SS Disability

I found this interesting:

The New York Times leads with a look at how appealing an initial rejection of Social Security disability claims can now take as long as three years. About two-thirds of those who are initially turned down get the decision reversed on appeal, but the long wait times leave "hundreds of thousands of people in a kind of purgatory" waiting for a resolution while frequently facing mounting financial hardship.

I remember working with individuals who were involved with social security disability. It was standard practice for initial claims to be denied. I don't know if it was "policy" per se, just standard operating procedure. There is an entire legal industry that has developed around the appeal process. This story is certainly not new, but I think it's worth a look in terms of ways that benefit programs put obstacles in the way to attaining benefits.