use “outdated criteria to decide whether individuals qualify for benefits.”

The update aims to eliminate the use of outdated occupations in disability determinations. SSDI benefits those with severe medical conditions preventing them from working for at least one year. SSI supports disabled individuals with limited financial resources. The GAO highlights the need for modernization to reduce vulnerabilities such as fraud and inefficiency. This modernization effort is a crucial step towards ensuring that the disability programs are fair, up-to-date, and effective in serving those who need them the most.

Occupations Being Removed

The SSA has announced that it is removing 114 occupations from its database, which currently includes more than 12,000 job types. Adjudicators can no longer cite any of these jobs as examples of work that applicants could perform when making a “not disabled” decision.

Examples of Jobs Being Removed:

• Canary breeder
• Character impersonator
• Directory assistance operator
• Historian of the dramatic arts
• Motion-picture projectionist
• News wire-photo operator
• Radiotelegraph operator
• Reptile farmer
• Watch repairer

Relevant Occupations

The SSA will now only consider the most relevant occupations when determining whether someone applying for disability benefits can engage in other forms of work. This shift aims to provide a more accurate assessment of applicants’ abilities and improve fairness in the decision-making process.

By focusing on relevant and current job opportunities, the SSA ensures that the evaluation of disability claims is grounded in the reality of today’s job market. This update will likely lead to more just outcomes for applicants, particularly those whose previous denials were based on outdated job data.

These changes reflect the SSA’s commitment to improving the disability determination process, making it more equitable and aligned with contemporary employment opportunities. This update is a crucial step towards ensuring that disability programs effectively serve those who need them most.

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