Social Security | Disability | Supplemental Security Income
Social Security is designed, as the title suggests, to provide
security. To protect individuals from unforeseen catastrophes,
the government spreads certain risks among all members of society
so that no single family bears the full burden of such occurrences.
The Social Security Program was created
in 1935 to provide old age, survivors,
and disability insurance benefits to workers and their families.
Unlike welfare, social security benefits are paid to an individual
or his or her family at least in part on the basis of that person's
employment record and prior contributions to the system. The
program is administered by the Social Security Administration
(SSA) and since 1965 it has included health insurance benefits
under the Medicare program. While the original act used Social
Security in a broad sense and included federally funded welfare
programs and unemployment compensation within its scope, current
usage associates the phrase with old age, survivors, and disability
insurance.
The Federal Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
pays out monthly benefits to retired people, to families whose
wage earner has died, and to workers unemployed due to sickness
or accident. Workers qualify for its protection by having been
employed for a minimum amount of time and by having made contributions
to the program. Once an individual has qualified for protection,
certain other family members are, as well. Financial need is
not a requirement.
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Disability:
Under the federal Social Security Disability Act, " disability " means
a "condition which prevents one from performing all usual physical
or mental functions by reason of any medically determinable physician
or mental impairment which can be expected to last for a continuous
period of not less than 12 months or result in death."
Supplemental Security Income :
These benefits are available to people who did not earn a lot
of income over the course of their lives, but still need financial
assistance. Supplemental security income is only available to
those who are over 65, disabled, or blind.
