Comments on: Let’s Look At The Social Security Administration

By: Wayne | WeTheDisabled

Wayne | WeTheDisabled — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:29:33 +0000

I myself was forced to go on disability a little over 2 years ago due to Kidney failure and heart problems. I was one of the fortunate ones in that I did not have to wait to get qualified for the reason that kidney failure is one of SSA automatic approvals.
However, I would much rather have my kidneys and be able to work. The so called disability check might be enough to sustain a person in the 40′s and 50′s but, it is a joke nowadays. It comes in one day and by the same days end it is mostly gone just by paying bills. And not all bills get paid.
Then to top it off if you die before your scheduled check payment then your spouse or someone has to send the check back. That sucks since you may be leaving a family behind. What are they to do?
Beter stop for now before I get to riled up, I just dont have much for the SSA or the Government when they let their own people die and dang near starve the rest of us but can find over $346 BILLION to give to the immigrants every year. Why don’t they think as much of us when we have and are paying in the taxes that funds SS and “their” paychecks.

By: RJ Adams

RJ Adams — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:24:23 +0000

WWW – I suppose that philosophy is one way to counteract the ‘baby-boomer’ bubble, that Congress expects to make a big hole in the Social Security fund. And as Bush has ~~robbed~~ borrowed most of it to fight his war, it makes sense to claw back as much as possible from those who are going to die soon anyway, and so don’t really need it. After all, what does it matter if they expire under some interstate bridge somewhere, due to eviction, rather than in their own homes? Dead is dead, isn’t it?

And don’t anyone dare tell me there are no members of Congress who have that mindset.

By: wisewebwoman

wisewebwoman — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:20:02 +0000

This was wrenching, RJA. A “why don’t they all just FOAD” philosophy sweeping across the bureaucracy, and sure enough, it works. They do die if kept waiting long enough.
Criminal.
XO
WWW

By: RJ Adams

RJ Adams — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:51:24 +0000

NYM – SSA is now, finally…..finally, turning round and saying they will fastrack claims for those in dire need (read: dying). Whether that will prove the case, only time will tell.

TOB – from my experience of British social security it is nowhere near as bad as in the US, though I agree the “first refusal” policy is fairly routine. I’m afraid those who set these policies are far too well off to ever be inconvenienced by claim denials. Anyway, with their connections they’d doubtless be rushed through the system as priority cases.

By: This Old Brit

This Old Brit — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:57:31 +0000

**their initial claim will be denied…does not matter if one is on death’s door or has no limbs at all, they will deny the initial claim.**

Though things in the UK are not anywhere near as bad as they appear to be in the US, I can assure everyone that the strict “first refusal” policy is ruthlessly applied here too. However, that’s always officially denied of course.

I suppose the only real consolation is that some civil service “jobsworths” who unquestioningly help implement this appalling practice, will one day (by the law of averages), experience some of the sufferings caused by such a system themselves.

By: NYM

NYM — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:14:14 +0000

I could tell you at least half a dozen other horror stories about the social insecurity administration just from personal experiences with people I’ve known. The “culture of denial” is so routine that attorneys and pro-bono volunteers who help individuals with the application and hearing process will warn them that their initial claim will be denied…does not matter if one is on death’s door or has no limbs at all, they will deny the initial claim.

What is even more sickening to me is the fact that a huge percentage of Americans know full well that this is the case but simply do not care as long as it does not affect them directly. They only start caring when it hits them.