Millions of disabled workers across the United States rely on Social Security Disability. Some of these workers live in urban communities while others live in rural areas. What many people wonder is if rural communities have a stronger reliance on Social Security Disability benefits than urban ones, or vice versa. The truth of the matter is that rural communities do have a stronger reliance upon these benefits. The following information will shed light on the reasons why.
According to recent nationwide data results, it appears that the highest concentrations of individuals on a per capita basis who rely on Social Security Disability benefits reside in poor, rural settings. What is the reason for this? Many experts suggest that those who live in poor, rural communities live in poverty. Those who live in such financial situations have little to no access to medical care and it has been proven that poverty is linked to poor health and greater rates of disability and disabling conditions.
Just how big is the difference in the number of rural Social Security Disability recipients versus the number of urban Social Security Disability recipients? According to statistics, approximately one in every eight of the residents in a rural area located southeast of Kansas City receive Social Security Disability benefits. Kansas City itself, which is not a rural area, has approximately one in every twenty residents receiving Social Security Disability payments. While that number may not seem like much of a difference, when you begin multiplying such numbers by the millions across the United States the picture gets much clearer. Those who live in rural communities and have low incomes and little access to health care are more likely to receive Social Security Disability benefits than those who live in urban areas with higher incomes and access to the healthcare they need.
Does this mean an individual is more likely to be awarded Social Security Disability benefits if he or she lives in a rural area? Not necessarily. The criteria for being approved for disability benefits are the same regardless of where an applicant lives. It appears, however, that those who live in rural areas are more in need of Social Security Disability benefits than those who live in urban areas.
It is important to note that even rural Social Security Disability applicants must be able to prove their eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits. Oftentimes this is hard to do without the help of a Social Security Disability attorney. Fortunately, there are many disability attorneys who serve the rural communities around America and these attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means that the poverty that these applicants suffer does not have to get in the way of proper legal representation.
It is a good idea for anyone, whether living in a rural or urban setting, who is considering a claim for Social Security Disability benefits to retain the services of a Social Security Disability attorney to ensure that they have the best possible chance of receiving the benefits they are entitled to.
