Federal Program Expenditures for Working-Age People With Disabilities

The authors estimated that the federal government spent $226 billion in 2002 on working-age people with disabilities, including both cash and in-kind benefits. These expenditures accounted for about 2.2% of the nation's gross domestic product and 11.3% of all federal outlays. States contributed an additional $50 billion under federal—state programs. The bulk of these expenditures provided income support and health care to working-age people with disabilities who were not employed or who had very low earnings. They provide a detailed accounting of the expenditures and question whether the distribution of expenditures is properly aligned with the evolving disability paradigm.