Outdated Occupations List Updated by Social Security Administration for Disability Benefit Claims

Changes to Social Security Administration (SSA) policies regarding disability benefit claims are expected to result in more claims being approved. The SSA recently updated its list of occupations that are used to determine whether there are available jobs in the market that match an applicant’s abilities. Previously, the list included outdated and rare positions such as motion picture projectionists and telegraphers. However, these jobs have either become obsolete or have very low vacancy rates.

The SSA identified 114 occupations in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) that exist in limited numbers or not at all. These jobs will no longer be used to support a “not disabled” finding when evaluating disability claims. Additionally, the SSA identified another 13 occupations where federal courts have questioned the agency’s determinations of “not disabled.” For these occupations, the SSA will implement additional evidence requirements.

By removing these outdated and rare jobs from the list, the SSA aims to ensure that fewer claims are denied. This change applies to the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.

Lawmakers have criticized the SSA for using outdated occupational data to determine disability. U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo has urged the agency to develop an alternative to this outdated data. He believes it is vital to ensuring accurate disability decisions.

In August, the SSA also expanded the Compassionate Allowances list by adding 12 medical conditions. This widens the applicability of disability benefits by allowing claims to be quickly identified based on diagnosis alone.

However, a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggests that disability benefits may be disincentivizing some people from returning to work. When disability beneficiaries start working again, they must report their earnings to the SSA, which can lead to a reduction or loss of benefits. This creates a barrier to incentivizing work among recipients of disability income.

The SSA has made efforts to address work disincentives but has seen limited results. Academic research shows that previous demonstrations aimed at encouraging disabled beneficiaries to work resulted in minimal savings and few beneficiaries exiting the Disability Insurance program.

Overall, the SSA’s updates to its list of occupations and expansion of the Compassionate Allowances program aim to improve the accuracy of disability determinations and provide support to those in need. However, there is still work to be done to address the issue of work disincentives for disability beneficiaries.