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)
Comments
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sara l.
James c Borland , who can work a back braking job to learn that they keep raising the age to draw Social Security . this is not for me for I am retired this is for our young people. Why would you buy in to this system that is not set up for the many.
Elizabeth
Education has always played a role in the decision along with can a person be able to do any other type of work other then their pass work experience prior to injury. Whether they spoke English or not was only part of the evaluation process. The changes you speak of is only a 1/3 of the formula of the decision. The other part are education rehabilitation and the severity of the condition . Does your illness prevent you from workinh
Toni S.
Why then, during my three chemotherapy treatments and a broken neck over a five-year period, at which time I was on disability. Why Am I being made to pay back every penny? I have figured out disability is a scam. Every month a large chunk of my Social Security is being taken away from me.
Why when I appealed it two times was I not allowed to be in court to defend myself? New jersey never even notified me that my appeal was being heard. Talk about injustice. Every penny I collected I needed! Now they’re taken hundreds from me every month to pay back something I should not have to pay back.Why when I appealed it two times was I not allowed to be in court to defend myself? New Jersey never even notified me that my appeal was being heard. Talk about injustice. Every penny I collected I needed! Now they’re taking hundreds from me every month to pay back something I should not have to pay back
Rhoda S.
Dose a letter from social security administration on a disability update report do you have to pay postage if sent in the mail or do social security send a prepaid envelope to send your disability update report back to social security
Linda B.
My son died in 2016. He had stage 4 neuroendencrine cancer and was on kidney dialysis. He lived in CA.
He was denied disability because he had not paid in to SS for one quarter, I think. He was unable to work because he was too weak and had continually diarrhea.
All of his employees received disability. His wife left him and I went out to care for him until he died in my arms never receiving any help except from me. I helped to pay for many things depleting my savings. I would do it all over again. My son was certainly eligible but no one ever listened. I just wanted to write this because change is certainly needed.
Maida T.
Estoy desabilitada hace 4 años por no hacerme ciudadana me quitaron mi seguro de Salud que nesecito por estar muy enferma, no puedo trabajar y no tengo dinero para nada, ha mas de 5 meses que no voy a ningún medico, por favor ayudenme para un seguro médico de desability gracias
Leatha L.
Yes I’d like to know how a single mother with young child under the age of 18 that get sells security disability 900 amount I make you much to get any insurance for myself I am a 100% disabled I can’t get Internet from their disability I can’t get insurance because I have a young child having habs outness my condition is terminal and I can’t get no help because I make too much money my prescriptions alone or 200 where am I supposed to do nobody well me this is not how America should be I’m getting screwed at benefits that I work for and nobody will help me
Ivan S.
Thank you
I am 80 years old. I would like to work. I am a Cal retired Teacher with a life time permit to teach English as a ESL.
Barbara V.
Why not change credits been trying since Jan 2019 I had 3 heart attacks and 4 strokes am in heart failure
GLORY R.
To the Commissioner of Social Security Administration, Andrew Saul. You are doing a terrific job in reshaping the Social Security Administration. For to long people who never paid into Social Security took checks they did not earn. They went on Education. Many did not know how to speak or write english and they are English speaking Americans. Now they have to get jobs supplementing that SSI Check which many have collected for years and not being taxed. I had to work and to let you know how long it has been 07/01/1980 was my first job on the books at $2.75 and hour. The Social Security Administration does not have that information because for to long they allowed people to dip into my Social Security even when I had not worked yet. Social Security Disability is not Retirement. Keep in mind that this one USA CITIZEN AMERICAN RETIRED EARNING ENOUGH WORK CREDITS JOB CREDITS ON THE BOOKS TO RETIRE IN 2004. Also during that time of 02-19-2004 on I ran reports on age 39, 27, 33, 34 and even 67 years of age and my Retirement Social Security income which has not been paid was still the same. I paid into the USA SSA AND ALSO PAID AND FILED TAXES. WHENEVER A INSURANCE WAS PLACED ON THAT PAPER CHECK DIS, MEDICARE, OF COURSE STATE AND FEDERAL FICA I PAID IT. If it was as much as $175 check I not only took out Social Security taxes I also paid what ever taxes including local and filed taxes at the end of the year. In the end my Award I Retired and Now it is time for the system of Social Security Administration you are doing a wonderful job in reshaping to pay my Retirement Social Security income. In 2015 applied for Increase and it was out of the Retirement State Florida. If I had not Retired in 2004 why would the retirement state be calling me up. I retired and my Retirement Social Security Income is mines. Not disability why I applied through public benefits state and thru Social Security Adminsitration the next day less then 24 hours after life threatening added injuries on my life on 01-10-2003. I did it in a timely manner when a worker came into the hospital on 01-10-2003 that morning less then 24 hours of 01/09/2003 and applied for everyting. Including SSI WITH DISABILITY, PUBLIC BENEFITS TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE EVEN MEDICAL INSURANCE ALTHOUGH I HAD INSURANCE. WELL WHAT DID THE SSA DO NOTHING AND THE LOCAL STATE PUBLIC OFFICES DO NOTHING. BUT I RETIRED 1 YEAR 4 MONTHS AND 5 DAYS AFTER 01/09/2003 AND THAT SHOWED EVERYTHING. STILL YOU WON’T SEE THE SOCIAL SECURITY I PAID INTO BECAUSE PEOPLE LIE THEY TOOK IT MUNIPULATED THE SYSTEM ALLOWING FLYS TO GET IN AND STEAL AND ROB AND DID NOT SUPPLEMENT NONE OF THOSE CHECKS EVEN IF THEY WAS INJURED SO SOCIAL SECURITY WOULD HAVE BEEN DEPLETED BY 2023 IN 3 MORE YEARS. THIS WAS PUT OUT IN 2014 WHY BECAUSE PEOPLE GETTING A CHECK AND NOT PAYING INTO THE USA SSA NEVER PAID TAXES BUT THIS AMERICAN OBEY THE LAW OF THE LAND AND I AM ENTITLED TO ALL MY SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME RETIREMENT EARNINGS UNTIL IT HAS CAPPED OUT WHAT I MADE FOR THE TAX YEARS AND SHOWS WHEN THEY TOOK IT IN 1992 I MADE MORE THEN $1842 SOMETHING IN THAT YEAR BUT THAT IS 27 YEARS AND OF MY SOCIAL SECURITY EARNINGS I PAID INTO THE USA SSA. I SAID SOMETING ABOUT IT SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION STOPPED SENDING STATEMENTS AT 25 YEARS OF AGE BECAUSE THEY HAD 25 YEARS TO ISSUE ME A SUPPLEMENT CHECK. ALL THOSE DISABILITIES HARDSHIPS THEN NOW YOU HAVE 30 YEARS BUT IN THAT 30 YEARS I RETIRED 16 YEARS AGO WITH INCREASE AFTER 12 YEARS OF RETIREMENT AND I RECEIVED NOT 1 CHECK BUT MY RETIREMENT INCOME IS MINES ALL MINES. I DON;T HAVE TO PROVE TO A DOCTOR EVEN YOU THAT I EARNED MY RETIREMENT SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME IT IS ALL ON THE RECORDS. AND YOU KNOW THAT IT IS MORE BECAUSE WHERE IS THE 1ST JOB ON THE BOOKS 1980 07/01/1980 AT $2.75 MY TAX ID NUMBER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER I HAD THIS NUMBER FOR 42 YEARS AND IT IS THE SAME SSI NUMBER I WORKED UNDER AND I RECEIVED NO SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS BUT YET I RETIRED PLUS INCREASED IN 2016 BUT APPLICATION FILED IN 2015 OUIT OF FLORIDA THE RETIREE STATE. HAD I PROOF READ EVERY LETTER I SENT TO STATE SINCE JUNE JULY OF 2002 AND TO SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE EVEN WITH A CONTACT BY PHONE PRIOR TO 01-09-2003 INJURIES I CALLED SSA MELVILLE OFFICE NO WAY WOULD I BE ON TIME TO RIGHT THIS COMMENT THE POST. YOURS TRULY
GLORY WARDLAW. I TOOK ON MY FOSTER MOTHER NAME ON 02-18-2016 AFTER I APPLIED FOR RETIREMENT SSI SOCIAL SECURITY INCREASE ON 11/09/2015 SO I KNEW THAT THE SSA OFFICE ON MY FILES CHANGED ALL THOSE RECORDS THEN MAKING IT SEEM I WAS MAKING $2000 INCOME AND THAT IS THE INCREASE OF MY MONEY BECAUSE TODAY AND THEN I AM STILL WITHOUT INCOME NOW 5 YEARS. $10449 LAST INCOME 2015 BUT THIS IS AFTER I WENT BACK TO WORK AFTER 4 YEARS WHICH IS 8 YEARS WITHOUT NO MONEY IN 2006 STEADY FROM 05/31/2006-03/07/2015 AND 2005 IS WHEN I FINALLY GOT WORK BUT WHERE IS MY RETIREMENT SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS FROM 04-14-2004 ONSET DATE OF RETIREMENT TO 04-14-2015 11 YEARS OF MY MONEY TAKEN. I GOT NO TYPE OF DISABILITY THAT IS STRAIGHT UP WRONG. NOW YOU CAN ASKED WHAT JOBS I WORKED IN THE LAST 5 YEARS AND 10 YEARS BECAUSE THE RETIRMENT SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME IS SHOWING ON MY SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT BUT NEVER PAID OUT. WHEN I WENT IN AND RETIRED ON 04-14-2004 BY APPOINTMENT ONLY MADE ON 04-01-2004 SHE PROCESSED MY TAX ID NUMBER MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND IT SAID YOU EARNED ENOUGH WORK CREDITS, JOB EARNINGS ON THE BOOKS TO RETIRE. STEPPED TO THE SIDE AND VERIFIED IT WITH HER SUPERVISOR WHAT TO DO. PUT THROUGH SHE SAID. SHE SAID I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY IT WITH HER. DO YOU WANT TO SEE HOW MUCH YOUR SSI IS WHICH IS MY SOCIAL SECURITY OF COURSE. I SAID YES. SHE GAVE ME THE FIGURE THE AMOUNT AND SAID NOW IF YOU GOT INJURED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS IT WOULD BE MORE. I ASKED ABOUT IF IN THE HOSPITAL SHE SAID AS LONG AS YOU APPLIED IN A TIMELY MANNER SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. NOW IT IS OVER A YEAR BUT MY SOCIAL SECURITY RETIREMENT SSI BENEFITS WAS ENOUGH. NOW I NOTICE 14 MONTHS THEY HAVE FOR DISABILITY BUT IT IS NO GOOD IF SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION ISSUED NO CHECKS WHEN THEY GOT A APPLICATION PROCESSED ON 01-14-2003 5 DAYS AFTER 01-09-2003 AND DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES PROCESSED THEIR APPLICATION ON 01-13-2003 AND BY THE TIME I GOT TO NASSAU COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ALL THEY DID WAS TAKE THOSE 2 DAYS BY 01-27-2003 FINGER IMAGED, PICTURE TAKEN BUT STILL NO PUBLIC BENEFITS STATE OR FEDERAL. YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE LIE STEAL FROM THE WORKING AMERICAN SO NOW PEOPLE CAN’T GET DISABILITY SOCIAL SECURITY BUT MY DISABILLITY ADDED TO THE HOMELESSNESS WAS JUST AS BAD AS THE ONE WHO CAN’T FUNCTION IN THE MORNING, HAS ALL KINDS OF PSYCH ISSUES WHEN THIS LIMB WAS SAVAGED FROM MY BODY THE HOSPITALS PUT ME OUT. SOCIAL SERVICES PUT ME OUT AND EVEN IN ANOTHER AREA OF NEW YORK STATE AFTER I APPLIED FOR SSI FEDERAL I WENT TO SSA OFFICE 2 DAYS AFTER MY 38THH BIRTHDAY. I GOT THEIR DOES NOT MEAN FOR YOU TO TAKE MY INJURIES LIGHTLY. IT TOOK ME ALMOST 2 HOURS TO GET THEIR RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE LOCAL PUBLIC BENEFITS BUILDING DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES MINEOLA NY WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO MORE THEN A 15 MINUTES WALK TOPS. THEY REFUSE ME TO APPLY COMMISSIONER ANDREW SAUL 1 WOMAN THEIR IN THE MINEOLA SSA OFFICE BUT GOD. THAT SAME OFFICE I WALKED INTO AND RETIRED A YEAR LATER FROM FEBRUARY 2003 I RETIRED AT 39 ON APRIL 14, 2004 BUT PUT IN FOR IT ON 04-01-2004 ASKING THE REPRESENATIVE THEIR DO YOU WANT ME TO SEE A DOCTOR KNOWING THAT INJURIES WAS JUST A SEVERE AND THEY WILL BACK TRACK IT WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED. LIKE YOU SAID FRESH AND KNEW JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR DIFFERENT PEOPLE THERE AND STILL NO TYPE OF SSI, PUBLIC BENEFITS THEN WITH INJURIES AND I KNEW IT. DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES NEEDS TO BE VETTED GETTING OUT OF THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS SO THEY DON’T HAVE TO PAY ME SOME TYPE OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS BUT I RETIRED. I AM ENTITLED TO MY RETIREMENT SSI SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME EARNINGS NOW THIS DAY 02-27-2020 IT IS 20 YEARS REALLY 22 YEARS AT LEAST 23 YEARS AT AGE 32 YEAR OF AGE MY RETIREMENT SSI BENEFITS IS THE SAME 7 YEARS LATER AT 39 YEARS, 42 YEARS AND 67 YEARS WHY DO I KNOW THAT I RAN A REPORT PLUGGING IN IT TO YOUR SYSTEM CALLING 1-800-772-1213 AND HUNDREDS OF STATEMENTS THEY BEGAN TO SEND ME ALL OF TAX YEAR 2005 AFTER I RETIRED EVEN WENT ONLINE TO PUT AGE IN DID IT DOWN TO 2YEARS OF AGE SO I SHOULD HAVE EASILY RECEIVED A SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS $895 PRIOR TO RETIREMENT WHY. SOMETHING AT EARLY AGES A CHILD UNDER AGE AND THE USA SSA KNEW IT. THAT RETIREMENT ALONE CAME FORTH.