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It's interesting to note changes in the type of disability claims. It looks like there has been a dramatic decrease in disability claims arising from circulato
by vivekd 10y ago
It's interesting to note changes in the type of disability claims. It looks like there has been a dramatic decrease in disability claims arising from circulatory and nervous system illnesses, likely due to improving health conditions in the workplace. But those gains seem to have been eaten up completely by a dramatic rise in musculoskeletal and mental illnesses. There doesn't seem to be any rational explanation for these as I'm sure the modern work place is much less physically strenuous and much less mentally taxing that what existed in the 60s. Could these be explained by the dramatic rise in psychologists and chiropractors that have started diagnosing people that would not have sought or would not have been eligible for disability benefits in times past?
- maxerickson 10y agoAre there jurisdictions where psychologists and chiropractors can make a diagnosis of disability?
- intopieces 10y agoThere is no diagnosis of disability. One person diagnosed with high blood pressure could be on disability while her identical twin in precisely the same condition living in a different area could be denied it.
- maxerickson 10y agoFair enough, poor choice of words. It is still the case that to qualify for SSDI in the US you need a diagnosis from a doctor of a condition that prevents working. I'm wondering if SSA would accept assessments made by chiropractors or psychologists, neither of which are medical doctors.
- homero 10y agoThey send you to their specialists
- icantdrive55 10y agoAs far as I know--no. Medical Doctors can diagnogose a disability, but it's always challenged by a SSI/SSDI Doctor. It's not a well oiled machine. I have known two people on dissability, and was shocked at what they went through. One had a pretty bad case of cerebral palsy, and she was told by a dissability doctor she could lose weight, and "do something?" This girl was fired from all her menial jobs. She did try though. She eventually got dissability, after her mother died. Another was a nice guy, but no one in their right mind would hire him. He was just too excentric. The psychiatrist who reevaluated him said, "You got me on a good day, but don't come back to this hospital for anything related to mental illness/dissability." The doctor inferred he would be black balled by the other doctors. (What gives being in a good mood matter?)
- CJefferson 10y agoI'm not sure why you would think it was less mentally taxing. I've worked on farms, and in offices. The offices are much more mentally taxing, and for me much more likely to lead to mental issues, and depression.
- intopieces 10y ago>Could these be explained by the dramatic rise in psychologists and chiropractors that have started diagnosing people that would not have sought or would not have been eligible for disability benefits in times past? Yes, combined with the welfare-to-work program implemented under Clinton. In that program, welfare recipients who were unable to find jobs were pushed onto disability, since disability is paid out by the federal government. Thus, Clinton could say he 'ended welfare as we know it' and state politicians could boast that they reduced unemployment (which is paid for by the states), since unemployment statistics don't account for workers not in the workforce. Here's an article from a few years back about this: http://apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/ http://apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/ As mentioned in other comments, this is America's first foray into UBI. While not stated outright, the push for putting 'unemployable' individuals onto disability is a clear admission that automation and offshoring has created post-work economy for the least educated and the least mobile.