| Most of us when we hear the term, social security, | | | | However, if you've had a friend, acquaintance, or |
| tend to think of the elderly, or get a brief pre-cognitive | | | | family relation who has become sick or injured and, as |
| flash of the days ahead when we, too, will be "older" | | | | a consequence, unable to work, you may be at least a |
| and consigned to alloting portions of our days filling | | | | little familiar with the programs and associate them |
| prescriptions and playing bingo. And so we should. The | | | | with the broader safety net operated by the social |
| U.S. social security program, drafted by the Roosevelt | | | | security administration. |
| administration and passed by congress as the social | | | | The title II and title 16 disability programs administered |
| security act of 1935, was originally known as the old | | | | by the federal government allow individuals who are |
| age pension act. | | | | unable to work the same dignity as retirement-age |
| Brought into existence at a time when the American | | | | workers. However, unlike the federal government's "old |
| people were still in the throes of the great depression, | | | | age pension", qualifying for disability benefits requires |
| the social security act provided retirement benefits to | | | | more than simply calling the local social security office |
| elderly individuals who might otherwise have been | | | | (for information on filing for disability benefits, this faq |
| forced to rely on the generosity and stability of their | | | | may be helpful: Answers to disability program |
| immediate and extended family members. It was, | | | | questions. |
| essentially, an expression of the belief that the | | | | To receive disability benefits, an individual's medical |
| country's retirement-age workers should not be left to | | | | condition must be evaluated to determine whether or |
| completely fend for themselves. It was, likewise, a | | | | not their condition is truly disabling, and also to |
| reflection of our then-President, Franklin Delano | | | | determine whether or not their condition will last a |
| Roosevelt, that the American nation was a single | | | | minimal length of time. To this end, the social security |
| entity, bound in both sincerity as well as obligation, to | | | | administration has established a multi-component |
| deliver a minimal level of equity to all its citizens. | | | | system to accomodate disability applicants. |
| The social security act provided a safety net for the | | | | How does this system work? In many respects, the |
| elderly. And, today, despite decades-long discussions | | | | system is overly complicated, but it essentially works |
| of potential insolvency, it continues to provide this same | | | | as follows: an individual who cannnot or who can no |
| net. However, it also does quite a bit more. Today, | | | | longer work simply calls their local social security office, |
| social security covers more than just retirement | | | | informing them of the desire to pursue disability |
| benefits for individual workers. It allows widows to | | | | benefits. Once this request has been made, an |
| receive benefits based on the earnings records of | | | | appointment is made for the purpose of conducting an |
| deceased spouses and provides survivors benefits for | | | | interview and application. Once an application has been |
| the minor children of deceased parents. And, last but | | | | taken, it is sent to a a state-level agency that |
| not least, it provides disability benefits. | | | | specializes in making decisions on such claims. At this |
| After the initial passage of the social security act of | | | | agency, a person's medical records will both be |
| 1935, the act was later amended to include provisions | | | | gathered and evaluated. And after the necessary |
| for providing benefits to injured and sick workers, | | | | analysis has been conducted, provided that a person |
| based on their disability status. Such benefits were | | | | meets the social security administration's standards of |
| covered under title II of the social security act. | | | | eligibility, their claim will be approved and they can then |
| However, to provide equal and fair consideration to | | | | look forward to receiving benefits. |
| individuals whose condition was such that they were | | | | Is the system always this cut and dry? Unfortunately, |
| never able to work, or whose condition made it | | | | in many cases, it is not. And, considering how many |
| impossible to work long enough to become insured for | | | | bureaucratic institutions, including government programs, |
| title II benefits, title 16 benefits were also established. | | | | are run, this is not to be unexpected. Yet, despite this, |
| Today, typically, we simply refer to title II benefits as | | | | the title II and title 16 sections of the social security act |
| social security disability and title 16 benefits as SSI, or | | | | provide help and needed resources for literally millions |
| supplemental security income. | | | | of American citizens who are either unable to work or |
| Chances are, if you are younger than thirty, you've | | | | whose condition, starting from an early point in their life, |
| never heard of either social security disability or ssi. | | | | made it quite impossible to ever seek work. |