On Wednesday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced major changes to its disability benefits evaluation process. The changes have been in the works for some time, but they have finally been made public along with implementation guidelines. With these new changes, the agency will only consider the past five years of work history when reviewing applications for benefits, instead of the past 15 years. The adjustments are intended to streamline the application process and speed up decision times.
Previously, SSA’s requirement to look at 15 years of work history often created challenges for applicants, as it was difficult to recall detailed information over such a long period of time, leading to inaccuracies in reports and the risk of being disapproved if some statements did not reflect the truth. By narrowing the scope to the most recent five years, SSA hopes to reduce this burden and make it easier for potential recipients to recall and access relevant information that may help or hinder their application.
Additionally, the SSA is reviewing its policy on what is considered gainful employment so that work experience of less than one month will no longer be considered in the application process. This change is expected to further simplify reporting requirements for applicants.
SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley said in a statement: “This new rule will reduce the burden and time applicants need to complete employment history information, allowing them to focus on the most current and relevant details about their past employment history. It will also improve the quality of information frontline workers receive to make decisions, improving customer service and reducing case processing times and overall wait times.”
The SSA has long been criticized for its long response times and delays in processing applications. The latest changes are part of an effort by the SSA and Secretary O’Malley to address these issues and speed up the application process. A statement released by the SSA makes clear its commitment to speeding up the process going forward: “This will reduce the administrative burden on applicants and help eligible people with disabilities receive government benefits and services. In the final rule, we are announcing updates that will improve the process for applying for disability benefits and reduce the time applicants have to wait for a decision.”
Views on Social Security recipients
As of May, over 7.2 million disabled workers were eligible for Social Security benefits, with an average monthly benefit of about $1,500. This allows the government to spend about $11 million a month in assistance payments, ensuring that all funds that are not spent on unnecessary administrative costs are directed toward benefits. The SSA oversees two main programs related to disabled worker benefits: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Both are critical to the survival of the nation’s most vulnerable people.
According to the agency’s statement, “When someone becomes disabled under the statutory definition that the Social Security Administration must follow, the agency helps them meet their basic needs and maintain a higher quality of life. The new rules make it easier for people to apply for benefits by providing enough information to continue to make accurate determinations while focusing on current, relevant work activities.”
This is not the only change the agency has made recently to its benefits program to improve access: Recent changes to SSI rules mean that food purchases from family and friends will no longer be counted as income, assets, or other reportable content, which will help reduce food insecurity experienced by program recipients and improve their quality of life.