Something I've noticed more and more of over the last couple of years is the number of young people on Medicare. And they're are also collecting social security disability.
And now the numbers have confirmed my expectation. A record of 8,733,461 workers took federal disability insurance payments in June 2012.
I expected this when the push to get people off Medicaid and welfare started and it has increased substantially every year.
Many of my patients are on disability, even though in my considered opinion they are capable of working, if not capable of holding down a job. (One is physical, the other is attitude) And most of them have family members in the same position. I can't tell you how many times I've asked a family member who is staying at the hospital with one of my patients if they need a note for work only to be told, "No, I'm on disability."
And when asked what it is that qualifies them for disability I've had more than a few tell me they didn't know. Physically incapable of working per Medicare and disability standards, but they don't know what the problem is that makes them qualify.
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