Incentivizing Disability Instead of Wellness

Too often government creates an incentive for both children and adults to become and remain disabled.  This incentive comes in the form of financial payments, medical coverage, and various services, which in too many cases involving children equates to little more than babysitting.

While there needs to be a safety net, especially for the seriously disabled there are solutions for these issues as well.

1.       When payments are made for children, create a tiered approach with the parents/guardians of the most severely disabled receiving the monetary assistance with accountability for where the payments are spent and the parents/guardians of the less seriously disabled (but still eligible) receiving a voucher for specific payment related to the child’s disability.

2.       When the payment is for adults, the most seriously disabled need to continue to receive the monetary assistance with accountability for where the payments are spent and the less seriously disabled (but still eligible) having a stipend for expense with voluntary work obligations at or just below their capacity.  This could be as little as one hour a week.

3.       Services must meet the standards as outlined in the previous posting.

4.       While I believe that the current medical insurance law often referred to as Obama Care, should be deemed unconstitutional and is ruinous to the nation, we must find a way to provide medical coverage to more people with and without disabilities.  This can be done by states with the help of federal law to lower the cost of health care.  Too many people have too high an incentive to remain disabled just for the medical coverage.  For example: a man I worked with many years ago and who had severe Diabetes and who was on state assistance.  I helped him become employed and as his hours increased, he lost his financial assistance (no problem, he had his wages) then his hours increased further and he brought in more money and lost his food stamps (no problem, he had his wages) then his hours increased and he brought in more money and he lost his medical coverage.  (Big problem and enormous anxiety over covering the cost of his essential medical care.)  He was back on state assistance and soon on federal assistance as completely disabled.