We see a lot of folks in the South who are on ‘disability.’ Now, first and foremost, let me say that there are some who truly need it. I’m delighted to help them. I’m thrilled that we live in country willing and able to meet the needs of those who cannot work to support themselves. The world is full of countries where disability means begging and early death. This isn’t one of those countries, and if anyone thinks America reprehensible, this is a great example of why we aren’t.
However, those of us in our little Southern emergency department see way too many people who are ‘disabled.’ And here’s a good example. More than once, my partners and I have asked a perfectly lucid, normal appearing man or woman this question: ‘Why are you on disability? It will help me to know as I decide how to help you with your problem.’ More than once, here’s the answer: ‘Doc, I honestly don’t remember!’
Now here’s my postulate, my ‘Leap’s Law of Incapacity.’ If you can’t remember why you’re on disability, you shouldn’t be on disability. Sure, there are some who have head injuries and short-term memory problems. I’m not talking about that. Those people are usually accompanied by someone who explains the problem. ‘He can’t remember anything! He had a head injury!’ The ones I’m talking about can remember exactly when their check arrives, exactly what time their favorite show is on television, and know exactly what to say to ensure they’re rapid transportation into the emergency department.
The disabled, the truly disabled, are harmed and dishonored by the huge number of people who see disability, not as a crutch, not as a lifeline in crisis, but as a kind of ‘holy grail,’ a ‘golden ring’ to reach for on the carousel of an inactive, purposeless life. The problem is, it’s a grail, it’s a ring that you and I pay for in our tax dollars. And somehow, we’ve come to see it as an acceptable benefit! We see our taxes slip away into the great sink-hole of government largess, and congratulate ourselves on our compassion, even as our money is wasted by politicians and those who eat their table scraps.
Do you want to reduce the deficit? Do you want to make America financially stronger? Then one sure-fire answer would be to go through the disability roles and clean house. Back pain? Learn to do a job without lifting. Anxiety? Learn to work from home. Depression? Let’s treat them and get them busy; I’d be depressed, too, if I had no sense of purpose or self-determination. Obesity and leg pain? Don’t get me started.
Watch the disabled in your emergency departments and clinics, even the ones in your neighborhood. The truly disabled frequently wish, with all their hearts, that they could work and live normally. The ‘pseudo-disabled’ often lead busy, active lives, similar to ours, but unencumbered by the annoyance of going to work each week.
Tragically, they recruit their children and grandchildren in ever increasing circles of incapacity and lassitude, so that generations sit around the house and yard, drinking, fighting, fishing, hunting, making children and wondering why the ‘government and those rich people,’ don’t do more to help them. Even more tragically, it just isn’t that much money. I suppose if you set your sights low enough, even a small check for no effort (except the effort of acting in front of the right doctor), is better than no check.
Of course, they do work, don’t they? I love it when my ‘disabled’ patients ask for work excuses. This happens all the time. ‘I thought you were disabled?’ (or unemployed as the registration form said). ‘Well, yeah, but I, uh, I have this little job I do, uh…’
Not only do we need to force them into the vile servitude of the labor force, we need to go after some doctors and either 1) fire them 2) fine them or 3) empower them to say no, up to and including offering them armed body-guards. I’m convinced that some doctors give disability because they’re compassionate, and some because they’re afraid or exhausted. But some simply have no idea what they’re doing or are suckers for any shiftless man or woman with a sob story and an unverifiable complaint.
So, ladies and gentlemen, let’s get out there and watch the allegedly broken and wounded and the allegedly disabled; and let’s turn them in! Let’s get them off of our tax dollars, remove them abruptly from the great breast of the state. And in so doing, let’s show ever greater respect and compassion for those who are truly disabled, and who so truly would love to work again.
This actually explains a lot. Several years ago I was in the hospital for 5 days and out of work for 10 days due to a heart problem. Afterwards I went to my primary care doctor’s office and asked that they fill out the information for my disability reporting agency. This is an insurance policy that is provided through my employer to cover short-term disabilities and make sure that we continue to be paid when we are ill or injured. It is mentioned during our contract negotiations and we are told it is part of our “total compensation package”. It… Read more »
My parents are both disabled with legit problems. The sad part is, those who are truly disabled have a very difficult time actually getting disability benefits, while those who don’t need it seem able to get it without a problem.
I’m not sure if I am offended by your post, or if it makes perfect sense. I have that lower back pain, and those legs pains you speak of, but I also have had bilateral knee replacements and multiple level fusions on the LS.I have fought RA and also OA for many years and managed to work for 35 of those years until I literally could not stand or walk for over a few minutes at a time. I had to fight for my SSD and was approved based in part on my strong work history and current MRIs documenting… Read more »
ArkieRN
15 years ago
I’ve been receiving disability insurance (not SSI) since my cancer was diagnosed. Far from want to remain on it – I really, really want to go back to work. I’m so tired of being broke! My payments are only 2/3 of what my base salary was 3 years ago. Plus HUGE medical bills that keep coming as my doctors and I try to get me physically capable of coming back to work. Add a honking great COBRA payment. Not dental or life insurance. And if I’m running short or have unexpected expenses, I can’t just do an overtime shift. I… Read more »
MCA said I’m not sure if I am offended by your post, or if it makes perfect sense. If you are offended, perhaps you have a guilty conscience, as it is pretty clear that the doctor disqualified at the beginning those with conditions such as that for which you speak. You chose to reply off topic, with a lengthy personal explanation, for your benefit or to convince others? For your sake, I hope it is the former. There are too many who lack the desire/ability for critical self-reflection (humility). Of course, there are other explanations including poor reading comprehension,… Read more »
Liz
15 years ago
A friend’s father is on disability and has been since age 26. All I know is that he spent 4 years shagging fly balls and throwing batting practice to us in high school when we played softball together…ridiculous. 30 years on the frikkin’ dole.
Al
15 years ago
As a self-employed solo family doc, my unvoiced question is “What would I do if you were my father/mother/brother/sister/wife/child?” For questions of disability, the unvoiced additional question is “If you were self-employed, would you still be disabled?”.
{"id":null,"mode":"form","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/edwinleap.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/edwinleap.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":100,"top_media_type":"none","featured_image_url":false,"featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"EdwinLeap.com","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"EdwinLeap.com","form_subtitle":"If you enjoy the content you read here, please consider dropping something in the tip jar!","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you so much! I appreciate the tip!","payment_confirmation_title":"EdwinLeap.com","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
This actually explains a lot. Several years ago I was in the hospital for 5 days and out of work for 10 days due to a heart problem. Afterwards I went to my primary care doctor’s office and asked that they fill out the information for my disability reporting agency. This is an insurance policy that is provided through my employer to cover short-term disabilities and make sure that we continue to be paid when we are ill or injured. It is mentioned during our contract negotiations and we are told it is part of our “total compensation package”. It… Read more »
AMEN!
My parents are both disabled with legit problems. The sad part is, those who are truly disabled have a very difficult time actually getting disability benefits, while those who don’t need it seem able to get it without a problem.
Great post!
I’m not sure if I am offended by your post, or if it makes perfect sense. I have that lower back pain, and those legs pains you speak of, but I also have had bilateral knee replacements and multiple level fusions on the LS.I have fought RA and also OA for many years and managed to work for 35 of those years until I literally could not stand or walk for over a few minutes at a time. I had to fight for my SSD and was approved based in part on my strong work history and current MRIs documenting… Read more »
I’ve been receiving disability insurance (not SSI) since my cancer was diagnosed. Far from want to remain on it – I really, really want to go back to work. I’m so tired of being broke! My payments are only 2/3 of what my base salary was 3 years ago. Plus HUGE medical bills that keep coming as my doctors and I try to get me physically capable of coming back to work. Add a honking great COBRA payment. Not dental or life insurance. And if I’m running short or have unexpected expenses, I can’t just do an overtime shift. I… Read more »
MCA said I’m not sure if I am offended by your post, or if it makes perfect sense. If you are offended, perhaps you have a guilty conscience, as it is pretty clear that the doctor disqualified at the beginning those with conditions such as that for which you speak. You chose to reply off topic, with a lengthy personal explanation, for your benefit or to convince others? For your sake, I hope it is the former. There are too many who lack the desire/ability for critical self-reflection (humility). Of course, there are other explanations including poor reading comprehension,… Read more »
A friend’s father is on disability and has been since age 26. All I know is that he spent 4 years shagging fly balls and throwing batting practice to us in high school when we played softball together…ridiculous. 30 years on the frikkin’ dole.
As a self-employed solo family doc, my unvoiced question is “What would I do if you were my father/mother/brother/sister/wife/child?” For questions of disability, the unvoiced additional question is “If you were self-employed, would you still be disabled?”.
Very good site!
Is it ok to post a link to this site from mine? My blog is wp.assurancenetwork.net.
Thanks.
Jaime