Top Democrats overseeing Social Security policy in the House and Senate today objected to a Social Security Administration (SSA) proposal that would cause people with disabilities to lose benefits if they are unable to navigate complex paperwork and red tape. Under the proposed rule, SSA would dramatically increase the number and frequency of reviews of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. More than 120,000 comments have already been submitted to SSA on the rule, an extraordinarily high volume of feedback that reflects the devastating impacts the policy change could have.
“We urge you to immediately withdraw the Social Security Administration’s harmful and unjustified proposed rule to subject Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability beneficiaries to more frequent continuing disability reviews (CDRs),” the members wrote in their comment letter. “This unwarranted proposal would deprive many people with disabilities of the Social Security, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits that they are eligible for and rely on for survival. The Social Security Administration (SSA) should instead use its limited resources to restore strong customer service to the American people, reversing the long waiting times, backlogs, and other service problems that have become common across the agency in recent years.”
The letter was signed by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (D-CT), House Ways and Means Worker & Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senate Finance Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Senate Aging Committee Ranking Member Bob Casey (D-PA).