whereas they were not eligible for ssdi before, they are now. yet that leaves about half of the rise which his opponent to 3 million people per year, or $42 billion in spending that is unaccounted for. there are a lot of problems within the ssdi system but we can kind of categorize them into two things. first are too many people dedicated getting on the rolls to begin with, and second, to few people are ever leaving the rolls. the proposal that i'm suggesting here is an optional private insurance system. this would address both of those components. private disability insurance texas today for about one-third of workers. now, it's a totally different structure than the ssdi system. it's the same product, disability insurance, but incentives are entirely different and they are entirely different because of the financial incentives that are there. private disability insurance has to provide a product to employers and disabled individuals appreciate and is valuable to them, but they also to provide it at a low cost. if they do that through a very ef

so as they were not eligible for ssdi before, they are now. yet, that leaves about half of the rise, which is equivalent to 3 million people a year that's unaccounted for. now there are a lot of problems within the ssdi system. but we can categorize them into two things. there are too many people getting on the rolls to begin with, and too few people are ever leaving the rolls. the proposal i'm suggesting here is an optional private insurance system. that would address both of those components. private disability insurance exists today for about one third of workers. now it's a totally different structure than the ssdi system. it's the same product. it's disability insurance, but the insentives are entirely different and entirely different because of the incentives that are there. private disability insurance have to provide a product to employers that is valuable to them but they also have to provide it at a low cost. and they do it through a very efficient and effective determination process. as you can see on the first chart here, the avera

it is not like ssdi where everybody appeals. most people have that decision within 41 days. , they areme period assigned a caseworker who are meeting with them if needed and meeting with the employer and trying to figure out what kind of medical help they need and what kind of workplace accommodations would allow them to get back to the job. or do they need a different education because they can no longer perform the job they were doing before? administrationty -- individuals sit and wait for five months before they can apply and receive benefits. they go to the initial level where they wait about 100 days for initial determination. most people are denied at that stage and go on to appeal through a administrative law judge. that takes 568 days on average. during that time, individuals are losing whatever length they they're losing their skills and education. they are beginning to believe that they really cannot work. the second component of the private disability that is more effective and efficient is the determination process.

so as they were not eligible for ssdi before, they are now.t, that leaves about half of the rise, which is equivalent to 3 million people per year, or $42 billion in spending that's unaccounted for. now there are a lot of problems within the ssdi system. but we can categorize them into two things. first there are too many people that are getting on the rolls to begin with. and second, too few people are ever leaving the rolls. the proposal i'm suggesting here is an optional private insurance system. this would address both of those components. private disability insurance exists today for about one third of workers. now it's a totally different structure than the ssdi system. it's the same product. it's disability insurance, but the incentives are entirely different and entirely different because of the financial incentives that are there. private disability insurance have to provide a product to employers and disabled individuals appreciate and that is valuable to them, but they also have to provide it at a low cost. and they do it through a

when you think about the reading to our country will be swamped in, already is, ssdi,, ssdi, medicare, medicaid, we have no choices. we have to do things differently, and it is shocking we don't have the congressional budget office general accounting office saying to members of congress, there is a new way for us to finance housing, education, human services, samsung, we can look at treating people and appropriate the budgets to treat people not in this old-fashioned, hard way but in this new way that we can bring because of the smarter plan and approaches. with all the information, data sharing and ability to integrate various budgets. let's get some smart people and have them laid out for us and let's not get stuck in, well, that is a dollar away from me. well, that will keep people out of the criminal justice system. but it does not affect my budget. the hell it doesn't. it doesn't. it affects all of our budget if you don't spend that money. what is my incentive? we have to give people the incentive to be part of the solution. how much have you -- >> host: how much have you looked

i'm living on ssdi due to a rare disease of the spinal cord. since my only source of income is ssdi, i am concerned about the recent announcement that there is going to be no cola increase for 2016. if there is anything you can do to reverse this decision, millions of americans like me will be greatly helped and greatly appreciative. or fred from wilcott who said i understand the lower gas prices have kept the c.p.i. lower, with the result being no social security increase for 2016, but many of us do not drive or drive a limited amount, and the lower gas prices do not place additional funds in our pocket. meanwhile, the cost of beef, chicken, eggs and milk, the things we live on, have risen and have reduced our purchasing power. many of us have no other form of income. or add line in new -- add a line in new fairfield, connecticut, who said my husband and i are very concerned that we will not receive a cost of living increase in our check. please let this be the last time. with all the medical deductibles, food, clothing, taxes all going up, it

so in conclusion, the ssdi benefit is $13,890 a year, only slightly higher than what constitutes theoverty threshold. we believe individuals with disabilities deserve better outcomes that are consistent with the disabilities act. studies have indicated that age, health, and time on the rolls are characteristics related to activity and success. and we brief limiting time on the rolls for a small subset of

we had it a team that worked the that focusedt half on ssdi. a difficult issue. i think you're correct. there are major proposals and plans and this package going forward. i think there are some elements. and in the agriculture area here that our touch upon on this package. nickles, you have been on this for quite a while. some people would say that the meal has been eaten. pay the bill. of thewalk out restaurant. argue, as you have heard, that the only way to get the attention of the president -- you have made this argument -- is to have this gun at your head. where are you coming -- are you still on that particular position? that this would not have come about had it not been for the debt limit. sen. nickles: this deal would have never happened if you did not have the debt limit. no way. and can't and i go way back in the senate. i have looked at the debt limit and the votes. the toughest vote i ever had in the senate was the first time i voted for a debt limit extension. i remember ronald reagan calling me at home. hey, got to have you on this one. i was conse

host: can you explain why ssdi is going broke?uest: the social security program -- a lot of lawmakers have said they need to keep it going solvent for this next few decades in order for their amountto get back that they are paying into the system now. the disability fund does not get as much as the retirement fund gets. putress will really have to together some sort of deal in into to extend the program 2060. host: what about nih ad cdc funding? the hs and fbi funding? it does not fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year. the deal increases government spending but basically increases the spending caps. what congress still have to do is pass a compress it government spending package by december 11. in that piece of legislation, that is what would increase homeland security funding, as far as the guidelines for this field, it would increase across the government and lawmakers would fear this field as the framework for those levels in the package. is decemberdeadline 11. does the budget include the tax extenders? if not, i

host: can you explain why ssdi is going broke?st: the social security program -- a lot of lawmakers have said they need to keep it going solvent for this next few decades in order for their amountto get back that they are paying into the system now. the disability fund does not get as much as the retirement fund gets. putress will really have to together some sort of deal in into to extend the program 2060. host: what about nih ad cdc funding? the hs and fbi funding? it does not fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year. the deal increases government spending but basically increases the spending caps. what congress still have to do is pass a compress it government spending package by december 11. in that piece of legislation, that is what would increase homeland security funding, as far as the guidelines for this field, it would increase across the government and lawmakers would fear this field as the framework for those levels in the package. is decemberdeadline 11. does the budget include the tax extenders? if not, is