Lots of young people on disability?

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Lately it seems all we do in our ER is see very young (like 19-30) unemployed, drug seekers who are "disabled" due to bi-polar or some chronic back/knee pain (that all xrays/CT show no evidence of). While there is no intention of working, these pts continue to have more and more children :mad:. I can't stand it! I actually get a rush if I triage a 20-something pt who DOESN'T have pinpoint pupils. Or falling asleep mid-sentence in my triage chair. Our docs have become tramadol Pez dispensers because they are so sick of it!

Specializes in They know this too!.
I hate seeing people with ADD (or ADHD) get disability benefits. That chaps my butt royally. In fact a lot of disability claims do. I was given the chance to interview for a job with the SSA when I got out of college, but I turned it down because I thought it'd be boring. Now, I think it'd be great to sit there and turn down frivolous claims for a living.

You can't unless you are a physician. :yawn: That is the thing the workers have nothing to do with it, the doctors do. That is where the problem is.

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Specializes in ER.
Why aren't you all as frustrated with whoever is GRANTING the frivolous disability claims? Someone is helping these freeloaders (those who are in fact freeloaders) get disability, people don't just get it on their own. Maybe if there were more checks, balances, and punishments for those granting frivolous disability claims then ER nurses and others wouldn't be so frustrated. The fraud is happening with more than just the patients.

That's like saying it was ok for the burglar to take everything in an unlocked house, because, in fact it was unlocked!! I am frustrated at the people who take advantage because they know EXACTLY what they are doing and how to do it. Do you think they waltz into the welfare office and say, "Hurry along please, I have a nail appt and need to get to the liquor store?" Do they sit in the food stamp office and text on their smart phones? No. Social workers aren't allowed to hook applicants up to lie detectors.

At our local Walmart, on the 2nd of the month (when the food stamps are out) you often get approached by these freeloaders who ask to sel you their food stamps for cash so they can go get their alcohol, ciggies and drugs. I can tell you they sure aren't buying Tylenol!

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Specializes in Paediatrics.

Seriously though disability claims are far more involved then just a claim of not working, there's a huge process to go through that's aimed to stop the fakers. So those enabling it should be an issue. You can be upset with people for being dishonest, they're everywhere but it's not really a solution.

Other then upping the checks and responsibility of those in power how else can you stop those trying to abuse the system? You can't give them a conscience if they don't have one.

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Specializes in They know this too!.
That's like saying it was ok for the burglar to take everything in an unlocked house, because, in fact it was unlocked!! I am frustrated at the people who take advantage because they know EXACTLY what they are doing and how to do it. Do you think they waltz into the welfare office and say, "Hurry along please, I have a nail appt and need to get to the liquor store?" Do they sit in the food stamp office and text on their smart phones? No. Social workers aren't allowed to hook applicants up to lie detectors.

At our local Walmart, on the 2nd of the month (when the food stamps are out) you often get approached by these freeloaders who ask to sel you their food stamps for cash so they can go get their alcohol, ciggies and drugs. I can tell you they sure aren't buying Tylenol!

They have a card here so they can't sell it for cash. They don't use paper anymore. Unless they shop with them, stand in line and put their pin number in. Which I mean really they would really have to be desperate for this.

I would be quite frustrated too if someone said I was having my nails done in the ER, excuse me, lmao! :devil:

I like the lie detector idea, too. I was going to say that, but I didn't want to get into trouble. :clown:

I hope that where ever you are they do straighten things out. It sounds like they haven't upgraded their system. There isn't much you can get away with here. They just don't give hand outs. There are rules. I guess the only thing you could do is just keep up with it and vote. See if their is a fraud number, call if they start with all "this and that". Shoot! I know I would.

Just keep your heads up that you don't live that lifestyle. You save lives everyday. :heartbeat

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Specializes in ER.

Also....(sorry I forgot to mention this)...

As for the comment about "being poor is getting under everyone's skin"....The POINT (again) is that these are NOT POOR people! Do we not know what poor is anymore?

Cell phone, ipod, acrylics, tattoos, a $12 a DAY cigarette habit, numerous body piercings, internet, cable and the cash to buy street drugs is not "poor" IMHO

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Specializes in Paediatrics.

Anyone on a disability payment is someone I'd call poor, the amount of money they get is just crap it's like 85% of a low wage. Priorities however yeah that can be messed up, if they're spending their measly amount on the net, phones and nails then that's their call I guess, nothing amazing though.

Here in Australia too you can only go on disability for so many years then the amount is dropped even lower, and you have to return to court and be reassessed.

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Specializes in ER.
They have a card here so they can't sell it for cash. They don't use paper anymore. Unless they shop with them, stand in line and put their pin number in. Which I mean really they would really have to be desperate for this.

They are moving to this debit card system here too (they may have already)

I would be quite frustrated too if someone said I was having my nails done in the ER, excuse me, lmao! :devil:

Do you work in the ER? Because I have been told to hurry up because the mom of a sick child has a nail appt (sad but true)

I like the lie detector idea, too. I was going to say that, but I didn't want to get into trouble. :clown:

That and the drug testing would solve a LOT!

I hope that where ever you are they do straighten things out. It sounds like they haven't upgraded their system. There isn't much you can get away with here. They just don't give hand outs. There are rules. I guess the only thing you could do is just keep up with it and vote. See if their is a fraud number, call if they start with all "this and that". Shoot! I know I would.

We have a caseworker who reports fraud all the time!

Just keep your heads up that you don't live that lifestyle. You save lives everyday. :heartbeat

Thank you and I know, I know! I love helping people (no, really - don't roll your eyes LOL). I just get tired of the abuse sometimes! I had to call CPS twice last week and I am just a bit negative over what I see.

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Specializes in ER.

ugh, I can't figure this board out....I did the quote thing and replied to your comments dance4life but it's intertwined in your post in the same font....i need to get used to posting here :o

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Specializes in Paediatrics.

No one deserves to be abused, like Dance said don't let it get you down too much. You're an amazing person who like anyone gets sick of dealing with everyone else's crap. Particulary in the ER man half the people in there some days I want to kick out because they're certainly not in there for an 'emergency' I can tell you. I think the highest stress area is definately the ER. Feel better hey.

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Specializes in They know this too!.

Yeah I am not doubting any nurses saying you guys are mean. Every state is different and we all learn from each other. It is good to know these things.

Oh, you will get it with the threads... he he...

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That's like saying it was ok for the burglar to take everything in an unlocked house, because, in fact it was unlocked!! I am frustrated at the people who take advantage because they know EXACTLY what they are doing and how to do it. Do you think they waltz into the welfare office and say, "Hurry along please, I have a nail appt and need to get to the liquor store?" Do they sit in the food stamp office and text on their smart phones? No. Social workers aren't allowed to hook applicants up to lie detectors.

At our local Walmart, on the 2nd of the month (when the food stamps are out) you often get approached by these freeloaders who ask to sel you their food stamps for cash so they can go get their alcohol, ciggies and drugs. I can tell you they sure aren't buying Tylenol!

Who said it was okay? Not me.

I am just saying that there is a whole gravy train of fraud going on. Someone is GRANTING these bogus claims. It is not like you can just go order up some disability checks like you order a Big Mac. Until the WHOLE fraud problem is dealt with, their will continue to be many frustrated health care workers about this issue.

In my area it is A LOT harder to get a disability check than food stamps. I have my frustrations about people on food stamps who buy NOTHING but junk by the basketfull, but that is for another forum...

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"Until the WHOLE fraud problem is dealt with, their will continue to be many frustrated health care workers about this issue."

Sorry, meant to say "there." My baby is trying to eat my shoes.

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