Social Security Announces Major New Change in Disability Benefits – It’s Official

According to Lagradaonline, The Social Security Administration (SSA) has made a significant change to its disability benefits program by altering the definition of disability. This change, effective this week, will impact how the SSA evaluates individuals seeking to qualify for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. The adjustment was prompted by findings that certain jobs, which some disabled individuals could potentially perform, are not generally available in the American labor market.

New Disability Evaluation Process

Historically, to meet the SSA’s definition of disability, an individual had to demonstrate an inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. However, the SSA has now revised this definition. The agency discovered 114 job positions with minimal job opportunities, including roles such as models, astronomers, and agricultural engineers.

As a result, the SSA will no longer consider these specific occupations in the evaluation process for disability benefits. Additionally, the agency identified 13 occupations where judges expressed concerns regarding the suitability of individuals labeled as “not disabled.” The SSA emphasized that when determining eligibility, it must also consider the availability of jobs in the labor market for disabled individuals.

Insights from SSA Commissioner

According to Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley, this change is a logical step in identifying professions that are currently in extremely low demand in the economy. The decision means that these jobs will no longer serve as grounds for rejecting disability benefits applications.

Improving the Disability Benefits Process

The revised definition of disability is expected to enhance the efficiency of the disability benefits application process. This change aims to provide clearer criteria for determining eligibility. The SSA stated that it would focus only on the most relevant professions when assessing whether an applicant is capable of working in other capacities.

In the long term, the SSA will continue to reference information from the Occupational Requirements Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to guide further changes.

Current Statistics on Disabled Workers

As of May, approximately 7.23 million disabled workers were receiving Social Security benefits, marking a decrease of 20,000 from the previous month. The average monthly benefit for these workers was just over $1,500, with the total payout exceeding $11 million for that month.

Burt Williamson, a retirement specialist at PlanPrep, noted that various factors could contribute to the decline in the number of disabled workers receiving benefits. While he cannot definitively identify the cause, he speculated that it could stem from individuals passing away, transitioning from disability to retirement benefits, or losing eligibility for benefits. However, this remains a hypothesis rather than a confirmed explanation.