Many politicians and pundits over have made accusations that an increase in the number of people receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is a sign that Americans are relying too much on government, but these claims do not match-up with what is really going on with Social Security’s disability programs.
It is true that by 2012 more people (8.8 million) were collecting SSDI than at any other time in the program’s history. If you look no further you may agree with the idea that people are relying on this program too much, but as is the case with most things, it’s not that simple. Below are some interesting facts about recent developments of the SSDI program.
- SSDI applications actually decreased in 2012: In fact, 2012 was the second year in a row in which the number of SSDI applications decreased. The last time the number of SSDI applications decreased from the previous year’s total was in 2005.
- The increase in recipients is based on demographics: Despite claims that people have become lazy and more reliant on the government, the main reason SSDI recipients has increased to an all-time high is due to the aging Baby Boomer Generation. “The approximate period during which the baby-boom generation entered their 50s (1996-2009) the share of disabled worker benefits awarded to older workers (age 45 and older) rose from 67 percent to 76 percent” (the largest increase in SSDI benefits), according to a report filed by the Congressional Budget Office.
- Women makeup more of the workforce: The number of women who are in the workforce has increased drastically since 1970 when just 43 percent of women worked. By 2009 the percentage of women in the workforce increased to 60 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For more information about how the number people receiving SSDI has changed over the years visit: http://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/dibStat.html.
