Disability Compensation: Review of Concurrent Receipt of Department of Defense Retirement, Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Compensation, and Social Security Disability Insurance
Abstract
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) trust fund faces serious fiscal-sustainability challenges. The Social Security Board of Trustees projects that the SSDI trust fund, which provides benefits to individuals who cannot work due to a medical condition that is expected to last at least 1 year or result in death, will be exhausted in 2016 and notes that changes designed to improve the financial status of the SSDI program are needed soon. In a July 2012 report, we identified over 100,000 SSDI beneficiaries who received concurrent cash-benefit payments from the SSDI and unemployment-insurance programs. Current law allows individuals to receive concurrent military retirement benefits from the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation, and SSDI. This report identifies the number of disabled military personnel who received concurrent benefit payments from DOD retirement, VA disability compensation, and SSDI during fiscal year 2013. It also provides seven case-study examples of disabled military personnel receiving concurrent benefits. Given the findings of that report, you asked us to examine other federal benefit programs that could be overlapping with disability programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). This report formally transmits the briefing slides presented to your staff on September 26, 2014 and provides additional details.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA610746
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office