Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Abstract
The United States federal government's disability insurance system is a leading example of the problems that arise when a social program combines subjective eligibility criteria with an administrative apparatus that cannot handle the inevitable expenses and delays that such criteria create and that are expensive to reverse. In particular, Black, female, and non-English speaking individuals are most likely to be improperly denied benefits under that program. By contrast, Canada is moving in the right direction with its recent enactment of the Canada Disability Benefit Act. That Act, while obviously not perfect, importantly improves access to social support for people with disabilities throughout Canada. This paper advocates that Canadian policymakers should do what they can to make sure that their country does not replicate the experience in the United States.
Recommended Citation
Neil H. Buchanan, Disability Benefits and Administrative Vulnerability: Lessons for Canada From the US's Social Security System, 61 Osgoode Hall L.J. 501 (2024).