On January 21st, HR 571 was introduced. While details are not easy to find, it apparently would authorize means testing of child recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. You might wonder how a child could end up receiving SS Disability Benefits. Think about infants born far too early. Many go on to develop brain bleeds, permanent lung issues, or vision loss from retinopathy. Some will never be able to sit, crawl, talk, or live without tube feedings; others may live with the consequences for the rest of their lives.
My niece was born with a myelomeningocele (incomplete spinal column with a portion of the nerves and spinal cord herniating through the opening) and hydrocephalus. She had numerous surgeries growing up, and continues to have impaired mobility, cognitive issues, and other problems even now as a 30-something year old adult. She lives independent of her parents, but is 100% disabled.
Her parents are in their 70s. Both have health issues; my brother finds a way to get past constant knee pain to work about 16 hours per week, not for pleasure but because they need the cash. They are buying a condo. My sister-in-law has a small pension. Pretty ordinary, middle class folks. If means testing based on their income and assets meant that their daughters SS Disability was reduced, they would go from pinched to struggling and desperate.
I once did family health visits to a very active, fit 95-year-old woman and to her 52-year-old son, who had Downs’ syndrome. She was determined to do all she could to keep her BP down because she did not want to die before her son, largely because he “would not know how to be in the world without me.” She said that she had put aside money over the years to take care of his needs. If enacted HR 571 would penalize people like her, and leave her son’s future in jeopardy.
It is simply wrong to put even more burden on families caring for disabled children. But more than anything, all of us should be concerned because this bill may be the first step toward weakening Social Security. Here’s how that could come to be: If they succeed in introducing means testing to this population, who will be next? How about surviving spouses? Let’s say that widow or widower was left a house, has some money in the bank, has a pension, a second car, etc. Why not use means testing for that group? In the eyes of the MAGA vultures, they can get by with less. What about persons who qualify for their ex-spouse’s Social Security benefits? Because they frown on divorce and especially dislike financially independent women, they’d jump at a chance to add up their assets and income, and use it to deny their application or reduce their benefits.
We know they plan to start with disabled children, but where will it end?
Please pay attention and pass this on to others. All of us will need to watch carefully for things like HR 571, and then immediately and forcefully fight back. I have a feeling that if they get immediate, intense, forceful pushback from many of us early on, they will go no further.
I called my Representative today, and emailed him. Please join me in taking action.
Thanks.
