Highlights and Trends

Social Security (OASDI)

Employment and Earnings

Workers in OASDI covered employment, 2002	152.8 million
Average earnings, 2002	$32,466
Earnings required in 2003 for—
1 quarter of coverage	$890
Maximum of 4 quarters of coverage	$3,560
Earnings test exempt amounts for 2003
Under full retirement age for entire year	$11,520
For months before reaching full retirement age in 2003	$30,720
Beginning with month of reaching full retirement age in 2003	Test eliminated

Program Data

Cost-of-living adjustment for December 2002	1.4 percent
Average monthly benefit, December 2002
Retired workers	$895
Widows and widowers, nondisabled	$861
Disabled workers	$834
Number of beneficiaries, December 2002
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance	46.4 million
Old-Age Insurance
Total	32.3 million
Retired workers	29.2 million
Survivors Insurance
Total	6.9 million
Widows and widowers, nondisabled	4.6 million
Disability Insurance
Total	7.2 million
Disabled workers	5.5 million
Benefit payments, 2002
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance	$453.8 billion
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance	$388.1 billion
Disability Insurance	$65.7 billion
Administrative expenses, 2002
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
Amount	$2.1 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid	0.6 percent
Disability Insurance
Amount	$2.0 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid	3.1 percent

Program Trends

• About 46.4 million persons received Social Security benefits for December 2002, an increase of 567,000 (1.2 percent) since December 2001. Seventy percent were retired workers and their spouses and children, and another 15 percent were survivors of deceased workers. Sixteen percent were disabled workers and their spouses and children.
• Seventy-two percent of the 29.2 million retired workers received reduced benefits because of entitlement prior to full retirement age. Relatively more women (75 percent) than men (69 percent) received reduced benefits.
• The number of beneficiaries aged 65 or older rose from 31.9 million in 1997 to 33.2 million in 2002 (4.1 percent). Beneficiaries aged 85 or older increased at a greater rate during the 5-year period (10.2 percent) from 3,783,000 in 1997 to 4,170,000 in 2002. In 2002, 40,100 centenarians were receiving Social Security.
• More than 19 million women aged 65 or older received benefits for December 2002. About 7.2 million (37.2 percent) were entitled solely to a retired-worker benefit, and another 5.7 million (29.4 percent) were dually entitled to a retired-worker benefit and a wife's or widow's benefit. About 6.4 million (33.3 percent) were receiving wife's or widow's benefits only.
• Over 3 million children under age 18 received benefits, including 1,350,500 children of deceased workers, 1,422,000 children of disabled workers, and 270,200 children of retired workers.
• About 6.5 million persons received benefits based on disability—5,544,000 disabled workers, 744,500 disabled adult children, and 207,400 disabled widows and widowers. In addition, 151,600 spouses and 1,466,200 minors and student children of disabled workers received benefits.
• The leading causes of disability for disabled workers were mental disorders other than mental retardation (28 percent), and musculoskeletal conditions (24 percent). About 10 percent had circulatory conditions, and an additional 10 percent had diseases of the nervous system and sense organs.
• Average monthly benefits for December 2002, including the 1.4 percent COLA increase, were $895 for retired workers, $834 for disabled workers, and $861 for nondisabled widows and widowers. Among retired workers, benefits averaged $1,008 for men and $774 for women. For disabled workers, average benefits were $935 for men and $709 for women.
• Average monthly family benefits for December 2002 were $1,614 for a widowed mother or father and children; $1,401 for a disabled worker, wife, and children; and $1,769 for a retired worker, wife, and children.
• Total OASDI benefit payments for calendar year 2002 were $453.8 billion. Payments from the OASI trust fund were $388.1 billion—an increase of 4.2 percent from the $372.3 billion paid in 2001.
• Benefit payments from the DI trust fund, from which benefits are paid to disabled workers, their spouses, and children, increased by 10.2 percent from $59.6 billion in 2001 to $65.7 billion in 2002.
• OASDI benefit awards in calendar year 2002 totaled 4,335,700, including 1,812,600 to retired workers, 433,900 to their spouses and children and 873,900 to survivors of insured workers. Benefits were awarded to 750,000 disabled workers and to 465,400 of their spouses and children.

Supplemental Security Income

Annual Payment Adjustments

Monthly federal benefit rate, effective January 2003
Individual living in his or her own household	$552
Couple with both members eligible	$829
Cost-of-living adjustment	1.4 percent

Program Data

Total
Benefits paid in 2002	$34.6 billion
Number of recipients, December 2002	6.9 million
Average benefit, December 2002	$408.64
Federally administered payments
Benefits paid in 2002	$33.7 billion
Number of recipients, December 2002	6.8 million
Average benefit, December 2002	$407.42
Federal SSI payments
Benefits paid in 2002	$29.9 billion
Number of recipients, December 2002	6.5 million
Average benefit, December 2002	$376.76
Federally administered state supplementation
Benefits paid in 2002	$3.8 billion
Number of recipients, December 2002	2.5 million a
Average benefit, December 2002	$127.53
State-administered supplementation
Benefits paid in 2002	$0.8 billion
Number of recipients, December 2002	0.6 million b
Average benefit, December 2002	$110.62
a. Includes 2.2 million persons receiving federal SSI and state supplementation and 0.3 million persons receiving state supplementation only.
b. Includes 151,989 persons receiving state supplementation only.

Program Trends

• In December 2002, 6,787,900 persons received federally administered SSI payments—99,400 more than the previous year. Of the total, 1,995,300 (29.4 percent) were aged 65 or older; 3,877,800 (57.1 percent) were blind or disabled aged 18–64; and 914,800 (13.5 percent) were blind or disabled under age 18.
• The number of blind or disabled aged 18–64 rose by 66,300 (1.7 percent) between December 2001 and December 2002, while the number under age 18 increased by 33,000 (3.7 percent).
• During 2002, 818,100 persons were awarded federally administered payments, an increase of 6.2 percent from the previous year. Of the 2002 awards, 533,500 went to blind or disabled recipients aged 18–64, 169,100 to those blind or disabled under age 18, and 115,500 to recipients aged 65 or older.
• Total SSI payments were $34.6 billion in 2002, up 4.6 percent from 2001. Federal SSI payments in 2002 were $29.9 billion (an increase of 4.2 percent over the previous year). Federally administered state supplementation totaled $3.8 billion (an increase of 10.4 percent); state-administered supplementation totaled $848.0 million, a decrease of 5.3 percent from the previous year's totals.
• In 2002, the leading causes of disability among the blind or disabled between the ages of 18 and 64 and those under age 18 were mental disorders and mental retardation. Among recipients between the ages of 18 and 64, 22.8 percent had mental retardation as the primary diagnosis, and 34 percent were diagnosed with another mental disorder. These conditions were also the most frequent diagnoses for blind or disabled under age 18.

Health Care

Medicare

Total benefits paid in calendar year 2002
Hospital Insurance (Part A)	$149.9 billion
Supplementary Medical Insurance (Part B)	$111.0 billion
Number of enrollees in July 2002 (one or both of Parts A and B)	40.5 million
Aged	34.7 million
Disabled	5.8 million
Administrative costs, 2002
Hospital Insurance
Amount	$2.6 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid	1.7 percent
Supplementary Medical Insurance
Amount	$2.2 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid	2.0 percent

Medicaid

Medical service expenditures in fiscal year 2000	$168.3 billion
Number of unduplicated recipients, fiscal year 2000	42.8 million
Average 2000 vendor payment per unduplicated recipient
Persons aged 65 or older	$11,929
Permanently and totally disabled persons	$10,559
Dependent children under age 21	$1,358
Average 2000 vendor payment for medical services
Nursing facility services	$20,220
Inpatient general hospital care	$4,919
Prescribed drugs	$975
Physicians services	$356

Other Social Insurance Programs and Veterans' Benefits

Unemployment Insurance

Total payments, 2002	$42.1 billion
Average—
Weekly benefit amount (regular programs)	$257
Duration of benefits	16.5 weeks
Weekly insured unemployment	3.6 million
Covered employment	126.5 million

Workers' Compensation

Benefit payments, 2001	$49.4 billion
Compensation payments	$27.4 billion
Medical and hospitalization	$22.0 billion
Benefits paid by—
Private insurance carriers	$27.1 billion
State and federal funds	$11.0 billion
Employers' self-insurance	$11.3 billion
Covered workers per month	127.0 million
Costs as a percentage of covered payroll	1.39 percent

Temporary Disability Insurance ^a

Average weekly benefit, 2000
California b
State fund	$256
Private plans	$399
New York
State fund	$146
Private plans	$185

Black Lung Benefits

Basic benefit to miner or widow	$534.60
Maximum family benefit	$1,069.20
Part B (claims filed before July 1, 1973)
Number of monthly benefits to miners, widows, and dependents, December 2002	71,600
Total benefits paid, calendar year 2002	$439.3 million
Part C (claims filed July 1, 1973, or later)
Total benefits paid, fiscal year 2002
Disability and survivors benefits	$320.0 million
Medical benefits	$64.2 million

Veterans' Benefits

Number of veterans with disability compensation or pension, 2002
Service-connected disability	2,398,000
Non-service-connected disability	347,000
Monthly payment in 2003 for—
Service-connected disability
10 percent disability	$104
Total disability	$2,193
Non-service-connected disability (maximum payment)
Without dependent	$807
With one dependent and in need of aid and attendance	$1,597

Public Assistance Programs

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Total payments, 2002	$10.1 billion
Average monthly number of—
Recipients	5.1 million
Families	2.1 million
Average monthly payment
Per recipient	$167
Per family	$412

Food Stamps

Monthly benefits, beginning October 1, 2003
Four-person household with no income	$471
Standard deduction (one-person to four-person households)	$134
Fiscal year 2002
Average number of participants	19.1 million
Total benefits	$18.3 billion

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance

(Funds issued by the Department of Health and Human Services in fiscal year 2001.)

Block grants to—
50 states and the District of Columbia	$1.36 billion
Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands	$1.9 million
Direct block grants to 128 Indian tribes and tribal organizations	$12.5 million
Leveraging incentive awards to—
37  states	$19.2 million
30 Indian tribes and tribal organizations	$1.4 million
Residential Emergency Assistance Challenge (REACH) program awards to—
5 states	$4.5 million
8 Indian tribes and tribal organizations	$1.2 million
Emergency contingency funds to—
50  states and the District of Columbia	$451 million
128 Indian tribes and tribal organizations	$4.0 million

Poverty Data

Weighted average poverty thresholds, 2002
Individual, aged 65 or older	$8,628
Couple, householder aged 65 or older	$10,885
Family of four	$18,392
Percentage of population with income below poverty level, 2001
All ages	11.7 percent
Children under age 18 living in families	15.7 percent
Persons aged 65 or older	10.1 percent