Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2016

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

Notes

In December 2016, approximately 513,000 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 is reduced until the month the worker reaches full retirement age 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 2016

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 2016. 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 2016 (percent)
Diagnostic group Men Women
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 1.3 1.9
Injuries 7.9 4.2
Mental disorders 13.3 17.8
Circulatory system 3.7 2.1
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 63.8 61.4
Nervous system and sense organs 4.5 7.0
All other impairments 5.5 5.8
 
SOURCE: Table 34.
Table 31. Distribution of workers and dependents who have filed, by reason for having or not having an offset, December 2016
Reason Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled beneficiaries and dependents 619,069 100.0 513,496 100.0 105,573 100.0
  With offset
Receipt of—  
Workers' compensation only  
Black Lung 521 0.1 380 0.1 141 0.1
Harbor Workers and Longshoremen 466 0.1 354 0.1 112 0.1
Federal employees 4,788 0.8 3,923 0.8 865 0.8
State 84,736 13.7 63,496 12.4 21,240 20.1
Public disability only  
Federal 825 0.1 745 0.1 80 0.1
State 8,059 1.3 6,801 1.3 1,258 1.2
Local 422 0.1 337 0.1 85 0.1
Workers' compensation and public disability 482 0.1 408 0.1 74 0.1
Social Security Disability Insurance (reverse offset) 48,829 7.9 40,596 7.9 8,233 7.8
  Without offset
High average current earnings 396,077 64.0 334,361 65.1 61,716 58.5
Entitlement to workers' compensation or public disability benefits is pending 73,864 11.9 62,095 12.1 11,769 11.1
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
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 2016
State or area Total Workers Spouses and children
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All areas 619,069 100.0 513,496 100.0 105,573 100.0
Alabama 11,180 1.8 8,928 1.7 2,252 2.1
Alaska 427 0.1 364 0.1 63 0.1
Arizona 7,711 1.2 6,490 1.3 1,221 1.2
Arkansas 5,293 0.9 4,270 0.8 1,023 1.0
California 80,673 13.0 69,905 13.6 10,768 10.2
Colorado 7,320 1.2 6,232 1.2 1,088 1.0
Connecticut 5,313 0.9 4,430 0.9 883 0.8
Delaware 1,754 0.3 1,510 0.3 244 0.2
District of Columbia 303 (L) 279 0.1 24 (L)
Florida 32,335 5.2 27,099 5.3 5,236 5.0
Georgia 21,766 3.5 17,943 3.5 3,823 3.6
Hawaii 1,584 0.3 1,325 0.3 259 0.2
Idaho 2,150 0.3 1,769 0.3 381 0.4
Illinois 17,386 2.8 14,185 2.8 3,201 3.0
Indiana 4,512 0.7 3,673 0.7 839 0.8
Iowa 4,462 0.7 3,706 0.7 756 0.7
Kansas 3,137 0.5 2,586 0.5 551 0.5
Kentucky 15,959 2.6 12,881 2.5 3,078 2.9
Louisiana 9,156 1.5 7,188 1.4 1,968 1.9
Maine 5,348 0.9 4,521 0.9 827 0.8
Maryland 4,541 0.7 3,899 0.8 642 0.6
Massachusetts 16,599 2.7 13,395 2.6 3,204 3.0
Michigan 32,094 5.2 26,324 5.1 5,770 5.5
Minnesota 7,637 1.2 6,490 1.3 1,147 1.1
Mississippi 6,029 1.0 4,819 0.9 1,210 1.1
Missouri 10,660 1.7 8,898 1.7 1,762 1.7
Montana 2,092 0.3 1,792 0.3 300 0.3
Nebraska 1,744 0.3 1,411 0.3 333 0.3
Nevada 3,641 0.6 3,141 0.6 500 0.5
New Hampshire 3,937 0.6 3,197 0.6 740 0.7
New Jersey 14,616 2.4 11,757 2.3 2,859 2.7
New Mexico 3,249 0.5 2,770 0.5 479 0.5
New York 78,103 12.6 63,856 12.4 14,247 13.5
North Carolina 22,598 3.7 18,793 3.7 3,805 3.6
North Dakota 687 0.1 586 0.1 101 0.1
Ohio 14,379 2.3 12,284 2.4 2,095 2.0
Oklahoma 6,419 1.0 5,395 1.1 1,024 1.0
Oregon 6,118 1.0 5,224 1.0 894 0.8
Pennsylvania 38,293 6.2 31,257 6.1 7,036 6.7
Rhode Island 3,001 0.5 2,499 0.5 502 0.5
South Carolina 14,055 2.3 11,509 2.2 2,546 2.4
South Dakota 867 0.1 723 0.1 144 0.1
Tennessee 13,967 2.3 11,428 2.2 2,539 2.4
Texas 11,590 1.9 9,418 1.8 2,172 2.1
Utah 1,642 0.3 1,282 0.2 360 0.3
Vermont 1,043 0.2 876 0.2 167 0.2
Virginia 10,240 1.7 8,455 1.6 1,785 1.7
Washington 12,005 1.9 10,253 2.0 1,752 1.7
West Virginia 5,692 0.9 4,522 0.9 1,170 1.1
Wisconsin 7,552 1.2 6,240 1.2 1,312 1.2
Wyoming 490 0.1 410 0.1 80 0.1
Outlying areas  
Puerto Rico 24,494 4.0 20,394 4.0 4,100 3.9
Other a 134 (L) 94 (L) 40 (L)
Foreign countries 1,092 0.2 821 0.2 271 0.3
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Distribution is by state or other area of residence, not by the state paying benefits.
(L) = less than 0.05 percent.
a. 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 2016
Diagnostic group Total, all ages Under 35 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–FRA
  Number
Total 513,496 4,181 8,425 18,366 40,304 86,102 153,444 202,674
Congenital anomalies 239 (X) (X) 13 23 45 81 68
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 7,763 42 83 200 502 1,241 2,246 3,449
Infectious and parasitic diseases 3,077 19 50 102 241 608 863 1,194
Injuries 33,056 593 871 1,526 3,005 5,589 9,308 12,164
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders 42 7 3 3 6 7 9 7
Developmental disorders 96 (X) (X) 7 12 26 19 26
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 73 (X) (X) 4 10 14 17 22
Intellectual disability 4,029 63 96 152 447 832 1,141 1,298
Mood disorders 45,800 492 913 2,023 4,400 8,443 12,541 16,988
Organic mental disorders 10,833 191 314 594 1,091 1,991 2,897 3,755
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 5,557 188 188 312 616 1,024 1,525 1,704
Other 10,897 290 425 665 1,279 2,187 2,754 3,297
Neoplasms 5,772 129 153 234 446 938 1,626 2,246
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 335 10 10 23 40 50 83 119
Circulatory system 15,688 78 156 335 863 2,146 4,591 7,519
Digestive system 2,767 48 57 103 206 450 798 1,105
Genitourinary system 2,724 96 99 172 333 537 689 798
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 322,855 1,409 4,121 10,121 23,206 52,828 100,421 130,749
Nervous system and sense organs 27,974 415 687 1,314 2,603 4,968 7,810 10,177
Respiratory system 6,867 25 46 134 349 977 2,108 3,228
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 511 11 17 24 43 85 150 181
Other 470 4 6 18 48 69 142 183
Unknown 6,071 61 119 287 535 1,047 1,625 2,397
  Percent
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Congenital anomalies (L) (X) (X) 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 (L)
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 1.5 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.7
Infectious and parasitic diseases 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6
Injuries 6.4 14.2 10.3 8.3 7.5 6.5 6.1 6.0
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders (L) 0.2 (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Developmental disorders (L) (X) (X) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified (L) (X) (X) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L)
Intellectual disability 0.8 1.5 1.1 0.8 1.1 1.0 0.7 0.6
Mood disorders 8.9 11.8 10.8 11.0 10.9 9.8 8.2 8.4
Organic mental disorders 2.1 4.6 3.7 3.2 2.7 2.3 1.9 1.9
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 1.1 4.5 2.2 1.7 1.5 1.2 1.0 0.8
Other 2.1 6.9 5.0 3.6 3.2 2.5 1.8 1.6
Neoplasms 1.1 3.1 1.8 1.3 1.1 1.1 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 3.1 1.9 1.9 1.8 2.1 2.5 3.0 3.7
Digestive system 0.5 1.1 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
Genitourinary system 0.5 2.3 1.2 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 62.9 33.7 48.9 55.1 57.6 61.4 65.4 64.5
Nervous system and sense organs 5.4 9.9 8.2 7.2 6.5 5.8 5.1 5.0
Respiratory system 1.3 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.4 1.6
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Other 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Unknown 1.2 1.5 1.4 1.6 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.2
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: FRA = full retirement age; (X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals; (L) = 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 2016
Diagnostic group Total Men Women
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All disabled workers 513,496 100.0 312,593 100.0 200,903 100.0
Congenital anomalies 239 (L) 126 (L) 113 0.1
Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases 7,763 1.5 3,992 1.3 3,771 1.9
Infectious and parasitic diseases 3,077 0.6 2,475 0.8 602 0.3
Injuries 33,056 6.4 24,714 7.9 8,342 4.2
Mental disorders  
Autistic disorders 42 (L) 32 (L) 10 (L)
Developmental disorders 96 (L) 62 (L) 34 (L)
Childhood and adolescent disorders not elsewhere classified 73 (L) 43 (L) 30 (L)
Intellectual disability 4,029 0.8 3,053 1.0 976 0.5
Mood disorders 45,800 8.9 21,058 6.7 24,742 12.3
Organic mental disorders 10,833 2.1 8,072 2.6 2,761 1.4
Schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders 5,557 1.1 3,652 1.2 1,905 0.9
Other 10,897 2.1 5,652 1.8 5,245 2.6
Neoplasms 5,772 1.1 3,095 1.0 2,677 1.3
Diseases of the—  
Blood and blood-forming organs 335 0.1 172 0.1 163 0.1
Circulatory system 15,688 3.1 11,517 3.7 4,171 2.1
Digestive system 2,767 0.5 1,706 0.5 1,061 0.5
Genitourinary system 2,724 0.5 1,870 0.6 854 0.4
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 322,855 62.9 199,559 63.8 123,296 61.4
Nervous system and sense organs 27,974 5.4 13,993 4.5 13,981 7.0
Respiratory system 6,867 1.3 4,019 1.3 2,848 1.4
Skin and subcutaneous tissue 511 0.1 270 0.1 241 0.1
Other 470 0.1 212 0.1 258 0.1
Unknown 6,071 1.2 3,249 1.0 2,822 1.4
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Workers' Compensation and Public Disability Benefit file, 100 percent data.
NOTE: (L) = less than 0.05 percent.
CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.