United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-05-13 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:HEHS-94-128 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-128 P0b002ee180380267 f:he94128 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-128 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-128 HEHS-94-128 Social security benefits Alcohol abuse Drug abuse Drug treatment Alcoholics treatment Rehabilitation programs Eligibility criteria Internal controls Disability benefits Questionable payments Supplemental Security Income Program SSI Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Program AIDS Social Security Disability Insurance Program Letter Report HEHS The number of addicts receiving disability benefits has grown substantially during the last 5 years--from fewer than 100,000 to about 250,000 today. The annual cost of providing benefits to addicts is about $1.4 billion. The vast majority of addicts receiving disability benefits are either not in treatment or their treatment status is unknown. About 100,000 addicts have not been assigned a third-party or representative payee to manage their benefits. Consequently, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has no guarantee that these persons are not using their benefit checks to buy drugs or alcohol. Even in cases when payees have been assigned, their control over benefit payments is questionable; most of these payees are friends or relatives. Because addicts can abuse, threaten, and pressure their payees, GAO believes that organizations would make better payees for addicts than friends or relatives. SSA needs to ensure that all disability benefit recipients are in treatment and that all addicts have a third-party or representative payee. Also, Congress needs to consider expanding the treatment requirement to all addicts and restructuring the program to improve the payoff from treatment. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-128/html/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-128.htm GAO/HEHS-94-128 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-128 Letter Report GAO/HEHS-94-128; Social Security: Major Changes Needed for Disability Benefits for Addicts; Social security benefits Alcohol abuse Drug abuse Drug treatment Alcoholics treatment Rehabilitation programs Eligibility criteria Internal controls Disability benefits Questionable payments Supplemental Security Income Program SSI Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Program AIDS Social Security Disability Insurance Program