Brief Understanding Social Security Disability Insurance: Interactions with Other Programs
Stephan Lindner, Pamela J. Loprest, Jonathan Schwabish
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The Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) program provides benefits to nearly 9 million disabled workers, almost six times the number who received benefits in 1970. There are concerns about future adequacy of the Social Security trust fund, which funds the program. Growth in the DI caseload can be traced to factors including demographics, the labor market, and federal policy. In addition, DI beneficiaries' eligibility for other benefit programs can affect their decision to apply for DI, affecting caseload growth and federal budget outlays. This brief describes these program interactions and what they mean for the DI program.
Research Areas Economic mobility and inequality Health and health care Aging and retirement Social safety net
Tags Social Security Fiscal policy Economic well-being Older workers Disability and long-term care
Policy Centers Income and Benefits Policy Center
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Social Security provides benefits to nearly 9 million disabled workers, a quarter of a million disabled widows and widowers, and about a million adults whose disabilities began in childhood. Two policy challenges regarding Social Security are benefit adequacy and trust fund sustainability. We des...