I recall in 2009 suddenly the Social Security office hired on a bunch of new hearing officers and started handing out Social Security Disability like candy.
One of my doctor clients who is an M.D. psychiatrist used to do SSI hearings. All the people he saw were coming in claiming to be depressed. He denied most of the claims, few he approved but only with a recommendation that they become involved in an exercise program, see a psychologist for individual psychotherapy and continue working. None of the applicants were interested in following up on his recommendations.
If someone files claiming mental illness, the maximum we should be paying, IMO, is for psychotherapy and perhaps meds but it should not be a replacement for a paycheck. We have a whole bunch of people just like this working in DC who do continue to draw a paycheck so saying that they can’t show up for work because of mental illness is a bogus claim.
That’s because lawyers became required to get SSD for.
and lawyers make up the majority of politicians.
I was approved in 2008 my first application and didn’t have to appeal. One thing I found out is that you are better off paying for an attorney or a company specializing in SS claims to prepare and file your application instead of doing it yourself. The pros know what to put in your application to get it approved.
Because of my first cancer (I suppose) they approved me in two months.
I’m very familiar with this subject. 50% approvals is considered a “tough” judge. And they now have a SOAR program that gets the applications through in 90 days or so. And we are talking disabilities like depression, or something that isn’t so bad that, when combined with age and low education, magically turns into “disability” income. The whole freakin country is getting on disability.
My youngest sister who lives in Minnesota now gets SSI. Minnesota throws in $80 for food. It totals $802 a month.
She does have a bad back and has seen many doctors who give her hard pain medicine that leaves her disoriented or after she refused to continue was given acupuncture or back massages. Acupuncture works for 3 days and the pain is back. She refuses to go to other doctors that can really fix it as this is her only money and she does not want to work.... She is stupid.