Elizabeth Harrington documents another example of wasteful government spending for the Washington Free Beacon.
The Social Security Administration approved disability payments to children with fake disabilities, giving families over $700 each month per child.
The agency’s inspector general said families receiving cash benefits for multiple children raise red flags for fraud, identifying one case where a man was able to receive $77,000 a year in benefits claiming disabilities for all eight of his children.
The inspector general released an audit last week finding evidence that parents are “coaching” their children into pretending they are disabled in order to receive benefits. Additionally, the audit found that field offices are not flagging potential fraud cases or performing periodic reviews of children to determine if they still qualify for taxpayer-funded benefits.
“[Field office] personnel noted that parents had an incentive to get their children on [supplemental security income] SSI because of the cash payment,” the inspector general said. “In fact, staff at several [field offices] … told us they believed some parents may have withheld medication, told a child not to speak, or coached a child to ‘act up’ to improve their chances of obtaining SSI payments.”
“Others questioned whether parents should receive cash payments instead of treatment for the child’s disability,” the inspector general said.
While the inspector general said it was “making no conclusions” about whether families should have been approved for disability payments, the audit identified several cases of potential fraud.
For instance, one family received payments of up to $733 for six children diagnosed with ADD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Prescription drugs that treat ADHD can cost as little as $15 per month.
Another household was approved for five children all in the same day.
