In an inspiring letter to the editor earlier this month, Joanne Grana, a retired teacher with the Continuing Education Department of St. Louis Community College at Meramec, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that cost of living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients needed to be higher this year.
In her letter titled “Higher increases for Social Security are much-needed”, Grana argues that the 1.5 percent COLA for people receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) was just too low.
“Nearly 58 million people in this country will be affected by the small COLA increase, according to the Social Security Administration. Not only those who have reached the age of retirement, but disabled veterans and others with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income,” Grana wrote. “That’s a large number of people. These are people for whom every penny counts. I know, because I am one of them. I have been receiving Social Security since age 12 when my father died.”
Grana, who says she is disabled, argues that the rising costs associated with medical bills, prescription medications and medical equipment, are eating away at the income for people who receive benefits. “Add the cost of any medication not covered by Medicaid or Medicare to the monthly expense of food, rent, utilities and transportation and there is very little money left at the end of the month, if there is any left at all,” Grana said.
To conclude her letter, Grana wrote that a higher COLA would be a nice boost to a disabled person’s income, ensuring that person has the money for things they desperately need.
A higher COLA would have been nice for recipients. The 1.5 percent increase only adds about $19 per month to checks for SSI recipients. If you suffer from disabilities that leave you unable to work, you may be eligible for Social Security benefits. If you have questions about qualifying for SSDI, we suggest you visit our Social Security FAQ page.
If you are disabled and unable to perform work, contact a Tulsa Social Security disability attorney. We offer free evaluations of your case, and you may reach us by phone at (918) 265-1404. Contact us today.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security disability attorneys
