Elon Musk's Latest Directive for Federal Workers Is Straight Out of Office Space
Possibly The Dumbest Example Of Waste DOGE Has Discovered (So Far)
Maine Governor Janet Mills: Leader Of The New Confederate States of America
A Quick Bible Study Vol. 256: What the New Testament Says About Pride...
USAID is Funding Political Persecution in Ukraine
Congress Must Cancel Foreign Derived Intangible Income Tax Break
Is Trump Planning to Tap Kash Patel as Acting Director of the ATF?
Trump Reveals the One Thing That Made Him Run Again
New SBA Chief Goes Viral After Touring Empty Offices and Bringing Staff Back...
Trump Ends Deportation Protections for 500,000 Haitian Nationals
Pope Francis in Critical Condition After Being Diagnosed With Pneumonia
How Trump Saved Kathie Lee Gifford's Life
Mexico Plans to Change Constitution to Protect Drug Cartels From U.S. Military Strikes
Shiri Bibas' Body Has Been Returned to Israel
CIA Set for Historic Shakeup: Largest Firing in 50 Years Underway
OPINION

The Fraudulent Disability-Industrial Complex Discovered

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

On Sunday, CBS’s 60 Minutes profiled Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) on-going investigation of fraud and abuse in the federal government’s two main disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income (see Chris Edwards’ discussion here). Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs (Coburn is the ranking member) held a hearing on a particularly egregious example centered on the Social Security Administration’s Huntington, WV office.

Advertisement

The case is a perfect example of what is quickly becoming known as the “disability-industrial complex”: specialty law firms overwhelming the system with dubious disability claims, doctors vouching for applicants with dubious claims, and federal administrative law judges awarding disability benefits to individuals with dubious claims.

The committee produced a 160+ page report that is jaw-dropping from beginning to end. If you’re pressed for time, at least check out the “findings” on pages 4-7. In the Huntington case, it’s pretty clear that the three points of the triangle were all in cahoots. It’s also quite similar to a still unfolding disability scandal in Puerto Rico that I discussed in August. In both cases, the public is now aware of the scandals thanks to the Wall Street Journal’s Daniel Paletta’s excellent investigative reporting. That begs two questions, however: what other major disability scandals are sitting out there waiting for a curious reporter discover? And what other ticking time-bombs are Social Security Administration bureaucrats aware of but doing little to defuse?

Advertisement

For the record, I used to work for Sen. Coburn. Regardless of whether or not one agrees with Coburn’s positions or his approach, the guy genuinely cares about how taxpayer dollars are spent. Coburn’s staff is a rarity in that the bulk of their work revolves around saving rather than spending other people’s money. However, let’s not forget that fraud and abuse comes with government programs the same way that fries and a drink comes with a Happy Meal. So while reports and hearings that shed light on troubled federal programs are useful, the ultimate goal should be to terminate – not “fix” – them.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos