Posted on 12/03/2012 2:54:35 PM PST by drewh
"It is exceptionally difficult — for all practical purposes, impossible," writes Eberstadt, "for a medical professional to disprove a patient's claim that he or she is suffering from sad feelings or back pain."
In other words, many people are gaming or defrauding the system. This includes not only disability recipients but health care professionals, lawyers and others who run ads promising to get you disability benefits.
Between 1996 and 2011, the private sector generated 8.8 million new jobs, and 4.1 million people entered the disability rolls.
In 1960, some 455,000 workers were receiving disability payments. In 2011, the number was 8,600,000. In 1960, the percentage of the economically active 18-to-64 population receiving disability benefits was 0.65%. In 2010, it was 5.6%.
Some four decades ago, when I was a law clerk to a federal judge, I had occasion to read briefs in cases appealing denial of disability benefits. The Social Security Administration then seemed pretty strict in denying benefits in dubious cases. The courts were not much more openhanded.
Things have changed. Americans have grown healthier, and significantly lower numbers die before 65 than was the case a half-century ago. Nevertheless, the disability rolls have ballooned.
One reason is that the government seems to have gotten more openhanded with those claiming vague ailments. Eberstadt points out that in 1960, only one-fifth of disability benefits went to those with "mood disorders" and "musculoskeletal" problems. In 2011, nearly half of those on disability voiced such complaints.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.investors.com ...
Don’t discount the role of lawyers in this. Take a look at daytime TV and you will see a steady stream of commercials from lawyers promising to get you the disability benefits you deserve.
the key is anxeity /depression claims/bad backs etc. the Obamaphone crowd is flooding the system with claims that cannot be proven or disproven by any physician
“You’ve paid into the system your entire working life. Now get the benefits you deserve! No fees until your case is settled.”
The America I grew up in is dead and gone. The way I see it, it's time to get back at least some of the tax dollars I flushed down the government toilet my whole working life. May as well get some back before the Democrat party base of moochers gobbles it all up. I mean, are we supposed to sit around watching the moochers game the system while we get up and go to work every day?
Screw it. Every man for himself.
Another arm of the Cloward-Piven strategy which the O Administration is engaged in to bring down the greatest country ever to grace the earth.
Obama Gave Us a Phone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqHPZteJ7rI&feature=player_embedded
I say let’s let the whole damn thing collapse.
The government is SOLELY responsible. I hope they are watching their backs. Their days are numbered.
Does disability pay a “living wage”??
Can it put kids through college?
My knee hurts all the time, do I qualify?
:p
They will get a lot more than they ever paid in.
Slot Machine Payout!
They have won life’s lottery when they get on disability
You can get disability from depression? Damn! I’m depressed every Monday morning when my alarm clock goes off. Where do I sign up?
Keyword: TheUNList
Sounds like my ex-wife.
Yes to all three.
As a shrink, I briefly hired myself out years ago doing disability evals for SSDI via a company that managed such services. There was no pressure to declare someone disabled or not, just do an eval, but the work was still unpleasant. I disliked the ones who were trying to scam the system, as well as the difficulty in determining who they were based on a ludicrous set of eval questions we were required to present to them.
That was years ago, and now that I am in private practice it is a conflict of interest. My job as a physician is to diagnose and treat illness, not to get people government checks, whether they “deserve” them or not. It is always my goal to get people well, to return them or bring them to full functionality, or as close to it as possible. Psychiatrically, people are at their best when working, even if just bagging groceries or digging a ditch. Are there exceptions? Sure, but darn few.
In my intake paperwork I spell out what I do and don’t do in my practice. If someone wants to see me for a disability eval, I don’t see them because I don’t do such evals. I also find such patients poorly motivated to get well - because then they will end up loosing their monthly income and other benefits - and I only see patients who want to get well at this point in my career. Disability is a dead end on all levels. End of story.
If someone is an established patient of mine and wants disability, I explain that I will send records to the government or their attorney, but will not otherwise participate. If they go that route, especially if they are really not disabled in any significant way, I will almost always find a gentle way to transfer them on to a new provider, especially when their insurance changes. But it’s about much more than the money: at this stage in my career I only see people I want to see, and people I respect, and people I think I can help, and who want to get well, and not people who simply want to use me and my skills to further the welfare state and further the decline of our society, and defraud the taxpayers of this country, of which I am certainly one.
My rectum is bloody mess do i qualify?
Yes, I think that would definitely qualify as a disability but wouldn’t immediate hospitalization be more appropriate before you end up in boxes like those poor cadavers from the mountain top?
hot diggity
gonna do MY part to crash the system.... in style!
/sarc
Hus had a 2nd spinal fusion a year ago, 6month recovery in back brace. Went to work for 8 days, his HR dept said it’s best if we put you on early retirement, long term disability. 25 yrs with the company and they let him go cause they couldn’t find a job he could do (can’t lift more then 20# rest of his life) as he has metal rod and screws in his back.
To get employer based long term disabiility you have to sign and agree to file for ss dis. We did last Jan. He has severe osteoporis, severe spondylisthesis, severe arthritis of spine, two total knee replacements, 30 skin cancer surgeries(non melanoma). He got denied. Ins comp gives you atty to file an appeal, which takes 12-18months. He is 54yrs ago, worked hard physically all his life. Never took a dime of welfare,etc. And he gets denied, while folks who claim to see cows chasing them, get approved.
Yeah, system sucks for those who worked and contributed and get denied...while the moochers and frauds get approved.....
I’m depressed. Gimme my money!
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