Thousands Die Each Year Waiting for Social Security Disability Benefits
Dec 21, 2017
The Social Security Disability backlog for hearings is so long that many applicants wait two years - and some of those applicants die while fighting for benefits.
December 20, 2017 —
According to a year-end report which was recently released, more than 10,000 people who were waiting for their turn to go before a judge and fight for Social Security disability benefits, have died. Some would even argue that many of them died because they couldn’t afford the medical care that they desperately needed.
Nearly 10.5 million people receive these much needed benefits each year but for most, the process of obtaining coverage wasn’t easy. In fact, more than 65% of all initial applications for Social Security Disability are immediately denied. Although the denial can be appealed, the waitlist is so long that it takes almost two years just to get a hearing date.
The people who are applying for these benefits are hard-working Americans who have either been diagnosed with a disabling illness such as cancer or heart disease, or who have sustained a serious injury which prevents them from being able to return to work.
The average American isn’t financially stable enough to go without a steady paycheck and even those who do have a steady paycheck would have difficulty paying the medical bills that will quickly begin to add up. Without the help that can be provided through Social Security, often applicants go without – which can literally put their life and continued health on the line.
The Social Security Administration has announced that they intend to hire around 500 new administrative judges and 600 support staff, hoping that this will help to reduce the amount of time that an applicant needs to wait after making an appeal, but they have not indicated how long it will take for these positions to be filled or how long it will take to get the new employees up and running. So while this may help future applicants, it likely won’t be enough to save those who need help now.
Contact Info:
Name: Brian Mittman
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 914-946-1452
Organization: Markhoff & Mitman, P.C.
Source: MM-prReach
Release ID: 280717
More News
DPWH exec shows up at NBI; 10 boxes of flood-control files turned over
MANILA, Philippines — The Davao regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Thursday appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to comply with the subpoena issued to her in connection with the bureau’s investigation into the flood-control projects in Davao. DPWH Regional Director Juby Cordon arrived at the NBI
Pangilinan to DOJ: Prove billionaire agri smugglers aren’t untouchable
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Thursday challenged the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its attached agency, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), to go after wealthy agricultural smugglers and prove that they are not “untouchable.” During the Senate hearing on the DOJ’s proposed 2027 budget, Pangilinan questioned the agencies over the dismissal of
PhilHealth eyes faster benefit expansion to cut out-of-pocket costs
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is rapidly expanding its benefit packages to cover a wider range of illnesses, including several types of cancer, heart disease and maternal and neonatal care, as it seeks to lower out-of-pocket hospital expenses. Bataan Rep. Albert “Abet” Garcia unveiled PhilHealth’s benefit expansion “roadmap” during a congressional
Agusan school tightens security amid campus violence concerns
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — The Agusan del Sur National High School (ASNHS) has ramped up its campus security measures, including stricter gate inspections and closer coordination with authorities, following recent incidents of violence in schools. In a public advisory, ASNHS assured parents and the community that it is taking proactive steps to maintain
/file/attachments/orphans/TuankuMuhriz_885315.png)
Tuanku Muhriz's sacking of 10 N Sembilan excos gazetted
Revocation of appointments is effective Sept 20.
Ex-DPWH exec in Zaldy Co case to cite lack of equipment as defense
MANILA, Philippines —The alleged lack of construction equipment needed to “correctly verify” whether the road dike project in Oriental Mindoro complied with government standards will form part of the defense of a former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official, who is among the co-accused of former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co in a malversation case. The case against Co and nine DPWH officials before the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division stemmed from the P289.4-million Sunwest project in Naujan town, which
Post-martial law safeguards still failing, analyst says
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines commemorated the 54th anniversary of the declaration of martial law on Monday, Sept. 21, but a data scientist pointed out, based on a recent international assessment, that more than five decades since Proclamation No. 1081, “post-martial law safeguards continue to fail.” “More than four decades after the restoration of democracy,
Luistro clarifies: Required votes to convict, not threshold, can be lowered
MANILA, Philippines — While the Senate impeachment court’s ruling allowed a lower minimum vote requirement to convict Vice President Sara Duterte if some senator-judges are absent, it did not change the conviction threshold itself. Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro clarified this situation on Thursday in a press briefing at the Batasang Pambansa. Luistro was asked whether the
Ho Chi Minh City rules out gasoline vehicle ban, bets on free buses and EV incentives instead
Ho Chi Minh City will not ban gasoline vehicles, relying instead on free buses, wider public transport and incentives to go electric, city Party chief Tran Luu Quang told voters on Thursday.
WATCH: COA flags OVP relief ops involving P168M tops INQToday newscast
MANILA, Philippines – Here is INQToday’s top stories this afternoon: The Commission on Audit flagged P168 million in relief operations involving the Office of the Vice President, while Tropical Depression Queenie is forecast to intensify into a typhoon by Sunday. Meanwhile, the Visayas power grid was placed on red alert for five hours, signaling tight
Unbeaten Gilas 3×3 teams reach Asian Games semis after contrasting wins
Gilas Women breeze past Singapore, while Gilas Men survive Chinese Taipei as they move within a win of giving the Philippines its first Asian Games medal in 3x3 basketball
Cordillera group urges CA to reverse terror tag
MANILA, Philippines — Members of Baguio City-based group advocating for indigenous peoples’ (IP) rights on Thursday urged the Court of Appeals (CA) to overturn a local court’s decision retaining their terrorist tag for lack of probable cause and due process. The Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) filed an 84-page petition for certiorari and prohibition before the
YOUR NEWS, OUR NETWORK.
Do you have Great News you want to tell the world?
Be it updates about your business or your community, you can make sure that it’s heard by submitting your story to our network reaching hundreds of news sites across 6 verticals.