Work harder! There are now only 13 workers for each disability recipient

The number of Americans receiving disability benefits has almost reached 11 million as of April. According to CNS News, that's more people than live in the country of Greece.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - A record number of Americans are now receiving disability benefits and the ratio of workers to beneficiaries has dropped to just 13 full-time workers to each person on benefits.

According to CNS News, the record number of recipients exceeds the total population of Greece, a country that is facing economic troubles due in part to decades of lavish spending on social services.

The numbers reported by the Social Security Administration include 8,865,586 disabled workers, their 1,936,236 children, and 160,710 spouses who are also receiving benefits.

The rise in the number of disability claims has several factors. Fraudulent claims have increased because of slow economic conditions, however these claims are typically weeded out before they are paid. More common is the lack of affordable, quality health care, which leaves many workers disabled because they defer treatment or receive inadequate care.

Still, the number of workers to recipients has reached a troubling ratio. Using records dating back to December, 1968, CNS News explains there was a ratio of 52 workers to each recipient. Today, with that ration at an all-time low of 13 to 1, it is easy to imagine that something has gone horribly wrong in our nation.

Despite advances in workplace safety and overall working conditions, as well as medical improvements over 1968, there remains an astounding and growing number of Americans on disability.

Learning what is behind this increase is key to tackling the issue, a critical first step if America should like to avoid the fate of Greece.

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