Oklahoma is a state full of hard-working adults. Unfortunately, no matter how much they want to, medical conditions, surgery and treatments can sideline any employee from their jobs In the past, it was somewhat simple and quick to apply for and receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). However, a few factors make it harder than ever for people to receive SSDI.
Staffing struggles
As the world spent the past few years in the grip of a global pandemic, this situation greatly affected many industries and jobs. Unfortunately, customer service roles appeared to take the hardest hit. Still dealing with the fallout from 2020, it remains extremely difficult for Social Security offices to fully staff themselves with enough workers. Making matters worse, Disability Determination Services in nearly every state are also short-staffed.
Shrinking budgets
Another problem slowing down the Social Security Disability claims process involves money. As a government agency, the Social Security Administration depends on government funding to provide its services effectively. Unfortunately, the SSA has witnessed a 17% decrease in its budget since 2010 (adjusted for inflation). At the same time, the number of beneficiaries this administration serves increased by 22%.
Increasing backlogs
An additional problem complicating Social Security Disability claims involves backlogs. In 2019, the SSA had about 600,000 applications from those wanting to receive disability benefits. Several years later, in 2024, this administration currently faces over 1,000,000 backlogged applications.
If you need to file a Social Security Disability claim, it’s best to complete this process sooner rather than later. Several years ago, the Social Security Administration could process initial applications in about 110 to 120 days. Now, the SSA takes an average of 228 days to do so.