Misinformation and the lack of information are still problems for many Los Angeles residents, even in this “Age of Information” that has dawned with the rise of the Internet. Despite the fact that a wealth of information is now literally at our fingertips, many people don’t have the necessary information they need to make informed decisions.
Recognizing this problem with the flow of information, the Social Security Administration has recently launched a program known as “The Faces and Facts of Disability.” According to a recent news article, the program is intended to help inform the public about what exactly Social Security Disability is, and what it is not.
This type of education initiative on the part of the Social Security Administration is a good idea, because millions of Americans depend on the SSD benefits to manage their monthly expenses. As the recent report noted, about 9 million Americans receive SSD benefits — and millions more will likely need to evaluate the program and the benefits it could offer in the coming years.
Perhaps the single most important piece of information that needs to be communicated is what a disability is, in accordance with the definitions that the Social Security Administration works with. A disability that will qualify an applicant for SSD benefits has to be quite serious – serious enough that an applicant won’t be able to work for one year or more, or, in the worst case scenario, serious enough that the disability is expected to result in the applicant’s death. There are quite a few steps to take in order to meet all of the medical requirements, so the more information an applicant has prior to starting the process, the better.
Source: MarshfieldNewsHerald.com, “Facts about Social Security Disability,” July 26, 2014
