Non-qualified Disability Insurance Applicants Bogging Down System

We all know about social security’s long-term issues; there are too many baby boomers retiring at a fast rate and too little funding and employees to get the backlog of applications processed in a timely manner. What many don’t think about is the fact that there is also a short-term issue that puts pressure on the system: non-qualified disability insurance applicants.

There are about 2.5 million disability insurance applicants a year. Although over half of those are denied in the first round and over 500,000 of those denied applicants go on to appeal. Around 60 percent of those appeals are approved. Disability insurance is funded by payroll tax and with these numbers growing every year, they are expected to run out of money about a decade before the main Social Security program.

One of the major problems is that insurance companies are requiring that employees apply for Social Security even when they are not qualified. This steady stream of non-qualified applicants puts stress on a system that is already overburdened and drowning in applicants. The hearing on a claim is already around 500 days, a number that was only half that in the year 2000.

With insurance companies requiring employees to apply for Social Security, how can we expect the system to get better?






For information on Social Security Disability, visit the

Social Security Disability SSI Resource Center
Medicare Information


Additional Resources

Social security disability benefit, how is it calculated ?
How does work affect or qualify you for disability ?
How do I apply for a Social Security disability widow benefits ?
Work quarters and social security disability