THESE ARE SOME OF OUR SUGGESTIONS FOR ADJUSTING THE SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PROGRAMS RATHER THAN REMOVING/REDUCING THEM
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1. Education for people to put them in an industry they can do with their limitations:
Special grants for these people to educate them while they collect disability in an approved field that would fit their physical limitations. Incentives for companies that hire them when they receive their degree and job placement services through government agency with a view to a career that will allow them to be self-sustaining. When this has been done, they are off the program.2. To avoid abuse, review cases periodically and decisions made by a doctor:
If it is expected they can return to work, review their case at that time limit. Just with unemployment, they must submit work search logs showing their attempts to return to the workforce. Again, incentives to employers who hire them.
3. No one loses benefits while under review until it is proven they can successfully return to work:
While under review, benefits remain intact. No surprise endings, notification reminding review is upcoming giving them opportunity to seek employment if able or to consult with their doctors beforehand to prepare appropriately. If proven can return to the workforce, amount of benefits slowly decrease over a period of time while they search for employment.
4. Certain cases should receive benefits for 1 year without immediate refusal: cancer, inherited diseases, long term critically ill:
Cancer patients should not have to wait, chemotherapy/radiation make them to ill to work, even if they can return to work after some time, they simply cannot be expected to work during and sometimes the effects are so severe they never can.
Any condition that can be seen clearly from an XRay/MRI/CATScan/UltraSound for which a doctor indicates at least one year of inability to work should be immediately approved as the evidence is clearly seen and irrefutable.
Hereditary diseases should also fall under this same category.
5. The whole program was for rehabilitation, no one should face being homeless while under reveiew, temp benefits to offer housing should at least be in place while awaiting appeal:
There should be a program for emergency assistance with rent if a doctor has clearly stated they are disabled, they cannot work nor will a company allow them to once there is a "no release" to work note. Set them up to live, allow them to heal, have assistance in place to be rehabilitated. Homelessness makes it difficult to be employable.
6. Incentives for employers to employ these people:
Tax breaks, grants for a period of time to provide equipment to accomodate the disabled employee. Partial payment to employer for a small period of time of the disabiility benefits like "probationary" period.
7. Grants to help set them up to work from home
Many people are talented and can work from home. Grants should be avalaible to set up work space, buy equipment, funds made to help market them and their services or products, web design allotment to set up website.
8. Priority with on campus housing if they go to school
When giving grants for school, make these grants for campuses with housing and give these students priority for housing while in school. They must maintain a certain GPA to keep housing and maintain enrollment in school. Again, job placement assistance when program is complete. An allotment of time for benefits to remain in place while they seek employment.
9. Programs for landlords incentives to house them while awaiting review/appeals/housing.
If someone has applied for disability and have a doctor's note that they cannot work, provide incentives to current landlords to keep the tenant housed while awaiting decision. Special voucher program. Again, being homless prevents and individual from progressing forward. This should be for a specific time. Any case for an individual receiving this should be given special scrutiny in the system for the right decision rather than playing an appeals game.
10. Persons assets should be reviewed periodically. People who have found other sources of income and after receiving disability can own a home, sports car, boat and have money in savings, should have limits at which point disability is no longer received as they no longer need it.
11. Center cases should be permanent, there are certain disabilities that simply do not disappear. There should be a list of diseases and conditions that are exempt from being abruptly ended. Autism would be one, down's syndrome are just examples. The American Medical Association should provide a list of conditions that are permanent and not simply overcome.
5. The whole program was for rehabilitation, no one should face being homeless while under reveiew, temp benefits to offer housing should at least be in place while awaiting appeal:
There should be a program for emergency assistance with rent if a doctor has clearly stated they are disabled, they cannot work nor will a company allow them to once there is a "no release" to work note. Set them up to live, allow them to heal, have assistance in place to be rehabilitated. Homelessness makes it difficult to be employable.
6. Incentives for employers to employ these people:
Tax breaks, grants for a period of time to provide equipment to accomodate the disabled employee. Partial payment to employer for a small period of time of the disabiility benefits like "probationary" period.
7. Grants to help set them up to work from home
Many people are talented and can work from home. Grants should be avalaible to set up work space, buy equipment, funds made to help market them and their services or products, web design allotment to set up website.
8. Priority with on campus housing if they go to school
When giving grants for school, make these grants for campuses with housing and give these students priority for housing while in school. They must maintain a certain GPA to keep housing and maintain enrollment in school. Again, job placement assistance when program is complete. An allotment of time for benefits to remain in place while they seek employment.
9. Programs for landlords incentives to house them while awaiting review/appeals/housing.
If someone has applied for disability and have a doctor's note that they cannot work, provide incentives to current landlords to keep the tenant housed while awaiting decision. Special voucher program. Again, being homless prevents and individual from progressing forward. This should be for a specific time. Any case for an individual receiving this should be given special scrutiny in the system for the right decision rather than playing an appeals game.
10. Persons assets should be reviewed periodically. People who have found other sources of income and after receiving disability can own a home, sports car, boat and have money in savings, should have limits at which point disability is no longer received as they no longer need it.
11. Center cases should be permanent, there are certain disabilities that simply do not disappear. There should be a list of diseases and conditions that are exempt from being abruptly ended. Autism would be one, down's syndrome are just examples. The American Medical Association should provide a list of conditions that are permanent and not simply overcome.
2011 Copyrighted and contributed by S. Lynne Horton but with permission to send as letter to Congress
