New Rule Modernizes How We Award Disability Benefits
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: February 24, 2020
The Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs protect some of the most vulnerable people in our society. A successful disability program must evolve and support making the right decision as early in the process as possible. To help us do that, we must modernize the rules and standards we use to evaluate how we determine disability benefits. We are moving forward with a rule change that has been in the works for a number of years and serves to update a more than 40-year-old policy that made the inability to communicate in English a factor in awarding disability benefits. The new rule is effective April 27, 2020.
We are required to consider education to determine if your medical condition prevents work. In 2015, our Inspector General recommended that we evaluate the appropriateness of this policy. Research now shows the inability to communicate in English is no longer a good measure of a person’s education level or the ability to engage in work. The new rule also supports the Administration’s longstanding focus of recognizing that individuals with disabilities can remain in the workforce.
To make the right disability decisions, Social Security disability rules must continue to reflect current medicine and evolution of work. We need to update our rules to keep up with society’s changes.
We owe it to the American public to ensure that our disability programs continue to reflect the realities of the modern workplace. Please share this information with your family and friends.
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About the Author
Andrew Saul, Commissioner, Social Security Administration
Commissioner of Social Security Administration (June 17, 2019 - July 9, 2021)
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Remedy34
So you want to stop as many Americans as possible from receiving SSDI and SSI, Americans who have built this system from the ground up have to fight tooth and nail for it but now you want to give people mainly immigrants that have paid nothing are entitled to receive benefits because they don’t speak English..Are you kidding me?? This is a move to support immigration and anybody with eyes can see it.
Paula E.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Paula El.Schultz, B.A.
Shelia
I think in my opinion this is GOOD for the people. My son has Rickets and his bones hurt especially bin the winter. He has been in disability since he was 3 now he is 22 and has been turned off. RICKETS (bone disease) does not go away. Now they are saying they overpaid him $15,000 how can s 22 year old pay that back if he has no money. THEY TURNED HIM OFF.
Cheryl V.
I have lupus, congested heart failure,stage ,3 kidney desease , diabetes,and was diagnosed with lung cancer in January of this year, I had kidney cancer in September of 2019,they had to take half of my kidney in September of 2019. I have been hearing that the gov.is planning to take my disability that I got 2004. can you please tell me what’s going on.Lord willing if I make it in September I will be 64.thank you for listening and GOD BLESS YOU
Dana D.
As I was recently denied disability, I think the whole system needs to be redone. I am almost 61, diagnosis of MS, seizure disorder, Chianti malformation, chronic migraine, chronic pain, 11 herniated disc from C2-S1, myosistitis R hip, particularly blind in R eye , depression and anxiety. Someone feels i can go back to work as a customer service rep. Using a computer for 8hours a day, even though it causes more seizures, not to mention I cannot see the screen. I know several people on disability with far less problems than I have. The whole system needs to be looked into.
Graham
Wow this is actually quite nice to see
Margaret
I see at least one comment regarding cessation of disability benefits for an individual that apparently was not notified first. If you are on disability it is essential that you keep SSI informed of your current address. It is easy to forget since the monthly benefit is sent by direct deposit to the individual’s bank account. Make an appointment at your local SS office to update info & see what happened & what is needed to correct the problem. From what I have read in other articles, the plan SS has is to reevaluate younger disability recipients more often to see if their disabling condition has improved enough to remove them from SSI. If SS sends a request to your physician & their office fails to respond, SS will cancel your disability benefit. There are multiple scenarios possible (such as the physician of record has retired or moved to another address). SS is a massive organization with no ability to discern or care the havoc they will cause disabled persons.
Richard S.
Just another way to kick people off of diability. You really think people can live on diability.I KNOW PEOPLE WHO WISH THEY COULD WORK/BUT YOU R GOING TO TELL THEM THEY HAVE TO.When they can’t.
Gail F.
I have been disabled for 9 years. I was on Medicare and Medicaid until my deceased husband decided to take accidentally to many pillls. They were not his. In that case , I was given his SS money of $450.00 a month which I was then told I made either $7 or $11 to much to get Medicaid. This has hurt me so bad both financially and mentally. This was not my fault and I even told mediCare that I did not want his money. I was told that if I didn’t take it they would drop my disability. I have no secondary insurance since I am only 59 and was told I couldn’t get any until I turned 65. Can you please explain this to me. My debt is overwhelming and I have 4 specialists drs that I have to see at this time. This cost me so much that I can barely survive. Can I get help anywhere? Thank you.
Cindy
I have been on ssdi for 20 years. I work around 20 hours per week for day structure. My disability is schizoaffective disorder bipolar type. If there is too much stress in my life then I regress. My education level is a masters. When I was first diagnosed 31 years ago I went through 3 days of brain scans and intelligence testing.