The country’s disabled population faces a growing crisis in obtaining benefits from the government, according to figures released today, and Colorado’s disabled citizens face one of the worst backlogs.
According to the American Association of People with Disabilities, Colorado ranks 15th in the nation for making people wait for a decision whether they will receive Social Security disability insurance. The agency claims more than 10,000 Colorado residents are in limbo waiting for a decision on benefits they’ve applied for.
Nationwide, more than 1,400,000 residents are either waiting for SSDI benefits or have been denied and are appealing that decision. Slightly more than half of those citizens are in the second category.
The situation is getting worse, according to AAPD. The average wait for a decision has increased from 308 days in 2001 to 524 days — or nearly a year and a half — in 2007.
The problem, according to the Social Security Advisory Board, is that more Americans are living longer and developing more disabilities. The board says the number of disabled American workers drawing Social Security benefits has more than doubled since 1990, from 3 million to 6.8 million.
Also, Social Security offices are shrinking, having one-third less staff today than 20 years ago. Since August 2005, some 2,000 Social Security staff members have left without being replaced.
In Denver, phone calls to the two Denver telephone numbers listed in the directory went unanswered for 20 rings, and without voice mail.
According to the Social Security website, which lists benefits as of December 2004 as the most current figures, Colorado has a total of 571,470 people receiving $494 million in benefits, an average of $864 per month per person.
There are 69,870 Coloradans receiving $62 million in disability benefits, an average of $887 per month per person.
