I work for disability and I have to say that CBS's report was one sided and laughable. With their report, they assume that everyone filing for disability is disabled. They never asked to see the guidelines that examiners must follow in determining if a person is disabled. They play up the sympathy card of losing everything and look how this person lives. They interviewed people who had been legitimately screwed by the system and stated that they were a good representation of all cases.
I have cases come through with people filing due to pregnancy, broken arms, foot pain, sinus problems, and all kinds of other stuff. My job would be easier if everyone was disabled. It is a lot less work and a whole lot quicker. That guy with throat cancer is in and out of my office really fast.
The truth is that I am overworked, underpaid, and not appreciated by SSA or the people I am working cases for. The truth is that if you can do any type of work, you are not disabled. The truth is that a child can't work and will only get disability based on the parents income, so if you are middle class and insured, your child will not qualify to even be considered. The truth is that lawyers will purposely sabotage a case so it will get denied quicker on initial and recon levels so that it can be put on the list for a hearing sooner.
The problem is that most people don't know what disabled means. It is a condition that will cause death or an imability to work for at least twelve months. Any type of work. Jobs in the economy range from someone who farms worms to people who sew up holes in socks. Everything is taken into account, age, work history, education, and the actual disability. a 60 y/o with a 3rd grade education, who was a homemaker all of her life, and now has debilitating arthritis would not be expected to make an adjustment to any type of work, but a 24 y/o college grad working construction that blows out a knee would be expected to adjust to some other type of work. This is not subjective, there is a chart. Nothing in this job is subjective.
