[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 45 (Thursday, April 21, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 ELIMINATION OF CHILD DISABILITY FRAUD

  (Mr. DICKEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. DICKEY. Mr. Speaker, today legislation has been introduced to 
eliminate fraud in the child disability portion of the supplemental 
security income program. A 1990 Supreme Court decision so broadened the 
definition of disability as it relates to SSI that it is easy for 
children who merely act disabled to receive SSI payments.
  In my home State of Arkansas, many allegations have arisen that some 
parents encourage their otherwise healthy children to act mentally 
disabled in classroom settings to qualify for these SSI cash payments.

                              {time}  1200

  Straight cash payments are a strong incentive to coach a child to act 
disabled. Benefits average $400 per month per child, and parents are 
not required to use the money to cover the medical costs of the child. 
Think what this is doing for the child and the children, and you can 
readily see part of what lasting harm this is inflicting.
  This bill, if adopted, would replace cash benefits with medical 
vouchers for children under 18 who qualify for SSI which parents can 
use to cover the costs of medical and therapeutic aid for their child, 
allow children to continue receiving the care they need, but discourage 
parents from taking advantage of the system.

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