Why Disability Delays Are Getting Worse in America
Millions of Americans apply for disability benefits at the exact moment their health, income, and stability are most fragile. Yet instead of receiving timely help, they’re being pulled into a system that is slowing down year after year. Families are waiting months sometimes years just to learn whether they qualify, and even longer before a first payment arrives. My husband’s experience is one example of what is happening nationwide, and it raises a larger question: why is a safety‑net program designed for emergencies now functioning like a waiting line with no end in sight? A System That Moves Slower Than People’s Needs When my husband applied for disability, he waited six months just to hear that he was approved. Then he was told he would need to wait another six months before receiving a check. That is a full year without income for someone whose condition qualified as urgent. What shocked us even more was what Social Security told him directly: people who desperately need d...
