As far as supporters are concerned (and there are plenty of them), this is the year the Achieving a Better Live Experience Act is due to pass. The measure, which carries the apt acronym ABLE Act, has been in the works in Congress since 2009. It has been languishing...
There are so many things that can result in a person becoming disabled and in need of long-term support. Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income program are two of the initiatives that exist to provide help. But as we've noted often,...
There are a lot of mental conditions doctors have to keep track of and treat when they surface in patients. Did you ever wonder how they manage to keep it all straight? It's called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, put out by the...
Years of civil war in Somalia have brought a lot of refugees from that East African nation to the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, California is one state that has attracted significant numbers. The largest clustering, however, has occurred in...
Some of the leading causes of disability are well known. Chronic back pain, for example, is a condition that many people would immediately identify as potentially disabling. Research is also making better known just how common it is for depression to become so severe...
Any parent who has faced the issue of a child being diagnosed with an attention deficit disorder knows it can be cause for anxiety. There is the challenge the child faces in school, and the challenge the child can present to educators. If the nature of the mental...
Brooke Greenberg mystified the medical profession for most of her 20 years of life. She died late last month. Now, scientists are hoping that ongoing study of her genes will reveal some secrets that might someday help slow or stop the aging process. What made Brooke...
Do a Google news search for the words Social Security disability and you're likely to find results right near the top that feature invitations by Social Security Administration officials declaring how they're there to help those who are disabled. As attorneys...
Applying for and winning Social Security disability insurance benefits is no easy row to hoe. That's a point that most readers of this blog already understand. The administrative law judges who handle claims routinely deny them for the slightest technicality. Appeals...
Millions of Americans suffer from diabetes, including famous Hollywood celebrities. Recently, actor Tom Hanks revealed on "The Late Show with David Letterman" that he has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Like many Americans who have been diagnosed with diabetes,...
