Aspects of Disability Decision Making: Data and Materials

D. Terminations17. DI Worker Terminations—Calendar Years 1985-201017a. Number of DI Worker Terminations, 1985-2010700600500Thousands400300200100OtherConversionDeathRecovery0198519871989199119931995199719992001200320052007200917b. DI Worker Termination Rates, 1985-2010140120Terminations per 1,00010080604020OtherConversionDeathRecovery01985198719891991199319951997199920012003200520072009DI benefits for disabled workers can be terminated for reasons that are grouped into four categories:death, recovery (either medical recovery or return to work), conversion to retirement benefits at fullretirement age, and other (switching to retirement benefits prior to full retirement age, withdrawal ofapplication, or erroneous entitlement). Chart 17a illustrates a steady increase in the number of DI workerterminations since 1985. However, Chart 17b shows that the percentage of beneficiaries terminated hasactually decreased over the years, in large part because beneficiaries have had an increasingly higher survivalrate.The spike in terminations for 1997 was the result of legislation that required SSA to review the eligibilityof people receiving disability benefits based on a diagnosis of drug addiction and alcoholism. Thelegislation eliminated SSDI and SSI benefits for individuals whose disability was based on those conditions.22 Aspects of Disability Decision Making: Data and Materials