Four Reasons Why SSDI is Especially Important to Less-Educated Workers

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) — which pays modest but vital benefits to people with severe and long-lasting medical impairments
— is particularly important to workers who have earned only a high-school diploma, or the less-educated. New research has identified several reasons why this group is far likelier to receive SSDI benefits than those who have gone to college. The new research, conducted
by three economists with the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), summarizes four major reasons why less-educated workers are likelier to collect SSDI benefits:

• Poorer health. Less-educated workers consistently report worse health than workers with more education — and poor health was by far the best predictor of subsequent SSDI receipt. The links between education and health are complex, encompassing factors such as smoking, obesity, knowledge about health risks and ability to comply with complex care regimens, access to health insurance, and so forth.

• Lower wealth. Differences in wealth between less-educated and more-educated workers are even starker than in health. Wealth isn’t directly tied to SSDI eligibility, but it may serve as a buffer for people who suffer health shocks, and its absence is harrowing for those at the economic margins.

• Blue-collar work. People with less education often work in blue-collar jobs — which are often associated with heavy physical demands or challenging conditions like outdoor toil, exposure to hazardous substances, noisy conditions, etc. Furthermore, people with limited education cannot readily switch to more sedentary work — a reality that the Social Security Administration recognizes in its vocational criteria.

• Employment. People must have a b work history to qualify for SSDI — but their ability to work falters as their disability worsens. Less-educated workers are less likely to be employed shortly before qualifying for SSDI than their more-educated peers, possibly because they can no longer do their old job, and they struggle to find another.

These associations help to explain why SSDI receipt varies geographically and is highest in areas with lower educational attainment. The researchers also note that overall educational attainment is rising; there will be fewer high-school dropouts, and
more college graduates, in the future pool of workers who might qualify for SSDI. If you or someone you know is unable to work due to a medical impairment, please contact us for a free case evaluation!Source:
http://www.cbpp.org/blog/4-reasons-why-disability-insurance-is-especially-important-to-less-educated-workers By: Thomas A. Klint
of Premier Disability Services, LLC^®

Can I Qualify for Disability with a Brain Injury?

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are becoming a more common diagnosis for claimants needing Social Security disability benefits, with advances in testing and imaging as well as more publicity from injured veterans and athletes. These disabilities are not always easy to prove. However, there is a relatively new regulation that specifically evaluates these profound injuries whereas earlier they were only considered under neurological or mental illness criteria. Many of the symptoms of TBI are subtle. Also, because most of the patients are not good historians due to their brain injuries and often lack self-insight, proof of total disability is challenging. The involvement of family members and friends is helpful for reporting symptoms to the treating physicians.

Until October 2016, the Social Security Administration evaluated traumatic brain injuries under disability listings for other types of medical conditions. The new regulation covers brain damage caused by skull fracture, a closed head injury, or penetration by an object into the brain tissue. The regulation is found in the Adult Listings here: https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/11.00-Neurological-Adult.htm#11_18.

Please contact us if you or someone you know is looking for help with a disability claim.

By: Joyce Trudeau of Premier Disability Services, LLC^®

Added Security for my Social Security Account Users

On June 10, 2017, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is adding enhanced security to protect your privacy as my Social Security users. This is in addition to the first layer of security, a username and password. Adding security measures to safeguard your information — but making them easy to use — is a vital part of keeping your personal information safe and secure.

When you sign in to your personal my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount with your username and password, the website will ask you to add your email address or a text-enabled cell phone number.

Then, each time you sign in to your account, you will complete two steps:

• Step 1: Enter your username and password.
• Step 2: Enter the security code SSA sends by text message or email, depending on your choice (cell phone provider text message and data rates may apply).

In addition to these security enhancements, SSA will also upgrade the look and feel of my Social Security to create an enhanced customer experience. The my Social Security portal will automatically adjust to the size of the screen and kind of device your client is using – such as a tablet, smart phone, or computer. No matter what type of device you choose, you will have full, easy-to-use access to your personal my Social Security account.

If you or someone you know is unable to work due to a medical condition, please contact us for a free case evaluation.

Source: https://www.ssa.gov/news/newsletter/

By: Joyce Trudeau of Premier Disability Services, LLC®