According to the Obama administration, while the amount of people needed unemployment benefits is decreasing, many people whose benefits have expired are turning to Social Security disability benefits. It could lead to cuts in the future to a program that is desperately needed by those who cannot work because of medical conditions.

Since 2007, the number of Americans receiving SSDI benefits has risen by 3.4 million. Total recipients have increased by 47 percent since 2002, with 10.6 million now receiving SSDI. Benefits include a monthly check as well as enrollment in the Medicaid and Medicare programs, according to a White House study reported on by the Wall Street Journal.

Once recipients enter the system, they typically continue on SSDI until retirement age. The White House report put the total of benefits to $240,000 per person over a lifetime.

The increase in SSDI recipients worries experts, who fear the Social Security Trust Fund will deplete faster than expected because of the increase in SSDI payouts. People also are more frequently asking Social Security officials to take a second look at their case if benefits have been denied. In many cases, it's working, with one Pennsylvania college business professor who studies Social Security saying more conditions than ever are being accepted as a disability.

The professor said that as Congress talks about reforming Social Security, officials need to consider changes to SSDI, which represents 18 percent of Social Security expenses.

But while more and more people are coming to rely on SSDI, it's important to remember why the program is there in the first place and the people who benefit from it. Without SSDI, many disabled people would have nowhere to turn for help.

Source: Public Radio International, "As unemployment benefits claims decline, disability claims rise," Dec. 29, 2011