Annual Statistical Supplement, 2015

Highlights and Trends

Social Security (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance)

Employment and Earnings

Workers in OASDI covered employment, 2014 165.6 million
Average earnings, 2014 $45,017
Earnings required in 2015 for—  
1 quarter of coverage $1,220
Maximum of 4 quarters of coverage $4,880
Earnings test exempt amounts for 2015  
Under full retirement age for entire year $15,720
For months before reaching full retirement age in 2015 $41,880
Beginning with month of reaching full retirement age in 2015 Test eliminated

Program Data

Cost-of-living adjustment for December 2014 1.7 percent
Average monthly benefit, December 2014  
Retired workers $1,329
Widows and widowers, nondisabled $1,276
Disabled workers $1,165
Number of beneficiaries, December 2014  
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance 59.0 million
Old-Age Insurance  
Total 41.9 million
Retired workers 39.0 million
Survivors Insurance  
Total 6.1 million
Widows and widowers, nondisabled 3.8 million
Disability Insurance  
Total 10.9 million
Disabled workers 9.0 million
Benefit payments, 2014  
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance $848.5 billion
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance $706.8 billion
Disability Insurance $141.7 billion
Administrative expenses, 2014  
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance  
Amount $3.1 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 0.4 percent
Disability Insurance  
Amount $2.9 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 2.1 percent

Program Trends

Supplemental Security Income

Annual Payment Adjustments

Monthly federal benefit rate, effective January 2015  
Individual living in his or her own household $733
Couple with both members eligible $1,100
Cost-of-living adjustment 1.7 percent

Program Data

Federally administered payments  
Benefits paid in 2014 $54.7 billion
Number of recipients, December 2014 8.3 million
Average benefit, December 2014 $532.08
Federal SSI payments  
Benefits paid in 2014 $51.6 billion
Number of recipients, December 2014 8.2 million
Average benefit, December 2014 $516.62
Federally administered state supplementation  
Benefits paid in 2014 $3.1 billion
Number of recipients, December 2014 a 1.5 million
Average benefit, December 2014 $141.55
a. Includes almost 1.4 million persons receiving federal SSI and state supplementation and almost 0.2 million persons receiving state supplementation only.

Program Trends

Health Care

Medicare

Total benefits paid in calendar year 2014  
Hospital Insurance (Part A) $264.9 billion
Supplementary Medical Insurance (Part B) $339.6 billion
Number of enrollees in July 2014 (one or both of Parts A and B) 54.1 million
Aged 45.1 million
Disabled 9.0 million
Administrative costs, 2014  
Hospital Insurance  
Amount $4.5 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 1.7 percent
Supplementary Medical Insurance  
Amount $4.4 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 1.3 percent

Medicaid

Medical service expenditures in fiscal year 2013 $381.8 billion
Number of unduplicated recipients, fiscal year 2013 73.7 million
Average 2013 vendor payment per unduplicated recipient  
Persons aged 65 or older $15,104
Permanently and totally disabled persons $16,030
Dependent children under age 21 $3,498
Average 2013 vendor payment for medical services  
Nursing facility services $27,585
Inpatient general hospital care $3,897
Prescribed drugs $443
Physicians services $222

Other Social Insurance Programs and Veterans' Benefits

Unemployment Insurance

Total payments, 2013 $38.8 billion
Average—  
Weekly benefit amount (regular programs) $309.87
Duration of benefits 16.9 weeks
Weekly insured unemployment 2.9 million
Covered employment 132.1 million

Workers' Compensation

Benefit payments, 2013 $63.6 billion
Compensation payments $32.0 billion
Medical and hospitalization $31.5 billion
Benefits paid by—  
Private insurance carriers $35.3 billion
State and federal funds $13.3 billion
Employers' self-insurance $15.0 billion
Covered workers per month 129.6 million
Costs as a percentage of covered payroll 1.37 percent

Temporary Disability Insurance

Average weekly benefit, 2012  
California  
State fund $450
Private plans $1,068
New York  
Private plans $209
NOTE: Programs in effect in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, and the railroad industry.

Black Lung Benefits

Basic monthly benefit to miner or widow $638
Maximum monthly family benefit $1,276
Part B (claims filed on or before December 31, 1973)  
Number of monthly benefits to miners, widows, and dependents, December 2014 14,946
Total benefits paid, calendar year 2014 $117.6 million
Part C (claims filed after December 31, 1973)  
Total benefits paid, fiscal year 2014  
Disability and survivors benefits $153.7 million
Medical benefits $26.1 million

Veterans' Benefits

Number of veterans with disability compensation or pension, 2014  
Service-connected disability 3,949,000
Nonservice-connected disability 305,000
Monthly payment in 2015 for—  
Service-connected disability  
10 percent disability $133
Total disability $2,907
Nonservice-connected disability (maximum payment)  
Without dependent $1,072
With one dependent and in need of aid and attendance $2,198

Poverty Data

Weighted average poverty thresholds, 2014  
Individual, aged 65 or older $11,354
Couple, householder aged 65 or older $14,326
Family of four $24,230
Percentage of population with income below poverty level, 2014  
All ages 14.8 percent
Children under age 18 living in families 20.7 percent
Persons aged 65 or older 10.0 percent