Another change is coming to Social Security – It will fully affect disability benefits

On Wednesday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a significant change to its evaluation process for disability benefits. This change has been brewing for a while and was finally announced to the public along with the implementation guidelines. This new change means that the agency will now consider only the past five years of work history when reviewing applications for benefits, rather than the previous 15 years. This adjustment aims to streamline the application process and reduce decision times.

Previously, the SSA’s requirement to examine a 15-year work history often posed challenges for applicants as any found it difficult to recall detailed information from such an extended period, leading to inaccuracies in their reports and risking not getting approved when some of their statements did not reflect the whole truth. By narrowing the focus to the most recent five years, the agency hopes to alleviate this burden and help make it easier for possible beneficiaries to recall or access relevant information that could help or hinder their application.

Additionally, the SSA is reviewing their policy on what counts as gainful employment and it will no longer consider work experience that lasted less than a month as relevant during the application process. This change is expected to further simplify the reporting requirements for applicants.

SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley said in a statement. “This new rule will lessen the burden and time our applicants face when filling out information about their work history and will make it easier for them to focus on the most current and relevant details about their past work. It also improves the quality of the information our frontline workers receive to make decisions, improving customer service, and reducing case processing time and overall wait times.”

The SSA has long been criticized for its lengthy response times and delays in processing applications. The latest changes are part of the agency’s and Commissioner O’Malley’s efforts to address these issues and expedite the application process. In a statement released by the SSA thy affirmed their commitment to expedite the processes in the future “It will reduce administrative burdens for applicants and help more people with disabilities receive government benefits and services if they are eligible. The final rule announces updates that will improve the application process for disability benefits and reduce the time applicants wait for a decision.”

Perspective on Social Security beneficiaries

As of May, over 7.2 million disabled workers were eligible for Social Security benefits, with the average monthly benefit amounting to approximately $1,500. This results in the government disbursing about $11 million in support each month and every cent that does not go towards unnecessary administrative costs can be redirected to benefits. The SSA oversees two key programs related to benefits for disabled workers: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), both key or the survival of some of the most vulnerable populations in the country.

According to the same agency’s statement “When people become disabled under the statutory definition the Social Security Administration must follow, the agency helps them meet their basic needs and sustain a higher quality of life. The new rule makes it easier for people applying for benefits by focusing on their most recent relevant work activity while still providing enough information to continue making accurate determinations.”

This is not the only change the agency has made to its benefit programs lately to improve access. A recent change to the SSI rules will exclude food purchases from family and friends to be counted as income, assets or other reportable content, which will help curve the food insecurity beneficiaries of the programs experience as well as improve their quality of life.