Disabled Persons and Poverty, Information Bulletin # 197
Date Mailed: Monday, February 12th 2007 09:12 AM
Category: Misc
Category: Misc
--part1_cd3.a6ddd41.3301cfce_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Language: en Disabled Persons and Poverty, Information Bulletin # 197=20 People with disabilities between 18-64, who have never been able to work or=20 who can no longer work, receive either Supplemental Security Income (SSI)=20 and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Based on the following=20= data,=20 our national government and elected officials seem to have forgotten to addr= ess=20 disability and poverty. Maybe the same can be said for disability advocates=20 in many states. Nationally, there are about 10 million people between 18 and 64 who are=20 disabled and receive either SSDI and/or SSI. It's important to break down t= hese=20 numbers to understand the extent of poverty these people face. First, let's look at the nearly 6 million people with disabilities in this=20 age category who receive SSDI only. These 6 million receive an average of=20 about $950 a month in SSDI=E2=80=93 only 24% above the federal poverty level= . The federal=20 poverty level for a single person is $9,800 a year or $816 a month. As with= =20 all "averages," there are many folks below the $950 a month. Second, there are 3 million disabled people between 18 and 64 who receive SS= I=20 only. The monthly SSI federal payment averaged $469 a month -- 43% BELOW th= e=20 federal poverty level. If a person were lucky enough to live in one of the=20 30 states that provide both the SSI federal payment and a state optional and= =20 mandatory supplementation to the federal SSI payment, then their total month= ly=20 benefits are about $603 a month =E2=80=93 still 26% BELOW the poverty level. Third, there are about 1 million people who receive a combination of SSDI=20 and SSI. These people receive a combination of SSDI and SSI because their S= SDI=20 benefits fell well below their State's SSI payment. They are then eligible=20 for a SSI payment up to the SSI benefit level. (Obviously, these are the poo= r=20 SSDI recipients.) These 1 million people receive an average SSI payment of $189 a month to=20 supplement their SSDI. This means these 1 million were, before they became=20 disabled, low-income workers and/or were sporadically employed and did not=20= earn=20 enough from wages to receive an SSDI benefit that exceeded the minimum SSI=20 benefits. Since their SSI benefits with their SSDI benefits equal only the m= inimum=20 SSI level, their total monthly combined benefits total about $603 a month. =20 When viewing people with disabilities and poverty, we should look at those 4= =20 million SSI recipients with disabilities between 18-64 who receive SSI only=20= or=20 a combination of SSI and SSDI =E2=80=93 all of whose incomes fall at least 2= 6% BELOW=20 the federal poverty level.=20 If these figures were not discouraging enough, then there are the resource=20 limitations and exclusions that must be satisfied to qualify for SSI: counta= ble=20 income cannot exceed $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. This= =20 has not changed since the SSI law was enacted more than 30 years ago!=20 Many people of the 6 million people with disabilities receiving SSDI only,=20 who would qualify for a SSI payment, because their monthly SSDI benefits are= =20 low, do not apply for SSI because the resource limitations. They are discour= aged=20 from applying for the measly SSI monthly income solely because they have sav= ed=20 more than $2,000 and are afraid to part with it in order to qualify for SSI. If you want to know whether or not your State pays an optional state=20 supplementation to SSI, the number of disabled who receive it, and the amoun= t, if any,=20 you can find it at=20 http://www.socialsecurity.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssi_st_asst/2006/inde.htm= l, click on your state and look at Tables 1 and 2. Disability Advocates - 1. Why should any person with a disability have to survive on less than the=20 poverty level? Isn't it time for a state campaign to raise SSI levels to th= e=20 poverty level? 2. If your State does not provide State Supplementation to federal SSI=20 payments, how can any elected official expect a person with disability to su= rvive on=20 $469 or even $603 a month? Why doesn't your State provide it? Why haven't=20 the disability advocates taken up this issue? 3. What about national legislation to increase the minimum federal SSI and=20 to significantly increase or eliminate altogether the resource limitations?=20= =20 What are our national inside the beltway advocates doing to address this iss= ue? =20 With the recent talk of a national minimum wage, what about a national SSI=20 payment at least at the poverty level? Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at=20 http://www.stevegoldada.com=20 with a searchable Archive at this site divided into different subjects. To=20 contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada@cs.com or call 215-627-71= 00. =20 =20 --part1_cd3.a6ddd41.3301cfce_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Language: en <HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY= =3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">Disabled Persons and Poverty, Infor= mation Bulletin # 197 <BR> <BR> People with disabilities between 18-64, who have never been able to work or=20= who can no longer work, receive either Supplemental Security Income (SSI) an= d/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Based on the followi= ng data, our national government and elected officials seem to have forgotte= n to address disability and poverty. Maybe the same can be said for disabili= ty advocates in many states.<BR> <BR> Nationally, there are about 10 million people between 18 and 64 who are disa= bled and receive either SSDI and/or SSI. It's important to break down=20= these numbers to understand the extent of poverty these people face.<BR> <BR> First, let's look at the nearly 6 million people with disabilities in this a= ge category who receive SSDI only. These 6 million receive an av= erage of about $950 a month in SSDI=E2=80=93 only 24% above the federal pove= rty level. The federal poverty level for a single person is $9,800 a year or= $816 a month. As with all "averages," there are many folks below the=20= $950 a month.<BR> <BR> Second, there are 3 million disabled people between 18 and 64 who receive SS= I only. The monthly SSI federal payment averaged $469 a month -- 43% B= ELOW the federal poverty level. If a person were lucky enough to live=20= in one of the 30 states that provide both the SSI federal payment and a stat= e optional and mandatory supplementation to the federal SSI payment, then th= eir total monthly benefits are about $603 a month =E2=80=93 still 26% BELOW=20= the poverty level.<BR> <BR> Third, there are about 1 million people who receive a combination of S= SDI and SSI. These people receive a combination of SSDI and SSI becaus= e their SSDI benefits fell well below their State's SSI payment. They=20= are then eligible for a SSI payment up to the SSI benefit level. (Obviously,= these are the poor SSDI recipients.)<BR> <BR> These 1 million people receive an average SSI payment of $189 a month to sup= plement their SSDI. This means these 1 million were, before they becam= e disabled, low-income workers and/or were sporadically employed and d= id not earn enough from wages to receive an SSDI benefit that exceeded the m= inimum SSI benefits. Since their SSI benefits with their SSDI benefits equal= only the minimum SSI level, their total monthly combined benefits total abo= ut $603 a month. <BR> <BR> When viewing people with disabilities and poverty, we should look at those 4= million SSI recipients with disabilities between 18-64 who receive SSI only= or a combination of SSI and SSDI =E2=80=93 all of whose incomes fall at lea= st 26% BELOW the federal poverty level. <BR> <BR> If these figures were not discouraging enough, then there are the resource l= imitations and exclusions that must be satisfied to qualify for SSI: countab= le income cannot exceed $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple.&nb= sp; This has not changed since the SSI law was enacted more than 30 years ag= o! <BR> <BR> Many people of the 6 million people with disabilities receiving SSDI only, w= ho would qualify for a SSI payment, because their monthly SSDI benefits are=20= low, do not apply for SSI because the resource limitations. They are discour= aged from applying for the measly SSI monthly income solely because they hav= e saved more than $2,000 and are afraid to part with it in order to qualify=20= for SSI.<BR> <BR> If you want to know whether or not your State pays an optional state supplem= entation to SSI, the number of disabled who receive it, and the amount, if a= ny, you can find it at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ss= i_st_asst/2006/inde.html, click on your state and look at Tables 1 and 2.<BR= > <BR> Disability Advocates -<BR> <BR> 1. Why should any person with a disability have to survive on less than the=20= poverty level? Isn't it time for a state campaign to raise SSI levels=20= to the poverty level?<BR> <BR> 2. If your State does not provide State Supplementation to federal SSI payme= nts, how can any elected official expect a person with disability to survive= on $469 or even $603 a month? Why doesn't your State provide it? = ; Why haven't the disability advocates taken up this issue?<BR> <BR> 3. What about national legislation to increase the minimum federal SSI= and to significantly increase or eliminate altogether the resource limitati= ons? What are our national inside the beltway advocates doing to addre= ss this issue? With the recent talk of a national minimum wage, what a= bout a national SSI payment at least at the poverty level?<BR> <BR> Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues<BR> <BR> Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at http://ww= w.stevegoldada.com <BR> with a searchable Archive at this site divided into different subjects. = ; To contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada@cs.com or call 215-6= 27-7100. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> </FONT></HTML> --part1_cd3.a6ddd41.3301cfce_boundary--
