Disability Fraud

In October 60 Minutes had a segment regarding Disability and the state it is in today.  The following week at the end of the show they added a bit at the end to say they had a enormous response following the air of that program.  Responses from people who are on disability and really need to be on it.   Most I agree with and a few I don't.  It's like the old saying goes, "the good have to pay for the bad".  You can go to 60.com and read them if you like. Unfortunately, the show said very little in defense of people who qualify.  If your just curious of what was said, I'll fill you in.  Don't quote me because it was a couple of weeks ago, but for the most part this is what set people off.  There is an incredible list of comments made about the segment mostly from people on disability.  I went back to recap some of the shows important facts and I saw them all.  60 minutes said they got a lot of feed back and they were not kidding.

Sen Tom Coburn, M.D. of Oklahoma talks about how well-heeled and well-connected lawyers, doctors and judges have gamed the system for their own profit at the expense of taxpayers and the truly disabled alike.  On first take of the show so many were angry feeling he is not on our side.  I don't think he is  against us.  It's about all the people on disability that should not be because of these lawyers who work with doctors who have 13-20 reports signed fraudulently in same day all by same doctor.  This is the case for Eric Conn an attorney in KY who has 3rd largest disability law firm.  He has made 13 million dollars in legal fees paid for by the federal government in the last 6 years.  This is the kind of thing Sen Coburn wants to put and end to.  That, I am not against. 

What does make me upset is just what upset the commenters.  They only talked about people on disability who should not be.  People who had help form a shady attorney.  They even went so far as to state that a lot of aliments were subjective ailments.  Their examples were Fibromyalgia, chronic back aches and depression.  (noted were the FM causing joint and muscle pain along with chronic fatigue ) He states, ( Sen. Coburn) that if there is any job you can preform in our economy where did all these people come from?  This many people you ask?  12 million would be the answer.  Are you shocked by that number?  I was.  Up by 20% in the last 6 years years.  

In 1971 fewer than 20% were represented by an attorney and now over 80% of claimants are represented.  What they don't say is the percentage of claimants who are turned down automatically on the first application automatically.   One particular section on the show focused in area in WV where there are few jobs due to plant closures and other big business closed.  Most people were out of work.  Unemployment benefits expired and they were desperate.  Filing for disability was the next step in their need to survive. A lot of these people were over 40 so they had some type of ailment or impairment.  They filed for disability based on that.  Remember, I'm repeating for you not saying I agree or it's ok.

 Lawyers who no longer work for the firm who helped a lot of these people get benefits say most cases should have not made it to court.  These attorneys are adding to the bad rap for the disability system seeking out people to help get benefits.  Every day I see at least 2 commercials for lawyers who only do "disability cases".   They list all the ailments you can have to qualify for benefits.  I assure you it's not that simple. 

True disability people will get hurt when this fund runs out of money because of the crooks in this system.  Senator Coburn's final point. " These problems show you how broken it is. You take a good concept that's well meant,  don't manage it, don't monitor it and congress doesn't oversee it then you end up with places like WV counties, where you are born to be on disability".

No one is getting rich on disability benefits.  Disability is a minimum wage benefit with the benefit of Medicare after two years if you choose to accept it.   I haven't given up on going back to work.  I would love to get up and go to work and be with other women and earning a paycheck  again.  Another joy in that would mean my pain level would be down enough that I could work 8 hours a day.  Until it is stripped away from you, you have no idea how devastating it can be.

A lot of the area the story was about used FM and depression in their claim.  It was terrible the way they made it sound so unreal.  They said, " kind of hard to prove you have it, but also hard to prove you don't".  Let me assure you, those of us that are on disability for a "just" cause would much rather be working and not dealing with the pain we live with.  I personally miss being out in the work field.  I miss the connection I had with my co workers. Every office I worked in (dental) my co workers were like family.  We all supported each other in work and personal life.  I also miss my salary which was WAY more than disability benefits.  

When I first applied in 2011 I had all my medical records starting from 1998.  My attorney did not pay any doctors to fill out his form.  He asked for copies of all my records from every doctor starting from 1998 regarding my back and had his staff comb through them and decided for himself he if thought I had a case.  I can tell you it may be easy in those two stories of KY and VA, but it wasn't for me.  I  have a friend who is in way worse shape than myself.   She has had 3-4 surgeries on her spine in different areas over the years and she was turned down.  She uses a walker and like me can only sit or stand for a limited amount of time.  She like myself worked for as long as she could dealing with her disability.  Her doctor is the one that told her she could no longer work.  She was also denied and had to appeal.  What are people in this situation supposed to do?

I'm sure people who know little or don't know anyone on disability let this program leave the term "disability" as a cheating system for people who just don't want to work or go back to work if they lost their job.  They cannot speak for everyone.  My voice is one to be heard that we're not all liars and cheats.  It's hard enough to feel your being judged all the time by people who don't know you if your disabled or not.  Don't judge a book by it's cover.  Just because someone looks ok does not mean they are not disabled.  I bet you know someone who is one disability and shouldn't be.  I knew someone in my past when I was young who definitely was capable of working and just didn't want to.  She was just fine with the minimum wage check every month to be able to stay home, v smoke and play cards with her friends all the time.  Keep in mind everyone is different.  Be open minded if you don't know the facts.

I know a lot of disabled people were very hurt and angry over some of the things said on the program but in the long run I think Senator Coburn is on our side.  He doesn't want to take our benefits away, he wants us to be able to keep them.  Which means taking them away from people who don't qualify "legally" so the program will not run out of money in 2015 like they are stating it will.  That is a pretty scary statistic.  

Disability will be the first entitlement program to run out of money.  When the trust runs out the truly disabled will see benefits cut or every working American's will have to pay more in taxes.  If you do the math, (disability checks will be cut by 20 or 25% on what they receive each month) that's a good amount of money from an already small income.  What do you think?

If you'd like to know where my information came from you can go to 60 minutes.com and 60 minutes.com/overtime to see the program in its entirety. 

Full of H.O.P.E.
Theresa

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN....

when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule

when your content with just who you are--no more, no less.  That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

when you care.  At the moment of being "care-full" you find yourselves cared for

when you've worked up a good appetite for God.  He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.