Between 1981-1984, the Reagan administration implemented a policy resulting in more than 315,000 Americans being denied their earned Social Security disability benefits. The denials were so misguided that nearly two-thirds of those terminated were reinstated. People suffering from cancer, strokes, mental illness and many other serious conditions had to struggle while they appealed; some did not have the resources to appeal. Even taking into account successful appeals, over 100,000 lost benefits. More than 21,000 of those denied benefits lost their lives. At the time, thanks to a massive public outcry, the Reagan administration was forced to reverse this attack on Social Security.
But now, without regard for history or human life, the Trump administration has proposed a similar rule that’s designed to rip benefits away from a million or more Americans with disabilities.
While Social Security is best known as a retirement program, disability and survivors benefits are equally essential. That’s why we’re rallying our allies across the country to fight back against this proposed rule change that would deny assistance to seriously ill people. While the Trump administration claims they will be able to work, their own proposal cites evidence to the contrary: a study of people denied Social Security Disability benefits found that three years after loss of benefits only about one in five (22 percent) was able to sustain even modest earnings.
Please note: The deadline to comment is 11:59 p.m. EST on January 31st.
Coalition on Human Needs
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