According to a March 22, 2011 Wall Street Journal article, it is easier to get Social Security disability benefits in Puerto Rico than anywhere else in the U.S. According to the article, government statistics reveal that 63% of all Social Security applicants were approved on their application for benefits. The article indicates that since Federal Funds financially support the program, there is no incentive for Puerto Rico to deny the benefits. With a dire financial situation in Puerto Rico due to closure of many factories and US military installations as well as extremely high unemployment, workers and their families rely on Social Security and Medicare to help them live.
The article further indicates that there is a disparity from state to state in how local doctors will write reports supporting the disability process and how many ALJ's in each state will approve cases. According to the article, this disparity is significant and uneven. For instance, according to government statistics, West Virginia has one of the lowest approval ratings with only 36.7% of applicants getting approved on their initial applications in 2010, whereas in Puerto Rico, 69% of applicants were approved on initial application in 2010. One administrative law judge in Puerto Rico alone approved 98% of hearing level cases in 2010 and in total, the Puerto Rico hearing office fully or partially approved 80% of its cases. In New Jersey, at least 50% were approved at the initial level. It is approximately the same approval rating at the Northern New Jersey hearing office, however, the South Jersey hearing office has a higher overall approval rating.
The author of this article indicated that the disability fund will run dry in 4-7 years without Federal intervention. I assume that the author means leveling out the playing field and perhaps denying more cases. If you are interested in reading this article, it can be found in the Wall Street Journal from Tuesday, March 22, 2011.
