Delay is the deadliest form of denial. Many people with severe disabilities apply for Social Security disability benefits, but they have to wait 2 to 3 years for a decision. During that time, without these benefits, people often lose their homes, go without needed medical care, and even die. About 750,000 people are on the waiting list. For the past several years, the Social Security Administration has been given more work to do (for example, on the Medicare prescription drug program) but less money and fewer people to do the work. Thanks to many of you who contacted your Senators and Representatives last year, Social Security finally received more - rather than less — money to hire more staff and do its job this year. It will take several years to cut back this backlog that causes such suffering for so many people with disabilities.
On March 6, the House Budget Committee passed a budget for next year (FY 2009, beginning October 1, 2008) that includes $240 million over the President’s proposed budget for Social Security staff and administrative expenses. This money is needed to help reduce the backlog. The whole House of Representatives will vote on it this week.
The budget is a ceiling for actual money to be Spent. Like our own household budgets, the federal budget does not actually spend any money. The next step is appropriation of money by Appropriation Committees and the entire Congress. The appropriation cannot be more than the budget. The more that is in the budget, the better the chance that Congress will actually give Social Security enough money to clean up this terrible backlog - so people will not have to wait in limbo for years before they receive disability benefits - and medical care - that they are entitled to.
