Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2010

Beneficiaries Who Have Filed for Workers' Compensation or Public Disability Benefits

Notes

In December 2010, approximately 581,000 disabled workers on the Social Security Disability Insurance program had filed for workers' compensation or public disability benefits. Disability payments from private sources, such as private pension or insurance benefits, do not affect Social Security disability benefits, but workers' compensation and other public disability benefits may reduce them. Workers' compensation is paid to a worker because of a job-related injury or illness. It may be paid by federal or state workers' compensation agencies or employers or by insurance companies on behalf of employers.

Other public disability benefits that may affect Social Security disability benefits are those paid by a federal, state, or local government for disabling medical conditions that are not job related. Examples are civil service disability benefits, military disability benefits, state temporary disability benefits, and state or local government retirement benefits that are based on disability. Persons who receive Social Security disability benefits and one of the following types of public benefits will not have their Social Security disability benefit reduced:

  • Veterans Administration benefits;
  • State and local government benefits, if Social Security taxes were deducted from earnings; or
  • Supplemental Security Income.

The total amount received from workers' compensation or other public disability benefits and Social Security disability benefits cannot exceed 80 percent of the worker's average current earnings before he or she became disabled. The monthly Social Security disability benefit includes benefits payable to family members. If the total amount of these benefits exceeds 80 percent of average current earnings, the excess amount is deducted from the Social Security benefit. The benefit will be reduced until the month the worker reaches age 65 or the month the other benefits stop, whichever comes first.

Example

Before becoming disabled, the worker's average current earnings were $4,000 a month. The disabled worker, his or her spouse, and their two children would be eligible to receive a total of $2,200 a month in Social Security disability benefits. However, the disabled worker also receives $2,000 a month from workers' compensation. Because the total amount of benefits received ($4,200) is more than $3,200 (80 percent of average current earnings), the family's Social Security disability benefits will be reduced by $1,000.

Chart 7. Distribution of workers, by diagnostic group and sex, December 2010

Among disabled workers who are also receiving workers' compensation or public disability benefits, a disease of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue was the primary diagnosis in December 2010. Mental disorders were the second leading disabling condition. A disorder of the nervous system and sense organs was the third most common disability for women. Injuries were the third most common disability for men. All other impairments were fairly evenly split between men and women.

Bar chart with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for Chart 7. Distribution of workers, by diagnostic group and sex, December 2010 (percent)
Diagnostic group Men Women
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 1.7 2.6
Injuries 8.3 4.4
Mental disorders 16.9 22.1
Circulatory system 4.3 2.3
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 58.1 54.7
Nervous system and sense organs 4.7 7.5
All other impairments 6.1 6.3
 
SOURCE: Table 34.
Table 31. Distribution of workers and dependents who have filed, by reason for having or not having an offset, December 2010
Reason Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled beneficiaries and nondisabled dependents 740,307 100.0 580,834 100.0 159,473 100.0
With offset
Receipt of—
Workers' compensation only
Black Lung 380 0.1 275 a 105 0.1
Harbor Workers and Longshoremen 602 0.1 448 0.1 154 0.1
Federal employees 2,974 0.4 2,302 0.4 672 0.4
State 113,605 15.3 79,923 13.8 33,682 21.1
Public disability only
Federal 1,557 0.2 1,334 0.2 223 0.1
State 9,581 1.3 8,159 1.4 1,422 0.9
Local 568 0.1 418 0.1 150 0.1
Workers' compensation and—
Federal public disability 16 a 15 a 1 a
State public disability 517 0.1 413 0.1 104 0.1
Local public disability 7 a 6 a 1 a
Social Security Disability Insurance (reverse offset) 56,915 7.7 45,039 7.8 11,876 7.4
Without offset
High average current earnings 377,698 51.0 305,141 52.5 72,557 45.5
Entitlement to workers' compensation or public disability benefits is pending 175,887 23.8 137,361 23.6 38,526 24.2
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
a. Less than 0.05 percent.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.
Table 32. Distribution of workers and dependents who have filed, by state or other area of residence, December 2010
State or area Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All areas 740,307 100.0 580,834 100.0 159,473 100.0
Alabama 13,950 1.9 10,623 1.8 3,327 2.1
Alaska 648 0.1 509 0.1 139 0.1
Arizona 9,628 1.3 7,816 1.3 1,812 1.1
Arkansas 7,109 1.0 5,511 0.9 1,598 1.0
California 106,915 14.4 88,496 15.2 18,419 11.5
Colorado 9,269 1.3 7,532 1.3 1,737 1.1
Connecticut 5,960 0.8 4,579 0.8 1,381 0.9
Delaware 2,082 0.3 1,627 0.3 455 0.3
District of Columbia 358 a 300 0.1 58 a
Florida 38,704 5.2 30,871 5.3 7,833 4.9
Georgia 22,218 3.0 17,365 3.0 4,853 3.0
Hawaii 2,139 0.3 1,705 0.3 434 0.3
Idaho 2,554 0.3 2,016 0.3 538 0.3
Illinois 18,394 2.5 14,173 2.4 4,221 2.6
Indiana 5,617 0.8 4,274 0.7 1,343 0.8
Iowa 4,420 0.6 3,459 0.6 961 0.6
Kansas 3,808 0.5 2,998 0.5 810 0.5
Kentucky 21,064 2.8 16,236 2.8 4,828 3.0
Louisiana 11,783 1.6 8,492 1.5 3,291 2.1
Maine 5,877 0.8 4,642 0.8 1,235 0.8
Maryland 5,346 0.7 4,361 0.8 985 0.6
Massachusetts 16,413 2.2 12,444 2.1 3,969 2.5
Michigan 37,176 5.0 29,040 5.0 8,136 5.1
Minnesota 7,123 1.0 5,814 1.0 1,309 0.8
Mississippi 7,242 1.0 5,461 0.9 1,781 1.1
Missouri 13,776 1.9 10,822 1.9 2,954 1.9
Montana 2,919 0.4 2,409 0.4 510 0.3
Nebraska 2,215 0.3 1,715 0.3 500 0.3
Nevada 4,039 0.5 3,361 0.6 678 0.4
New Hampshire 4,050 0.5 3,067 0.5 983 0.6
New Jersey 19,037 2.6 14,501 2.5 4,536 2.8
New Mexico 3,892 0.5 3,128 0.5 764 0.5
New York 87,372 11.8 66,400 11.4 20,972 13.2
North Carolina 22,206 3.0 17,427 3.0 4,779 3.0
North Dakota 982 0.1 767 0.1 215 0.1
Ohio 18,323 2.5 14,876 2.6 3,447 2.2
Oklahoma 8,401 1.1 6,753 1.2 1,648 1.0
Oregon 6,342 0.9 5,212 0.9 1,130 0.7
Pennsylvania 38,094 5.1 29,120 5.0 8,974 5.6
Rhode Island 3,155 0.4 2,596 0.4 559 0.4
South Carolina 14,349 1.9 11,089 1.9 3,260 2.0
South Dakota 1,035 0.1 823 0.1 212 0.1
Tennessee 14,770 2.0 11,576 2.0 3,194 2.0
Texas 17,404 2.4 13,362 2.3 4,042 2.5
Utah 2,030 0.3 1,556 0.3 474 0.3
Vermont 1,167 0.2 900 0.2 267 0.2
Virginia 11,852 1.6 9,225 1.6 2,627 1.6
Washington 12,557 1.7 10,251 1.8 2,306 1.4
West Virginia 9,602 1.3 7,505 1.3 2,097 1.3
Wisconsin 9,517 1.3 7,414 1.3 2,103 1.3
Wyoming 618 0.1 492 0.1 126 0.1
Outlying areas
Puerto Rico 43,084 5.8 32,926 5.7 10,158 6.4
Other b 246 a 147 a 99 0.1
Foreign countries 1,476 0.2 1,070 0.2 406 0.3
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
NOTE: Distribution is by state or other area of residence, not by the state paying benefits.
a. Less than 0.05 percent.
b. Includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.
Table 33. Distribution of workers who have filed, by diagnostic group and age, December 2010
Diagnostic group Total,
all ages
Under 35 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64
Number
Total 580,834 8,448 15,290 35,193 71,283 120,845 158,167 171,608
Congenital anomalies 323 8 13 28 55 65 75 79
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 11,903 69 185 509 1,162 2,319 3,512 4,147
Infectious and parasitic diseases 4,374 50 86 335 747 1,019 1,127 1,010
Injuries 39,428 1,236 1,540 2,876 5,071 7,953 9,869 10,883
Mental disorders
Autistic disorders 50 11 8 3 3 12 6 7
Developmental disorders 105 7 9 13 27 15 21 13
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 70 6 5 7 9 17 19 7
Intellectual disability 5,939 164 193 593 1,042 1,374 1,386 1,187
Mood disorders 68,149 1,337 2,257 5,301 10,152 15,098 17,443 16,561
Organic mental disorders 13,709 397 556 1,159 1,968 2,944 3,392 3,293
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 7,886 354 340 775 1,319 1,890 1,801 1,407
Other 13,971 391 543 1,130 2,111 2,829 3,052 3,915
Neoplasms 6,137 150 159 327 691 1,251 1,666 1,893
Diseases of the—
Blood and blood-forming organs 407 20 17 27 61 89 96 97
Circulatory system 20,474 140 227 621 1,514 3,168 6,054 8,750
Digestive system 3,592 45 84 153 423 753 1,109 1,025
Genitourinary system 2,974 136 148 264 456 567 727 676
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 329,618 3,066 7,497 17,990 38,336 69,180 92,780 100,769
Nervous system and sense organs 33,645 685 1,106 2,282 4,406 6,852 8,839 9,475
Respiratory system 8,588 61 132 314 648 1,552 2,490 3,391
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 726 18 24 53 108 142 178 203
Other 688 19 18 42 85 160 186 178
Unknown 8,078 78 143 391 889 1,596 2,339 2,642
Percent
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Congenital anomalies 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 a a
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 2.0 0.8 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.9 2.2 2.4
Infectious and parasitic diseases 0.8 0.6 0.6 1.0 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.6
Injuries 6.8 14.6 10.1 8.2 7.1 6.6 6.2 6.3
Mental disorders
Autistic disorders a 0.1 0.1 a a a a a
Developmental disorders a 0.1 0.1 a a a a a
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified a 0.1 a a a a a a
Intellectual disability 1.0 1.9 1.3 1.7 1.5 1.1 0.9 0.7
Mood disorders 11.7 15.8 14.8 15.1 14.2 12.5 11.0 9.7
Organic mental disorders 2.4 4.7 3.6 3.3 2.8 2.4 2.1 1.9
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 1.4 4.2 2.2 2.2 1.9 1.6 1.1 0.8
Other 2.4 4.6 3.6 3.2 3.0 2.3 1.9 2.3
Neoplasms 1.1 1.8 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1
Diseases of the—
Blood and blood-forming organs 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Circulatory system 3.5 1.7 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.6 3.8 5.1
Digestive system 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6
Genitourinary system 0.5 1.6 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 56.7 36.3 49.0 51.1 53.8 57.2 58.7 58.7
Nervous system and sense organs 5.8 8.1 7.2 6.5 6.2 5.7 5.6 5.5
Respiratory system 1.5 0.7 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.3 1.6 2.0
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1
Other 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Unknown 1.4 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.5
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
a. Less than 0.05 percent.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.
Table 34. Distribution of workers who have filed, by diagnostic group and sex, December 2010
Diagnostic group Total Men Women
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled workers 580,834 100.0 352,389 100.0 228,445 100.0
Congenital anomalies 323 0.1 180 0.1 143 0.1
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 11,903 2.0 5,861 1.7 6,042 2.6
Infectious and parasitic diseases 4,374 0.8 3,508 1.0 866 0.4
Injuries 39,428 6.8 29,384 8.3 10,044 4.4
Mental disorders
Autistic disorders 50 a 32 a 18 a
Developmental disorders 105 a 70 a 35 a
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 70 a 44 a 26 a
Intellectual disability 5,939 1.0 4,518 1.3 1,421 0.6
Mood disorders 68,149 11.7 31,495 8.9 36,654 16.0
Organic mental disorders 13,709 2.4 10,239 2.9 3,470 1.5
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 7,886 1.4 5,177 1.5 2,709 1.2
Other 13,971 2.4 7,811 2.2 6,160 2.7
Neoplasms 6,137 1.1 3,294 0.9 2,843 1.2
Diseases of the—
Blood and blood-forming organs 407 0.1 194 0.1 213 0.1
Circulatory system 20,474 3.5 15,124 4.3 5,350 2.3
Digestive system 3,592 0.6 2,297 0.7 1,295 0.6
Genitourinary system 2,974 0.5 1,993 0.6 981 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 329,618 56.7 204,653 58.1 124,965 54.7
Nervous system and sense organs 33,645 5.8 16,553 4.7 17,092 7.5
Respiratory system 8,588 1.5 4,932 1.4 3,656 1.6
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 726 0.1 379 0.1 347 0.2
Other 688 0.1 304 0.1 384 0.2
Unknown 8,078 1.4 4,347 1.2 3,731 1.6
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
a. Less than 0.05 percent.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.