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 1994-02-08 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:HEHS-94-34 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-34 P0b002ee18038bc04 f:he94034 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-34 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-34 HEHS-94-34 Handicapped persons Federal social security programs Supplemental security income program Information gathering operations Beneficiaries Disability insurance Demographic data Social security benefits Disadvantaged persons Disability benefits Social Security Disability Insurance Trust Fund Social Security Disability Insurance Program Letter Report HEHS More people are applying for and being awarded Social Security disability benefits than ever before, and these beneficiaries are remaining on the disability rolls for longer periods of time. As a result, disability payments have burgeoned. Changes in beneficiary characteristics have accompanied this growth: the average age of new beneficiaries is now below 50, mental impairment awards to younger workers have risen substantially, and more and more new beneficiaries receive such low disability insurance benefits that they get additional income from the Supplemental Security Income program. These low benefit levels suggest that the new beneficiaries had limited work histories. Higher unemployment probably contributes to increasing applications, and policy changes have produced changes in the numbers and types of beneficiaries. Quantitative data on the impact of these factors are lacking, however, and important questions remain. The upshot is that the Social Security Administration's (SSA) ability to predict future growth and change in the rolls is limited. Better information would also help SSA to determine whether improvements in program management are needed. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-34/html/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-34.htm GAO/HEHS-94-34 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-34 Letter Report GAO/HEHS-94-34; Social Security: Disability Rolls Keep Growing, While Explanations Remain Elusive; Handicapped persons Federal social security programs Supplemental security income program Information gathering operations Beneficiaries Disability insurance Demographic data Social security benefits Disadvantaged persons Disability benefits Social Security Disability Insurance Trust Fund Social Security Disability Insurance Program