Everyday People Matter
On July 10, 2018, the White House signed an Executive Order that gives agency heads greater discretion over the selection of administrative law judges. The United States federal government employs 2,000 judges, with the largest number serving in the Social Security Administration as the judiciary for benefit claims. This, in effect, overturns the Administrative Procedure Act (1946), which set up…
In Georgia, there are various programs that help people living in poverty. These programs include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), Head Start, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). SNAP is a program that provides low-income households with food stamps to help pay for the cost of food. In order to be eligible for SNAP in Georgia, you must be a…
The American Community Survey (ACS) estimated the overall rate of individuals with 1 or more disabilities in the United States population as 12.8% or approximately 41,000,000 people. The U.S. Census Bureau classifies somebody as having a disability if they respond “yes” to any of six questions which identify individuals with daily physical and mental limitations. The survey asked whether questions…
For those who successfully apply and qualify for Social Security disability benefits, many people wonder how much they will receive each month in payments. There is not one simple answer to this question, as it depends on which disability benefits you are eligible for, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Also, another factor is how much…
The United Nations (UN) completed a study of poverty in the United States in December 2017. This UN report included data from visits to Alabama, California, Georgia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. More than 5 million Americans live in “absolute poverty,” a term which refers to Americans living in third world conditions. According to the U.S. census, more…
While there are ways to manage the physical symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, including the chronic pain, not as easy is the task of diagnosing and managing the mental conditions that are often associated with rheumatoid arthritis. According to one study that was published in Rheumatology and Therapy, as many as 30% of people who have a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis go…
Matt Bevin, Governor of Kentucky, announced his plans to require all Kentucky residents who receive Medicaid to meet work requirements. Following that decision, the ACLU filed a constitutional law suit. However, shortly after the Governor’s announcements, a federal judge struck the regulations down, stating that they were “arbitrary and capricious”. This issue is very important to many Americans. In April…
POTS disease is a condition that is believed to affect as many as half a million Americans. People who suffer from this condition may experience an increase in the heart rate by as much as 30 or more heart beats per minute without any additional exertion. This increase in heart rate may or may not be accompanied by a change…
Patients who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis may suffer from an acceleration of their symptoms if they put on an excessive amount of weight or lose too many pounds. According to new research, obesity and low weight both have an adverse impact on symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers focused on obesity and its crippling effects on the already very painful…
POTS disease is a lesser-known disease that affects as many as 500,000 Americans. POTS disease and several other conditions are clustered under the blanket term dysautonomia, a group of disorders that result in a malfunctioning of the Autonomic Nervous System. Lack of awareness of this condition means that the first time most patients learn of this disease is when they…