Late last month, the Social Security Administration (SSA) withdrew a proposed rule that would have made it far more difficult for older workers to access their earned Social Security Disability (SSDI) and Medicare benefits. The rule would have also denied Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid benefits to older low-in-come individuals. The rule would have directly affected entitlement to cash SSDI and SSI payments, but the loss of Medicare and Medicaid benefit eligibility for disabled individuals would have constituted severe collateral damage.

SSA disability determinations are based on medical evidence, work history, jobs available in the U.S., education, and age. The rule would have limited age consideration to applicants over age 60, or eliminated age as a factor altogether.

A September 18 analysis by Jack Smalligan, of the Urban Institute, estimated that eligibility for SSDI applicants alone could be reduced by as much as 20% overall, and by up to 30% for older workers. Even a 10% reduction could cause 500,000 people to lose access to $82 billion in benefits over 10 years, including 80,000 widows and children. Many older workers, denied SSDI benefits, would likely claim early retirement benefits at age 62, reducing their lifetime benefits by 30 percent compared to what they would have received in SSDI, which converts to unreduced retirement benefits at full retirement age (67).

House Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John Larson and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz led the effort by only 165 (should have been more) Democratic members in calling on SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano to halt the plan. Their October 20 press release identified the proposed rule as a priority of Project 2025 architect Russell Vought, Trump’s Director of the Office of Management and Budget. It noted that the average SSDI beneficiary is 56 years old, many had worked physically demanding jobs, and that nearly 42% were found to be eligible because age was considered in the decision. They noted that adaptability to new skills and jobs generally decreases with age, as do the effects of disabling impairments. The letter closed with an appeal to reverse recent SSA staff losses, and to present a plan to rebuild frontline and adjudicative capacity in order to eliminate backlogs and meet statutory obligations to claimants and beneficiaries.

President Trump has repeatedly assured Americans that he will not cut, or even touch, Social Security. He has demonstrated, however, through his remarks and actions, that he has little regard for disabled Americans. Nevertheless, in this case, advocates and enough House Democrats pushed back hard, and prevailed rather quickly.

The great Social Security Act programs are a principal focus of PSARA efforts. The 1935 Social Security Act that established retirement benefits (Title 2) has been amended since that date to add SSDI in 1956, Medicare (Title 18) and Medicaid (Title 19) in 1965, and SSI (Title 16) in 1972. Another amendment extended coverage to self employed individuals in 1951, and there have been many other expansions and improvements over the 90 years since FDR signed the first iteration of the Act.

However, there have been no improvements for 43 years, which was when President Nixon signed the 1972 amendment that created SSI, establishing Federal benefits for low-income aged, blind, and disabled individuals. It is time for additional improvements. Not only do we need to protect existing programs, let's collectively determine to expand these vital programs and ensure that wealthy individuals pay their fair share.

We must not allow discouragement and despair to defeat our efforts to make a better America for ourselves, neighbors, children, and grandchildren. Whether it’s addressing environmental degradation, race and gender discrimination, homelessness, health care, income inequality, immigration, oligarchy, or any of our priorities, we need to educate ourselves and others, and push back hard against the cruel and incompetent elected and appointed officials who plague us. We can win these battles, and we must.