Most recently, there have been many changes happening all over America. One of the most recent changes that happened has affected my two family members and I’m sure many more Americans throughout the United States.

Social Security has increased the monthly allowance for everyone this year, while that may seem like a positive, it actually has very harmful effects.

As we all know, everything is inflated including food, energy, car, insurance and rent. So while everything is more expensive to live in America right now, the income caps for specific medical programs and food stamp eligibility has not changed to reflect inflated prices.

I am going to paint a picture of three different scenarios to better help understand how these changes and lack there of may affect individuals throughout America.

1st scenario- my brother was involved in a motorcycle accident back in 2017, which resulted in him losing his left leg. Although another individual was the cause for the accident, they were hardly held accountable. So now my brother was made an amputee at a young age and became a disabled American. As many Americans know, Social Security disability provides a monthly income to individuals who are unable to work. What many Americans may not know is that income is not enough for the individual to live off of. My brother makes $1,177 a month. In order to paint a picture to better help you understand we have to take in consideration the cost of rent, the cost of food and all the necessities a human has to survive day today. 

According to rent.com, in August 2022, the average rent for a single one bedroom place was $1769. Car insurance averages about $170 a month. The cost to feed one person in America averages to be about $342 a month. The average utility cost for a single bedroom home is around $290 a month. Now with consideration for just the price is named above, my brother already was in the negative just for paying rent. 

In the past, my brother has always lived with another individual in order to afford basic needs. Currently he splits bills with his S/O.Although he lives on a very tight budget, he is still able to meet basic necessities due to the increase that the government issued for Social Security. It has caused a $44 increase monthly. The increase was due to inflation, but the issue is that the programs that he receives like QMB, Medicaid and Medicare did not raise their income cap to be eligible to receive full benefits as a disabled individual. This has left my amputee brother in a situation, where he can no receive full medical coverage therefore he is being advised that his medical supplies will cost over $2700. I want our general public to put themselves in the situation and look outside the box. How can this be OK if he’s only making $1177 a month, how can America expect him to be able to afford paying more than his monthly income for medical items that he needs in order to stay healthy? The $2700 is the charge for sleeves that he needs in order to wear his prosthetic. If he doesn’t use new sleeves, he risk infection and will then cause the risk of needing more of his leg amputated. On top of things due to the $44 increase he lost his snap benefits. We have to do better for people who are at a disadvantage due to situation is out of their control.

2nd Scenerio- my mother, who is also medically disabled is a mother of five children, two of them are adults, and three are very young minors. Her monthly allowance is $1259 a month. She has a multitude of medical issues that are also out of her control and require more than five appointments a month. Due to the increase in Social Security benefits, she is now in the same boat as my brother she has now lost full medical benefits, which leaves my mother to pay 20% of all medical cost. If you use the same averages of monthly payments for basic needs in America that are listed above it is unrealistic that the government expects disabled individuals to live off of that income without full medical coverage in my mothers situation. She also has to take care of her three minor children. Again in order to alleviate the lack of income. My mother has to live with another family in order to be able to afford to live, the issue is with the little income she has she still wouldn’t be able to pay the 20% of medical expenses that is no longer covered due to the Increase.

I am asking for open minded Americans to help assist with this detrimental issue. We are not asking to increase the income of these individuals, but we are asking to make sure that disabled individuals have full access to any medical needs. It is not as simple as telling them to go make more money because they are not able to do so. They don’t have any other options, and we must be the voice for them. 

Please take a stand and fight for this group of Americans that desperately needs our help. It is unrealistic to expect a disabled individual to come up with money to pay for medically necessary medical supplies and appointments.  

This type of thing should not be happening in the great country of America. Let’s fight to make things, right!