The number of Americans seeking Social Security disability benefits is plunging, a startling reversal of a decades-old trend that threatened the program’s solvency. It is the latest evidence of a stronger economy pulling people back into the job market or preventing workers from being sidelined in the first place.
The drop is so significant that the agency has revised its estimates of how long the program will continue to be financially secure. This month, the government announced that the program would not run out of money until 2032, four years later than its previous estimate last year. Two years ago, the government had warned that the funds might be depleted by 2023.My impression when I applied after my stroke, was that many of the newly disabled were suffering psychological problems. A lot of older workers, at least in my field, software engineering, were unemployable because the GenXers who run nearly all software companies consider everyone over 40 to be either senile or obsolete. (What value can 30+ years experience have?) This was provoking serious depression which made many of these workers unable to work.
Seeing people again able to work is very gratifying. I wish that I could return to full-time work; I lack the mental endurance I had before the stroke. Three hours of writing or teaching one class a term is about all I am good for now.
Don't discount fraud. I suspect one reason the numbers are dropping is that people are now finding it more profitable to be employed than to be on disability.
ReplyDeleteI have met several people who I knew were on disability but who were not disabled - some did work for me for pay, which is hard to do if you are disabled.