Long Term Disability Part II: The Golden Circle

Simon Sinek concluded the most successful entities first and foremost answer and promote why they exist before moving to how they will accomplish their vision and what specific actions they will undertake. Per Sinek, the standard line is to start on the outside with what does one do, proceed to how to do it, and then leaving why one does it fuzzy. Unfortunately, consumers are most interested in why an entity does what they do. This is especially true as access to information, services, and goods are at an all time high. Sinek posits entities would benefit by starting in the middle of the circle by answering why they do what they do and then moving outwards to how and what.

Where Simon’s counsel, my blog, and long term disability assistance meet, is discussing the role of long term disability assistance. Put another way, why should we have long term disability assistance?


Disclaimers:

1. Please refer to general Disclaimers page.
2. I have no close relationship with anyone receiving long term disability. I have spoken with a small number on disability and those seeking disability through interactions at my work and through community organizations. Never-the-less, I do confess naivety and imperfect knowledge.
3. Public assistance programs are complicated and I do not purport to be able to construct a perfect system where everyone that needs long term disability insurance receives the perfect amount of assistance and everyone that does not need assistance does not receive it and where funds are collected in a fair and just manner.

Defining the role of long term disability assistance is part two of an anticipated six part series. Please see Part I for an initial introduction. I will start with the listed roles and goals of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and end with my personal thoughts on what the roles and goals of a public funded disability system should encompass.

Supplemental Security Income:

Purpose: The basic purpose of SSI is to assure a minimum level of income to people who are aged, blind, or disabled and who have limited income and resources. (Social Security Handbook)

Goals:

• It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income; and
• It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.

Source: Social Security Administration SSI Website

Social Security Disability Insurance:

General purposes of social security (includes OASI, a.k.a. retirement aspect of Social Security):

• To provide for the material needs of individuals and families;
• To protect aged and disabled persons against the expenses of illnesses that may otherwise use up their savings;
• To keep families together; and 
• To give children the chance to grow up healthy and secure.

Source: Social Security Handbook

My thoughts:

General Purpose: Promote value and dignity through generous physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial support where those with long term disabilities are empowered to thrive as a valued member of society.

Specifically, I support:

• Greater local influence
• I believe national, pubic funded disability assistance should be the quinary safety net (unemployment assistance and food assistance)
• Order of assistance: Self, friends and family, private charities, local/state governments, then national government
• Those in need receiving generous support (financially, emotionally, socially, spiritually, physically)
• Empowering those with disabilities to not only survive, but thrive
• Providing those with long term disabilities avenues to gain dignity
• I believe all people have been created in the image and likeness of God (see disclaimers). We have been graced inherent value regardless of our perceived abilities to contribute to society.
• Personal relationships and integrating those with disabilities into society
• Loneliness I fear is widespread throughout all communities, but especially those who live with disabilities.
• Sustainability
• SSDI to become insolvent in 2016 (Social Security Trustees Report Summary)

In contrast, I am against:

• Impersonal handouts
• Loss of dignity
• One size fits all
• One person’s disability will require a different set of resources than another. Money and time are tools that can produce constructive or destructive consequences. How they are used determines the degree of benefit or harm.
• Enabling/incentivizing individuals to aspire receiving disability assistance 
• Foolish allocation of resources
• There are more needs than our limited resources can meet. Many would support improved education, roads, safety, lower taxes, etc. However, to increase the support of one often requires decreasing the support of another. We need to be wise in determining how we allocate our limited resources.
• Dependency on a government system 
• As stated previously, I support national disability assistance is quinary safety net
• Segregation between those with and without disabilities
• Pity
•  All people have inherent value (see above) and while empathy should be extended, a system solely built on giving out of pity rather than giving out of generous motives will likely be harmful for both the giver and receiver.

Inspirational statements and visions form the necessary foundation to build public assistance programs. However, even with a solid foundation, poor logistics and implementation can be a cause of failure. With a solid foundation of why disability assistance matters, I will transition into looking at the nuts and bolts of our current long term disability system and eventually in part six propose changes.

Next post topic: Disability Part III: Current Programs

Long Term Disability Part I: Champs or Chumps?

"What should we, as a country, do for people who aren't making it? Americans want to be generous. But Americans don't want to be chumps."

- Chana Joffe-Walt - NPR

America provides long term disability assistance through two programs, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

As highlighted in Forbes magazine and National Public Radio, increasingly more debate and discussion is revolving around America’s disability system. SSDI is projected to become insolvent in 2016 and current proposals are on the table to pull money from Social Security retirement funding, a passionate topic for many. Furthermore, there has been an increase in the usage of both SSDI and SSI prompting review of the effectiveness and efficiency of America’s long term disability system. Secondary to these trends, I anticipate disability assistance will receive additional attention in the media and everyday conversations.

As with most public assistance programs, disability assistance is very complex. This is especially true in an aging and growing population coupled with periods of strong and weak economies. Due to the complexity, I will write a series of blog posts detailing various components of America’s disability system including:

1. Overview – Utilization and Costs
• How extensive is disability in America?
2. For and Against
• What do I see as the roles and goals of public funded disability assistance?
3. Current Programs (SSDI and SSI)
• What is currently being done for those with disabilities?
4. Cited Effects
• What effects do others believe public disability assistance produces?
5. Validity of Cited Effects
• What cited effects hold up under closer scrutiny?
6. Proposed Changes
• What changes, if any, would I propose to America’s disability system?

Detailed below is a snapshot of disability in America. Unfortunately whenever data is presented biases are at work. That being said, I have attempted to simply present facts and avoid coloring the statistics with my personal interpretations. In future blog posts I will outline details such as how current programs define and determine if an individual is disabled and include my own analysis and interpretations of available data.

Data has been broken down to include total usage of both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as well as individually. Please refer to titles and captions of graphs below for additional details.

Total Recipients:

~30% receive both SSDI and SSI

Only SSI provides benefits to parents who have children (0-17 years old) with disabilities. SSDI has a category of adult children, however this represents individuals > 18 years old who acquired a disability while a child.

Total Benefits Paid: (administrative fees not included; 2014 CPI adjusted where noted)

SSID benefits have increased in total dollars (both unadjusted and CPI adjusted) and % of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The percent of total benefits to GDP has increased much less in SSI than SSDI. Click link below for expandable graphs of SSI and SSDI benefts.

SSI and SSDI breakdown

CPI adjusted dollars per working person (red line on right vertical axis) shows the amount each working person funds long term disability assistance. In 2012, 76% of the population was considered working population. The other 24% includes children, elderly, and disabled who do not have earned income.

Graph above shows the CPI adjusted average benefit recipients receive and how this compares to the median household income (red line on vertical axis to the right). In general, SSDI average benefits are twice as much as SSI average benefits. I combined them as it gets complicated when factoring in ~30% of recipients receive both SSDI and SSI benefits.

Annual applications and percent approved for benefits:

General reason for receiving benefits: (all current beneficiaries and last year approvals)

Both the left and right vertical axis show diagnosis of only new applicants each year.

References:
SSI 2014 Annual Report
SSDI 2013 Annual Report
Census.gov



Many questions arise from the data above. Why the steady increase in recipients? Should we be concerned with the growing number of children on disability? Why the change in reasons recipients receive assistance? Is the trend from an aging and growing population? More women in the workforce? Greater awareness to those in need there is help available? Waste, fraud and abuse?

With an increasing amount of money being received by a greater number of individuals, are we champions in meeting the complex needs of our citizens or are we chumps in allowing waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money?

Next post I will outline my thoughts on the roles and goals a disability assistance system should meet. I challenge you to contemplate what you see as the role of public funded disability assistance. In addition, based on your defined role, what aspects of disability benefits you are for and against.


Next Post Topic: Disability Part II: Roles and Goals

Book Review V: A Mind for Numbers

Overall rating: 4/5

Estimated Reading Time: 4.5 hours 

• (269 pages, ~ 1 minute per page)

Disclaimer:

• My primary reason for summarizing A Mind for Numbers is to complete my final project for the book’s associated Coursera massive online open course (MOOC). It is worthy of making my Recommended Reading List, however without the need to complete a final project I would have chosen another book to review.
• My assignment requests I “substantially address” three topics. Thus three of my key messages will be presented in greater detail than typical.

Why I chose to read -

• I was interested in taking a MOOC and found the course "Learning How to Learn" very intriguing. A Mind for Numbers was the recommended reading.
• I desire to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of my learning.
• Flows from the possibility of enrolling in a one year masters program this fall and my desire to be a life-long learner
• Learning/reading is a shared interest Renae and I hold. We felt taking a course together would be fun and exciting. Indeed it has!

Background Details -

• Subject: A summary of research on how our minds learn and retain information. Specifically details techniques and methods for maximizing one's ability to learn.
• Year Published: 2014
• Author: Barbara Oakley
• MOOC Co-instructor: Terry Sejnowski
• Setting: In the midst of an age demanding a high ability and capacity to learn new information and continually adapt to new technologies and knowledge, knowing how to effectively and efficient learn has never been more essential to career success.

Author Details -

• Education
• Professor of engineering, Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan (current)
• Ph.D. in Systems Engineering, Oakland University (unspecified)
• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Washington (1986)
• B.A. in Slavic Languages and Literature, University of Washington (1977)
• Interesting Notes
• Worked on Soviet fishing trawler on the Bearing Sea as a Russian translator
• Radio operator at South Pole Station in Antartica
• Creator of 3rd most popular MOOC on Coursera

Reflections (book and MOOC) -

I feel I am being a little critical as I think both the book and MOOC were really good. However other books have excited me much more (see Recommended Reading List).

What I Appreciated -

• Excellent content – Synthesized hundreds of references to present many effective learning techniques and habits research has found.
• References were also cited extremely well
• Easy and quick read that will benefit my learning for many years to come.
• Utilizes analogies and metaphors to teach and improve the retention of key messages.

Shortcomings -

• Knowledge does not always translate to action.
• I feel realistic expectations could have been stated regarding time to adopt new learning methods.
• Seems almost too basic. But maybe that is because knowing how to learn is basic, but actually doing it is difficult :).
• While it is beneficial to understand the biology and reasons certain techniques work, I feel these at times unnecessarily lengthened the final text.

Key Topics -

1) Focused and Diffuse mode

• Our mind uses two modes, the focused and diffuse mode. Many are aware of the focused mode which we use when intensely concentrating on understanding new material. The focused mode is essential for transferring new information into memory, however in order to fully comprehend our newly acquired material the diffuse mode is also of great benefit. 
• The diffuse mode of thinking is a more relaxed state of learning. The diffuse mode engages when we remove our self from intensely concentrating, and instead loosely hold the information in our minds. It often operates during activities such as light exercise, showering, eating, and even sleeping! Unlike the focused mode, the diffuse mode allows our mind to connect new information with more distant parts of our brain to further our understanding and mastery of new information.
• It is important to recognize both modes of thinking are essential to effective and efficient learning. As one cannot be in both modes at once, it is beneficial to improve one’s ability to quickly switch between the focused and diffuse modes of thinking.
• The Pomodoro technique is an excellent technique to engage both modes. The Pomodoro technique consists of removing distractions and intensely focusing on material for ~25 minutes. After ~25 minutes, a 3-5 minute break with a reward is given. This small break allows one’s mind to transition into the diffuse mode and provides a built in reward system for focused, undistracted learning. Multiple Pomodoro sessions can strung together during longer study sessions. Of note, after the fourth Pomodoro session, it is recommended to take a longer break (~30 minutes).
• To-do lists are a second application of engaging both the focused and diffuse modes. As stated by Barbara Oakley in A Mind for Numbers, it is effective to form to-do lists for the following day the night before. The focused mode is utilized in forming the to-do list, followed by diffuse mode operating during your sleep to prepare you for action the following day. Not only do to-do lists utilize both modes of thinking, but they also aid in learning through freeing up working memory as discussed in key topic #2 below.

2) Working and long-term memory

• Similar to having two modes of thinking, our minds have two memory states, a working memory and a long-term memory. A typical person’s working memory is able to hold four “chunks” of information. Individuals are unable to expand the number of chunks they can hold, but are able to increase the size of the chunks as one becomes more familiar with material. This is demonstrated through the use of to-do lists. If you know what you want to be doing, additional space in freed in your working memory rather than having space taken up by thinking about what you should be doing.
• Working memory is temporal in nature. Barbara Oakley describes working memory as a blurry chalkboard, able to quickly be erased and replaced with new information. In comparison, long-term memory serves as a large storage warehouse. With effort from your working memory, you are able to retrieve long-term memories.
• Many methods and techniques were presented to aid in the development of long-term memory. Utilizing active recall in combination with spaced repetition can greatly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of forming long term neural connections. Anki is a website that uses computer algorithms to optimize the use of spaced repetition via computerized notecards.
• Furthermore, our minds have exceptional spatial and visual abilities. Enlisting the use of evocative images and memory palaces greatly aids one in committing information in working memory to long-term memory. See Joshua Foer's TED Talk for a great video on the use of these techniques in memory competitions. Oakley also promotes the use of meaningful groups and memorable sentences to aid in the storage and retrieval of long-term memories. Two examples of these include the using acronyms such as MONA and “Old People From Texas Eat Spiders”.
• MONA: Morphine, Oxygen, Nitroglycerin, Aspirin. Four interventions for patients presenting to an emergency department with a verified heart attack.
• “Old People From Texas Eat Spiders” is to assist the retrieval of the names of our cranial bones: Occipital, Parietal, Frontal, Temporal, Ethmoid, and Sphenoid.

3) Illusions of Learning

• A third main topic of A Mind for Numbers is to be aware of and avoid illusions of learning. These are behaviors and traps that trick our minds into believing we are learning, when in fact we are forming poor and temporary neural connections that are quickly lost.
• Passive rereading, the process of simply skimming over recently read material, is an illusion I have frequently succumbed to. During passive rereading, I fool myself into thinking I know and understand material only to “choke” when forced to use active recall to retrieve the information (aka tests).
• Another illusion of learning I have experienced in the phenomenon of overlearning. Overlearning is the repetitive studying of the same material during the same study session. Our minds are only able to learn or master a certain amount of the same material in each study session. Studying beyond this is inefficient and tricks our minds into thinking we have learned the material. Instead, we have failed to build strong, long-term neural connections. It is far more effective and efficient to use the techniques of spaced repetition as described above to commit material into long-term memory.
• I find myself engaging in overlearning when I have procrastinated and feel forced to quickly memorize information. While I may remember some of the material during my times of overlearning, I miss how to apply or where the information fits into the big picture.
• Other illusions of learning covered in A Mind for Numbers include the Einstellung effect, only concentrating on “easy problems”, and not utilizing interleaving to know both how and when to use information.

Who do I recommend read -

• Anyone interested how to improve their learning
• High school students who would benefit from the techniques and habits listed not only for their entire lives, but also avoid ingraining poor study/learning habits at an early age which would need to be corrected later.
• Teachers - they are in an ideal position to instruct students on effective learning methods and resources.
• Anyone who considers themselves a poor learner. It may be they received little to no instructed and/or developed productive study habits.

Who do I recommend not reading -

• Someone who does not plan to every learn anything again. I’m not sure who this person is but maybe they exist?

While bordering on lengthy, Barbara Oakley’s A Mind for Numbers compiles and presents in layman’s terms many effective and efficient techniques and habits to improve one’s ability to learn and retain new material. In today’s marketplace, the demand for learning, synthesizing, and teaching new information has never been greater. A Mind for Numbers and Oakley’s associated Coursera MOOC are worthy of your time and effort.

Next Post Topic: Disability Part I: Overview

Fantasy Football 2014 Recap

The 2014 Fantasy Football season went as anticipated and outlined in my 2014 Draft Recap post. Unproven RBs and injuries hamstrung my efforts in my 12 team LDF league, while a deep bench propelled me to victory in my 8 team Bemidji league.


Goal overview -
As set in 2014 Draft Prep post, I was able to achieve two out of three goals, however I fell short of achieving one goal in my LDF league:

1. Make playoffs in all leagues
• Went 2/2
2. Have a 59% overall win rate amongst all leagues
• 16-11 combined record (59% win rate)
3. Finish in the top half of each league with median total weekly points
• Bemidji: 1/8; LDF: 9/12

While I was able to meet the majority of my goals, I am more interested in the process as opposed to the outcome of achieving my goals. I have listed an analysis of my process on both leagues below.

Bemidji Recap - 8 team, 2 QB, ppr (actual draft)

Record: 10-4 (1st place); 1st in total points

• As predicted had a very solid team (2014 Draft Recap)
• Scored the most points in 7 out of 16 weeks and top 3 in points in 14/16 weeks
• Won 9 out of 10 games to end the season
• Lost only Cruz and Ellington to injuries
• Also Floyd and Fitzgerald with the Carson Palmer injury
• Gronk stayed health all year!
• Picking up T.Y. Hilton, C.J. Anderson, and Beckham really helped
• Don’t feel as bad about Beckham as I lost Cruz for the year
• Disappointing year by Stafford
• Injury to Calvin Johnson hurt him. A switch in offensive coordinators likely was a setback as well. Difficult to tell. I thought the addition of an actual 2nd receiver in Golden Tate would have helped more. Only 22 TD passes. 5 less than Flacco and Tannehill.
• Difficult schedule as I had the 2nd most points scored against me
• Looking at the draft board, as much as I want to say I should have taken Antonio Brown, I simply had Stafford ranked in a Tier of his own between the Top 3 and 5 through 17 QBs. I knew I could wait on RB which left me with choosing between a third straight WR (already drafted Calvin and Dez) and a QB.
• I valued flexibility over straight value and I believe this benefited me by being able to take Gronk at 53 overall rather than feeling squeezed to take my first QB.
• Too many good players left on the board allowed me to have a crazy bench in Pierre Thomas, Golden Tate, Rashad Jennings, Michael Floyd
• One mistake was taking a Bill Belichick RB in Vereen over a main RB in Bell

LDF Recap - 12 team, 2 keeper, non-ppr

Record: 6-7 (8th); 9th in total points

• Suffered regular season woes with injuries to Montee Ball, Calvin Johnson, Rashad Jennings, Carson Palmer (large effect on Michael Floyd and Andre Ellington), and lingering injury to Andre Ellington
• Difficult year after missing on Ball, Patterson, Crabtree and injuries to Ellington, Jennings, Johnson, Floyd
• I had picked up Ronnie Hillman, but C.J. Anderson was the Denver RB I needed. I knew one was going to have a great year. I just missed twice :/
• Missed players during draft
• T.Y. Hilton, Emmanuel Sanders, DeSean Jackson
• Not a lot of opportunities. I liked T.Y. Hilton, but I liked Crabtree and Floyd better and I would have had a difficult time drafting Hilton above these two.
• C.J. Anderson and Beckham Jr. were both drafted
• Lost first round playoff game after not starting Baldwin against Philadelphia. Instead I started an injured Rashad Jennings at Tennessee :(

General Player Recap -

• Rookie WRs performed very well
• Beckham, Evans, Benjamin, Cooks, and to a degree Watkins
• 2nd year RBs performed well
• Lacy, C.J. Anderson, Bell
• Top level players all performed relatively well
• Some regression with McCoy, Graham, and Brandon Marshall

Proposed Draft Changes -

• I am well satisfied with my drafting process and see little need for change. This is promising as 2014 was my 11th year of drafting teams.
• In snake type drafts, I believe I thrive on have middle picks rather than end picks. This allows me to better gauge who will be available for my next pick.
• I plan to continue trying to trade into middle picks going forward.
• I was pleased with trading out of the early round picks and drafting a WR or QB in the 1st round. I believe I will continue to do this as well.
• I will revert back to staying away from Bill Belichick running backs. I thought this was the year for Vereen to dominate ppr leagues, but was left disappointed.

I remain well pleased with my current approach to fantasy football and plan to continue outlining my approach in future posts (Part I). After watching a total of three games in 2014, I also firmly believe one does not need to watch games to win their fantasy football league. With another year in the books, I look forward to enjoying three great weeks of playoff football. I predict the Seattle Seahawks repeat as champions with a 4 point victory over the Denver Broncos.

Next Post Topic: Disability Overview