[lurk]

I personally know people who are able-bodied who are on disability. They make up stuff like back problems, knee problems, etc.

But they can pull an engine out of a vehicle, go fishing, or do odd jobs for friends whenever.

I have another close friend, paralyzed from a motorcycle accident 9 years ago, who won’t miss a day of work unless he’s got a life-threatening pressure sore on his bottom.

[Pontiac]

Some pretty simple software could compare social security numbers of the recipients of the two programs and spit out a list of individuals who receive benefits from both.

That list would be easily turned in to cancelation notices.

Problem solved.

[tacticalogic]

This is intentional. Putting people on disability removes them from the unemployment statistics. Obama is bankrupting SS to create a temporary illusion of lower unemployment and an economic recovery.

[babygene]

One other point that is related... If you go on SS disability at 62 you get the FULL payment of SS. Once you turn 66, you go off disability and on regular SS, but at the full rate as if you retired at 66.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This will be fairly easy to stop. The military has been dealing with false disability claims for years.

To start with, compile a list of legal disability claims, and compare it to what prognosis, if any, is used for treatment.

For example, is someone is missing a limb, it is pretty straightforward that they would need at least a small permanent disability to overcome that handicap. So they are in the “always good” category.

However, if someone is disabled over a complaint for “severe back pain”, first determine if they have a prescribed course of treatment, therapy or amelioration.

That is, if they have severe, crippling back pain, but are not seeing a doctor for it regularly, and have no prescribed medications or course of treatment, then even if they are indigent, they should be in the Medicaid program. If they refuse, they are not disabled.

This works by making medicine a minor hassle. If people really have a disability, a minor hassle is no problem, because they have a strong need. But if they are faking, a minor hassle is a major hassle, because they have to visit doctors, undergo therapy, at least regularly pick up prescription medicines, etc. They want to be home watching TV and drinking beer, not spending their time taking care of an imaginary problem.

The next step is to grade disability by retirement income. If they are getting a tiny income, they get full disability if they are fully disabled. But if they have a six figure retirement income, they do not need disability.

The downside to this is that it does require some degree of disability review on a periodic basis.

[central_va]

Cloward-Piven™, socialism is not for sissy’s.

[informavoracious]

We went from the Americans with Disabilities Act forbidding discrimination in employment of disabled persons to a society where you can be called permanently disabled for treatable illnesses like asthma, depression, and the ubiquitous back pain.

I, too, have a relative who can work around the yard and house, go on vacations, go to the casino unaided - but around town the cane comes out accompanied by the grimace with every step.

[zeestephen]

I scanned the article but did not notice one other important issue.

According to my SS Statement, my SS Disability payment would be larger than the normal SS Early Retirement payment I can get at age 62.

If I could afford to retire before age 62, that means I have a powerful financial incentive to fake, or exaggerate, a disability.

Please note...

The formula for calculating a SSDI payment is really complex, so this might not be the case for everyone.

[redpoll]

It’s the Cloward-Piven strategy.