Trump Administration is Spending its Last Weeks in Office Cutting Social Security Benefits

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has sent the Office of Management and Budget a proposal that may cut earned Social Security disability benefits for nearly half a million Americans, which has long been a goal of the Trump Administration.

A second proposal would add a new level of Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs), imposing an unnecessary burden on disabled beneficiaries to prove that they are still eligible — and may cause some to lose their benefits altogether. 

It is outrageous. The Trump Administration could pull the rug out from millions of Americans, especially older Americans, in the waning days of its Administration. Since the day he took office, President Trump has claimed he would protect Social Security. He is showing his true colors again. 

Changing the formula that determines disability benefits – to eliminate one’s age – is a massive change that could push thousands of Americans into poverty. Social Security’s disability payments are modest, an average of $15,096 each year for the average worker. These benefits are not easy to receive; disabled workers go through a lengthy and rigorous process to determine eligibility.

Replacing the administrative law judges (ALJs) who decide disability appeal cases with politically-motivated agency lawyers means that SSA attorneys may try to deny benefits based on ideology rather than the needs of disabled workers.

We are in a pandemic that is hitting older Americans the hardest. Our government should be helping Americans who can no longer work due to a disability, not scheming to deny them the benefits they have earned over a lifetime of hard work.

Read more: The Hill »