Would there be political pressure to make the IA balance available to disabled workers?
If so, what is the appropriate policy response? Pressure to make the account available to disabled workers could be prompted by terminal illness and prospects for early death of disabled workers. The death rate among disabled worker beneficiaries is high — between 4.5 and 5 percent a year. These death rates are much higher than for the general working-aged population — which range from about 0.1 percent for insured workers at age 30 to about 1.2 percent at age 60. One study found that over one quarter (27 percent) of disabled worker beneficiaries died within 5 years of entering the benefit rolls (Mashaw, 1996, table 6-4). Furthermore, as noted under question 1, disability onset brings unanticipated expenses that pose new financial burdens in addition to the loss of earnings. The problems faced by disabled workers and their families would bring added pressure on policy makers to grant access to the funds to meet immediate needs. Policy options for granting access to the IA funds inclu
