Proposed Rule Would Cut Disability Income Benefits by $2.6 Billion

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Proposed Rule Would Cut Disability Income Benefits by $2.6 Billion

By Ellen Vollinger

SNAP Director

January 21, 2020

People who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) benefits could have a harder time maintaining them under a Trump administration proposed rule that is open for public comment through January 31, 2020.

The SSDI/SSI rule change and three proposals to cut SNAP benefits are likely to exacerbate the struggles that households with a person with disabilities face in affording food and other basics. In 2009–2010, the food insecurity rate for households with adults living with disabilities was nearly three times that for households with no adults with disabilities (33 percent compared to 12 percent). One in five SNAP households contains a member with disabilities.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) proposed rule threatens ongoing income benefits for people who have been found unable to work at a substantial level because of a severe and long-lasting medical impairment. It would increase the scope and number of periodic reviews to reconfirm participants’ inability to work. Several Members of Congress have warned that participants may have trouble navigating the review process, noting that “SSA estimates that the proposed rule would lead to a total of $2.6 billion in benefit cessations.”

Oppose the proposed rule that would take SSDI/SSI benefits away from people with disabilities:

Submit a comment in opposition by the January 31 deadline.
Share stories of people with disabilities who need SSDI/SSI and SNAP.
Amplify opposition to cuts to SSDI/SSI and SNAP on social media with #NoSocialSecurityCuts/#HandsOffSNAP/#ProtectSNAP.

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