Social Security (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance)
Employment and Earnings
Workers in OASDI covered employment, 2010
156.7 million
Average earnings, 2010
$40,410
Earnings required in 2011 for—
1 quarter of coverage
$1,120
Maximum of 4 quarters of coverage
$4,480
Earnings test exempt amounts for 2011
Under full retirement age for entire year
$14,160
For months before reaching full retirement age in 2011
$37,680
Beginning with month of reaching full retirement age in 2011
Test eliminated
Program Data
Cost-of-living adjustment for December 2010
0.0 percent
Average monthly benefit, December 2010
Retired workers
$1,176
Widows and widowers, nondisabled
$1,134
Disabled workers
$1,068
Number of beneficiaries, December 2010
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance
54.0 million
Old-Age Insurance
Total
37.5 million
Retired workers
34.6 million
Survivors Insurance
Total
6.4 million
Widows and widowers, nondisabled
4.0 million
Disability Insurance
Total
10.2 million
Disabled workers
8.2 million
Benefit payments, 2010
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance
$701.6 billion
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
$577.4 billion
Disability Insurance
$124.2 billion
Administrative expenses, 2010
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
Amount
$3.5 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid
0.6 percent
Disability Insurance
Amount
$3.0 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid
2.4 percent
Program Trends
About 54.0 million persons received Social Security benefits for December 2010, an increase of 1,509,149 (2.9 percent) since December 2009. Sixty-nine percent were retired workers and their spouses and children, 12 percent were survivors of deceased workers, and 19 percent were disabled workers and their spouses and children.
Seventy-four percent of the 34.6 million retired workers received reduced benefits because of entitlement prior to full retirement age. Relatively more women (76.4 percent) than men (71.4 percent) received reduced benefits.
The number of beneficiaries aged 65 or older rose from about 34.0 million in 2005 to more than 37.2 million in 2010 (9.4 percent). The number of beneficiaries aged 85 or older increased at a greater rate during the 5-year period (16.7 percent), from fewer than 4.5 million in 2005 to more than 5.2 million in 2010. In 2010, about 51,000 centenarians were receiving Social Security.
About 21.0 million women aged 65 or older received benefits for December 2010. About 9.3 million (44.0 percent) were entitled solely to a retired-worker benefit. About 6.2 million (29.4 percent) were dually entitled to a retired-worker benefit and a wife's or widow's benefit, and about 5.6 million (26.7 percent) were receiving wife's or widow's benefits only.
More than 3.2 million children under age 18 received benefits, including 1,239,083 children of deceased workers, 1,660,196 children of disabled workers, and 309,512 children of retired workers.
About 9.4 million persons received benefits based on disability—8,203,951 disabled workers, 949,200 disabled adult children, and 244,953 disabled widows and widowers. In addition, 160,300 spouses and 1,722,388 minor and student children of disabled workers received benefits.
Average monthly benefits for December 2010 were $1,176 for retired workers, $1,068 for disabled workers, and $1,134 for nondisabled widows and widowers. Among retired workers, monthly benefits averaged $1,323 for men and $1,023 for women. For disabled workers, average monthly benefits were $1,191 for men and $931 for women. No cost-of-living adjustment for 2011 went into effect in December 2010.
Average monthly family benefits for December 2010 were $2,133 for a widowed mother or father and children; $1,838 for a disabled worker, wife, and children; and $2,419 for a retired worker, wife, and children.
Total OASDI benefit payments for calendar year 2010 were $701.6 billion. Payments from the OASI trust fund were $577.4 billion—an increase of 3.6 percent from the $557.2 billion paid in 2009.
Benefit payments from the DI trust fund, from which benefits are paid to disabled workers, their spouses, and children, increased by 5.0 percent from $118.3 billion in 2009 to $124.2 billion in 2010.
OASDI benefit awards in calendar year 2010 totaled 5,697,011, including 2,634,439 to retired workers, 510,140 to their spouses and children, and 902,437 to survivors of insured workers. Benefits were awarded to 1,026,988 disabled workers and to 623,007 of their spouses and children.
Supplemental Security Income
Annual Payment Adjustments
Monthly federal benefit rate, effective January 2011
Individual living in his or her own household
$674
Couple with both members eligible
$1,011
Cost-of-living adjustment
0.0 percent
Program Data
Federally administered payments
Benefits paid in 2010
$48.2 billion
Number of recipients, December 2010
7.9 million
Average benefit, December 2010
$500.69
Federal SSI payments
Benefits paid in 2010
$44.6 billion
Number of recipients, December 2010
7.7 million
Average benefit, December 2010
$478.73
Federally administered state supplementation
Benefits paid in 2010
$3.6 billion
Number of recipients, December 2010
2.4 million a
Average benefit, December 2010
$124.29
a. Includes 2.1 million persons receiving federal SSI and state supplementation and 0.3 million persons receiving state supplementation only.
Program Trends
In December 2010, 7,912,266 persons received federally administered SSI payments—235,580 more than the previous year. Of the total, 2,041,490 (25.8 percent) were aged 65 or older; 4,631,507 (58.5 percent) were blind or disabled aged 18–64; and 1,239,269 (15.7 percent) were blind or disabled under age 18.
The number of blind or disabled aged 18–64 rose by 180,219 (4.0 percent) between December 2009 and December 2010, and the number under age 18 increased by 39,481 (3.3 percent).
During 2010, 1,042,124 persons were awarded federally administered payments, an increase of 42,584 from the previous year. Of the 2010 awards, 731,265 went to blind or disabled recipients aged 18–64, 204,219 to those blind or disabled under age 18, and 106,640 to recipients aged 65 or older.
Total federally administered SSI payments were $48.2 billion in 2010, up 3.2 percent from 2009. Federal SSI payments in 2010 were $44.6 billion (an increase of 4.6 percent over the previous year). Federally administered state supplementation totaled $3.6 billion.
Health Care
Medicare
Total benefits paid in calendar year 2010
Hospital Insurance (Part A)
$244.5 billion
Supplementary Medical Insurance (Part B)
$271.4 billion
Number of enrollees in July 2010 (one or both of Parts A and B)
47.7 million
Aged
39.6 million
Disabled
8.0 million
Administrative costs, 2010
Hospital Insurance
Amount
$3.5 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid
1.4 percent
Supplementary Medical Insurance
Amount
$3.5 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid
1.3 percent
Medicaid
Medical service expenditures in fiscal year 2009
$320.8 billion
Number of unduplicated recipients, fiscal year 2009
62.5 million
Average 2009 vendor payment per unduplicated recipient
Persons aged 65 or older
$15,169
Permanently and totally disabled persons
$15,454
Dependent children under age 21
$2,004
Average 2009 vendor payment for medical services
Nursing facility services
$29,448
Inpatient general hospital care
$7,021
Prescribed drugs
$940
Physicians services
$498
Other Social Insurance Programs and Veterans' Benefits
Unemployment Insurance
Total payments, 2009
$79.6 billion
Average—
Weekly benefit amount (regular programs)
$309.60
Duration of benefits
18.8 weeks
Weekly insured unemployment
5.7 million
Covered employment
126.5 million
Workers' Compensation
Benefit payments, 2009
$58.3 billion
Compensation payments
$29.4 billion
Medical and hospitalization
$28.9 billion
Benefits paid by—
Private insurance carriers
$30.5 billion
State and federal funds
$13.7 billion
Employers' self-insurance
$14.2 billion
Covered workers per month
124.9 million
Costs as a percentage of covered payroll
1.30 percent
Temporary Disability Insurance
Average weekly benefit, 2008
California
State fund
$417
Private plans
$644
New York
Private plans
$195
NOTE: Programs in effect in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, and the railroad industry.
Black Lung Benefits
Basic benefit to miner or widow
$625
Maximum family benefit
$1,251
Part B (claims filed before July 1, 1973)
Number of monthly benefits to miners, widows, and dependents, December 2010
25,293
Total benefits paid, calendar year 2010
$208.1 million
Part C (claims filed July 1, 1973, or later)
Total benefits paid, fiscal year 2010
Disability and survivors benefits
$206.3 million
Medical benefits
$31.0 million
Veterans' Benefits
Number of veterans with disability compensation or pension, 2010
Service-connected disability
3,210,000
Nonservice-connected disability
314,000
Monthly payment in 2011 for—
Service-connected disability
10 percent disability
$123
Total disability
$2,673
Nonservice-connected disability (maximum payment)
Without dependent
$986
With one dependent and in need of aid and attendance
$1,950
Poverty Data
Weighted average poverty thresholds, 2010
Individual, aged 65 or older
$10,458
Couple, householder aged 65 or older
$13,194
Family of four
$22,314
Percentage of population with income below poverty level, 2010
