| Disability benefits are payments people | | | | devised elaborate procedures to evaluate |
| receive as a result of a health problem | | | | eligibility for benefits. People with |
| or disability. The sources of these | | | | disabilities can apply for Social |
| payments may include workers' | | | | Security disability benefits either |
| compensation, companies or unions, | | | | online at or by calling the toll-free |
| federal government, military, state or | | | | number: 1-800-772-1213. |
| local governments, railroad retirement, | | | | Social Security disability benefits |
| accident or disability insurance, Black | | | | start on sixth full month after the date |
| Lung payments, and state temporary | | | | of disability, upon approval. The amount |
| sickness, in addition to other | | | | of disability benefits is calculated |
| disability payments such as Social | | | | from the average lifetime earnings. The |
| Security. Some of the states in U.S. | | | | family members eligible for Social |
| have passed legislation requiring | | | | Security disability benefits are a |
| employers to provide disability benefits | | | | spouse sixty-two or older; spouse of any |
| to employees for nonoccupational | | | | age caring for a child sixteen or |
| injuries. | | | | younger or disabled; unmarried child |
| The Social Security Administration | | | | including adopted child eighteen or |
| operates two disability benefits | | | | younger; and an unmarried child eighteen |
| programs. Social Security Disability | | | | or older impaired with disability that |
| Insurance program pays benefits to the | | | | started before age twenty-two. |
| person with disabilities and certain | | | | People receiving benefits from |
| family members if the insured person has | | | | Supplemental Security Income program of |
| paid social security taxes, while | | | | Social Security are also eligible for |
| Supplemental Security Income program is | | | | Medicaid and food stamps. People |
| designed to pay benefits based on | | | | receiving disability benefits for |
| financial needs and is funded by general | | | | twenty-four months become eligible for |
| tax revenues. Social Security has | | | | Medicare. |