Anyone who follows the news regularly has probably heard about a recent case in New York where 130 people were arrested for participating in a Social Security disability scam that resulted in unlawful payments of $20 million. The case involved former New York City police and firefighters who claimed they suffered from mental health disabilities after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
Two ring leaders of the scam, who recently pled guilty, will likely serve prison time and will have to pay restitution. This type of story always whips up frenzy among the Right Win ideologues because they say it is proof that the Social Security disability program is full of non-deserving and non-disabled people who are living off the taxpayer dime. It makes for a good story and gets people angry at government, but it simple isn’t true. The case in New York is a rare instance of Social Security disability fraud. In fact, Social Security disability programs remain extremely difficult to qualify for and these programs should be nurtured not attacked. Consider the following facts for yourself.
- The standard to prove disability is the strictest among all developed countries in the world according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
- A former commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Michael Astrue, who was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, found that fraud amounts to less than 1 percent of the disability programs.
- Social Security disability payments keep millions of Americans out of poverty, but monthly payments are modest. The average Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payment is about $1,100 per month and the maximum monthly payment for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is $721 per month.
To learn more about the truths of the Social Security disability programs click here.
