In December 2003, the Toledo Blade reported that the Ticket to Work program, designed to encourage the disabled to return to work, is off to a slow start. Maybe that’s a good thing. Although many people have high hopes for this newly-created program of the Social Security Administration, there is reason for skepticism.

Until recently, people collecting Social Security disability benefits were required to “be promptly referred to the state agency or agencies… for necessary vocational rehabilitation services.” In addition, the law “authorized deductions from payments [to beneficiaries] up to amount of benefits on account of refusal without good cause to accept rehabilitation services.” These reasonable requirements, which are common elements of private plans, were dropped in 1999, when the Ticket legislation was passed.

In addition, Social Security does not require the disabled beneficiary to work to “his maximum capacity,” and in many cases, he or she is not required to accept medical treatment that would eliminate the disability.

Instead of these requirements, the Ticket program offers new inducements to the disabled beneficiary, including this one: If a disabled beneficiary joins the Ticket program, the review of his eligibility for benefits will be suspended. In other words, if he just plays along with the program, his claim will no longer be challenged. And, under the program rules, he doesn’t even have to get a job.

That’s great news for the guy who is faking it, but may be bad news for the Social Security disability program. To Home page>>