Alert

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined with Senator Hatch (Utah.) in introducing three bills designed to improve the Social Security Disability Insurance Program this week. The bills put beneficiaries first by establishing new methods to prevent fraud, improve accountability, and provide more opportunities to current and future beneficiaries.

“The Social Security Disability Insurance program’s reserve funding will likely be depleted as early as next year, and this is not an issue we can delay addressing,” said Blunt. “The bills I have joined Senator Hatch in introducing are focused solutions to improve the SSDI program by reducing waste, increasing accountability, preventing fraud, and identifying support services for applicants. The current program needs reforms to ensure it first and foremost takes care of those who have earned and deserve their benefits and protects the taxpayers.”

The Promoting Opportunity for Disability Benefit Applicants Act, S.1923, authorizes the Social Security Administration to give denied DI applicants information on employment support services, from public and private non-profits, preventing workers from cycling through the application process and allowing them to re-enter the workforce.

The Improving the Quality of Disability Decisions Act of 2015, S. 1922, requires the SSA to review Administrative Law Judge disability decisions and report the results annually to Congress to ensure judges are following the law and Social Security’s rules and regulations.

The Disability Fraud Reduction and Unethical Deception (FRAUD) Prevention Act, S. 1929, updates and builds upon tools to deter and punish fraudsters by imposing civil monetary penalties and felony charges to criminals who defraud Social Security.  The bill also requires a regular review of major claimant representatives to ensure compliance.