Sanders blasts Trump administration proposal to further scrutinize disability beneficiaries

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday castigated a proposed rule from the Trump administration that opponents say could make it harder for disabled people to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.

“10,000 Americans died waiting for Social Security Disability Insurance in 2017. Instead of addressing this crisis, Trump wants to make it harder for people with disabilities to get the help they need to get by. Unacceptable. We must protect and expand SSDI and SSI,” Sanders tweeted.

“As president, I will reverse this disastrous rule on day one of my presidency. Together, we will guarantee every person with a disability the right to live in the community with dignity and independence,” he added.

As president, I will reverse this disastrous rule on day one of my presidency. Together, we will guarantee every person with a disability the right to live in the community with dignity and independence.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 7, 2020

Sanders linked to a HuffPost article outlining a proposed rule by the Trump administration that would increase scrutiny of Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries. Activists and Democrats have argued the changes could make the application process overly complex and prevent some disabled people from receiving benefits to which they are entitled.

“We are concerned that under the proposed rule, some individuals subject to review will be simply unable to navigate the process and, as a result, lose their benefits even though there is no medical improvement,” a group of congressional Democrats, led by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.), wrote in December.

SSDI recipients are subject to “continuing disability reviews” to ensure they are still unable to work, after which they are classified as medical improvement “expected,” “possible” or “not expected.” The administration proposal would make it easier for beneficiaries to become ineligible by adding another category, “medical improvement likely.”

Sanders has frequently railed against cuts to the social safety net, and his campaign is slated to release a disability policy plan in the near future.