SSA AND VA DISABILITY PROGRAMS: Re-Examination of Disability Criteria Needed to Help Ensure Program Integrity
Abstract
The three largest federal disability programs providing cash assistance, which are administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in 2001 collectively provided $89.7 billion in cash benefits to approximately 10.2 million adults with a physical or mental condition that reduced their earning capacity. With such an extensive cash outlay and such a large beneficiary population, it is important to use updated scientific, workforce, and economic information to evaluate claims for disability benefits. Over time, progress in the fields of medicine and technology has provided a better understanding of how disease and injury affect the ability to work. Likewise, changes in the labor market have affected the skills needed to perform work and the settings in which work occurs. Together, scientific advances and labor market changes redefine the extent that physical or mental conditions affect the ability of people with disabilities to work. If federal disability programs do not update scientific and labor market information used in assessing program eligibility, they risk overestimating the limiting nature of some disabilities while underestimating others. Moreover, not keeping abreast of this information puts federal programs at risk of undermining their efforts to help some persons with disabilities achieve economic independence or work to their full potential. Although the three largest federal disability programs differ in their underlying purpose, they face a similar underlying challenge. SSA administers both the Disability Insurance (DI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. DI provides benefits to workers with severe long-term disabilities who have enough work history to be insured for coverage under the program.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404813
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office