Allow me to vent regarding the following:
John McCain cashes his monthly Social Security checks despite calling the federal program "a disgrace," the Associated Press reports.
"I'm receiving benefits," McCain told campaign reporters, but added, "the system is broken."
In 2007, he received benefits of $23,157 from Social Security, approximately $1,930 a month. The maximum monthly benefit under Social Security is $2,185. Social Security benefits are determined by age at retirement.
McCain, who is 71, has received benefits since he was 65.
Last week, McCain told observers at a town-hall meeting in Portsmouth, Ohio, "Americans have got to understand that we are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers ... and that's a disgrace."
B.J. Jarrett from the Social Security Administration said that individuals can refuse retirement benefits.
In 2006, McCain's wife Cindy earned $6 million, and has a net worth of approximately $100 million.
(San Francisco Business Times)
Why does this outrage me? Allow me to explain.
During my spare time and on Saturdays I work at my local Community Outreach Center. One of my responsibilities is to help people apply for their Social Security Disability benefits. In the past several months the demographics of my consumers has changed dramatically.
These days all of my time is spent trying to help local veterans apply for Social Security Disability. The mountain of redtape is huge. Not only do we have to navigate the "unfeeling" attitude of the VA, but we also have to at times subject the veteran to repeated requests for further documentation.
I am not talking about the veteran who has a physical disability for the VA must help these young men and women. It is those with mental health disabilities that is rising in number faster than we can help them.
What frustrates me even more is that we have a huge VA hospital not 3 miles away, yet, due to continued closing of services there (out of 25 huge buildings they now only have one floor in one building for older veterans that need a nursing home and even there they are farming them out to other nursing homes in the area and a small medical clinic with a part time doctor- all other services they must travel over 75 miles to another VA hospital or into NYC for surgeries), our community outreach is stretching itself to help these men and women. I am personally disgusted with the VA services. It upsets me because I trained as a nurse in Boston at a wonderful VA hospital. I did some clinical training at another wonderful hospital that provided wonderful medical care for our soldiers. When I graduated, it brought me to tears when we were greeted as we walked in by yes, our veterans, who handed each of us a rose and thanked us, proudly wearing their uniforms, thankful that we cared about them.
Thankfully we have a wonderful Mental Health Clinic funded by our county right on the same street as our Outreach Center.
Most of these veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD and depression. These diagnosis's were made by the local clinic NOT by the VA. Yes, they fell into that cycle of deliberate mis-diagnosis by the VA so they would not have to pay more benefits. All of these men and women have served in the current Iraq War and Afganistan. Though I make it a point to ensure I get the name of the analyist with Social Security who is handling each individual claim so I can call them and yes, I admit it, HOUND them to get the applications moving, my veterans (I like to call them my veterans because I am so invested in helping them)wait for MONTHS AND MONTHS to begin receiving their benefits, that is if we don't have to provide additional Mental Health Specialists' documentation.
While they are waiting, these veterans are further traumatized by the system by having to live on very very little money, having to visit food banks, needing Social Service assistance, and generally live a meager existance while they wait and wait and wait. Many of these proud soldiers prior to going to serve held very responsible jobs. Some were police officers, some executives, all with a calling to serve their country. Some were National Guard, in fact many are, and some were regular service, yes even some officers.
They can not begin to start their lives over again until they receive the Mental Health care they need. We struggle to get them their medications. No Medicaid does not cover everything. In fact, many of their medications fall into a murky no-where land where there is a flaw in the medication coverage which does not allow for "controlled substances" to be covered, not by Medicaid and not by Medicare Part D (which they have yet to receive anyway). There is not a single VA pharmacy for MILES. Impossible for my veterans to get to. Those of you who are doctors know that in the case of PTSD, most likely a patient will be prescribed a "controlled substance" for stress and sleep related problems. I will say this, I have worked closely with many pharmaceutical companies to receive free medications for my veterans. I don't know if many people know that almost every pharmaceutical company has an outreach program to provide free medications for people under certain incomes. Much as I hate how these very same companies lobby the government so they can make billions, they do have these special programs. However, it is yet another round of paperwork for veterans under stress already.
While Senator McCain receives $1,930 a month from a system he claims is a "disgrace" and proclaims his undying support for our veterans, he doesn't even bother to support increased veterans benefits, and if he was as concerned as he claims, he would support an investigation into why these veterans were deliberately discharged without their Mental Health Disability documented.
I ask you where is the justice in this? As stated above, McCain could refuse his Social Security benefit and only ask for it if he was in need.
Well I have some needy soldiers who have waited months to get Disability. It is for our country to take care of them. They served us well and now need our help. They should not have to live in a furnished room and go to soup kitchens for a hot meal, and come to the food bank and go without so their few funds will stretch an entire month while they are waiting for their Disability that they have EARNED. This stress added onto their disability, retards any progress they might make through therapy.
I agree with McCain on one issue, however, NOT for the reason he states. Social Security IS a disgrace in that it makes our veterans in need wait months to receive their first check. Granted when they finally do, they receive an extra amount because it is counted from the date the application is received. This extra amount is used to help get them into a subsidized apartment and some furniture so they can begin their lives again. Some go back to school, not courtesy of the VA but rather by state funded programs like VESID. VESID is a program that trains in new skills those who are on Disability and can't due to their disability go back to what they were doing before they were a soldier.
Many have confided in me that they are sick and tired of hearing John McCain proclaiming he is qualified to be President based on his years in a Viet Nam prison. They tell me, does he not think of the prison we are in now? He claims to honor us and support us, yet he has not supported any increased help that we need NOW.
They know full well McCain gets Social Security and are outraged that a man who is married to a woman worth millions and is a Senator with all kinds of benefits should claim Social Security and yet call it a disgrace that young people have to pay for those who are receiving benefits now.
It saddens me each and every day as I speak with honorable and wonderful soldiers who are being demeaned by the very system that should be helping them. I have cried with them and laughed with them. But every day I see a new face, entering the door a little embarassed, asking for help.
This issue does not only apply to our current veterans. McCain calls Social Security a disgrace? I have worked with hundreds of widows of soldiers from World War II and the Korean War who live on a Social Security benefit of less than $500 a month. Some of these elderly woman at times have to decide between food or their medicines. They get Medicare Part D, but it does not cover some essential medications. I have witnessed elderly women in the local pharmacy buying their medications for ONE WEEK, a week at a time. These are widows of the "Greatest Generation" who helped build this country and their husbands served their country in two wars, yet they live on so little. And John McCain calls it a disgrace? He calls it a disgrace for these women who also served their country during both wars as their husbands served, and it is wrong for this generation to pay into the system so the older generation can have some dignity?
McCain is a disgrace to my soldiers. They do not care what he went through 40 years ago, they care about what he will do for them now, in THIS war, at THIS time.
I must apologize for venting, however this report of John McCain and his Social Security upset me. I watch my soldiers struggle to get through each day and I watch a US Senator, who has 7 homes, a Senate salary, a private jet courtesy of his wife, AND a great Social Security income and I ask myself, where in God's name is the justice in this?
Update per comment re: Disability benefits application
- the issue of applying for benefits while living in another country is difficult for me to answer as I have not worked with any veteran with that particular circumstance. However, would suggest a couple of things. You can call SSA free, but it would be best to have an advocate do it while you are sitting there as you have to supply some personal info to verify your identity. Get put through to the Disability PENDING section. Specifically ask for the name of the person and their extension who is handling your claim. This is key. Many people don't realize that by knowing who is working on your claim can allow for direct contact with the person who will finalize your claim. Have your advocate speak directly with that person and ask if there is any additioinal info needed that is holding up your claim. This gives you the jump, timewise, so you can go to who is providing you with care for PTSD.
VA is a bigger tangle and a bigger runaround than SSDI. The wait time once Social Security gets the full and complete application is not as bad as waiting for basic VA benefits. The hold up can be due to the fact you are receiving cash benefits also from the VA. Social Security Disability adjudicated amount that you would receive monthly is factored in with what other cash benefits your are receiving. Your holdup could be in the SSA waiting for documentation from the VA. I have run into this and it is most likely the VA has a backlog and have not sent your documentation to Social Security yet. But by getting the name and extension of the person in Social Security who has your paperwork you can track how your case is going. You can also find out if your providers have documented your PTSD correctly and that they stated you can not work.
Sometimes I have been successful in HOUNDING them and manage to push through some claims within 7 months. When the VA drags its feet, it can take much much longer. SSA can't finalize your disability until they get the VA to send in their paperwork.
Hope that helps.