Rebecca Vallas (’09), Chief Executive Officer at National Academy of Social Insurance, was quoted in an NPR investigation into how antiquated asset limits for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) keep people in poverty (“These Disabled People Tried to Play by the Rules. It Cost Them Their Federal Benefits,” Jun. 8). Noting SSI’s “dehumanizing and hyper-restrictive eligibility criteria,” Rebecca pointed out how almost every state has reformed or eliminated asset limits for other income assistance programs. “And yet, which program has been completely left out from that policy trend? SSI. Mostly because almost since its origins, it’s just always been the forgotten safety net,” she said.
