Annual Statistical Supplement, 2004

Highlights and Trends

Social Security (OASDI)

Employment and Earnings

Workers in OASDI covered employment, 2003 154.3 million
Average earnings, 2003 $32,808
Earnings required in 2004 for—
1 quarter of coverage $900
Maximum of 4 quarters of coverage $3,600
Earnings test exempt amounts for 2004
Under full retirement age for entire year $11,640
For months before reaching full retirement age in 2004 $31,080
Beginning with month of reaching full retirement age in 2004 Test eliminated

Program Data

Cost-of-living adjustment for December 2003 2.1 percent
Average monthly benefit, December 2003
Retired workers $922
Widows and widowers, nondisabled $888
Disabled workers $862
Number of beneficiaries, December 2003
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance 47.0 million
Old-Age Insurance
Total 32.7 million
Retired workers 29.5 million
Survivors Insurance
Total 6.8 million
Widows and widowers, nondisabled 4.5 million
Disability Insurance
Total 7.6 million
Disabled workers 5.9 million
Benefit payments, 2003
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance $470.8 billion
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance $399.8 billion
Disability Insurance $70.9 billion
Administrative expenses, 2003
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
Amount $2.6 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 0.6 percent
Disability Insurance
Amount $2.0 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 2.8 percent

Program Trends

Supplemental Security Income

Annual Payment Adjustments

Monthly federal benefit rate, effective January 2004
Individual living in his or her own household $564
Couple with both members eligible $846
Cost-of-living adjustment 2.1 percent

Program Data

Total
Benefits paid in 2003 $35.6 billion
Number of recipients, December 2003 7.1 million
Average benefit, December 2003 $418.04
Federally administered payments
Benefits paid in 2003 $34.7 billion
Number of recipients, December 2003 6.9 million
Average benefit, December 2003 $417.16
Federal SSI payments
Benefits paid in 2003 $30.7 billion
Number of recipients, December 2003 6.6 million
Average benefit, December 2003 $383.59
Federally administered state supplementation
Benefits paid in 2003 $4.0 billion
Number of recipients, December 2003 2.5 million a
Average benefit, December 2003 $138.38
State-administered supplementation
Benefits paid in 2003 $0.9 billion
Number of recipients, December 2003 0.6 million b
Average benefit, December 2003 $124.38
a. Includes 2.2 million persons receiving federal SSI and state supplementation and 0.3 million persons receiving state supplementation only.
b. Includes 149,621 persons receiving state supplementation only.

Program Trends

Health Care

Medicare

Total benefits paid in calendar year 2003
Hospital Insurance (Part A) $152.1 billion
Supplementary Medical Insurance (Part B) $123.8 billion
Number of enrollees in July 2003 (one or both of Parts A and B) 41.1 million
Aged 35.0 million
Disabled 6.1 million
Administrative costs, 2003
Hospital Insurance
Amount $2.5 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 1.7 percent
Supplementary Medical Insurance
Amount $2.3 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 1.9 percent

Medicaid

Medical service expenditures in fiscal year 2002 $213.5 billion
Number of unduplicated recipients, fiscal year 2002 49.8 million
Average 2002 vendor payment per unduplicated recipient
Persons aged 65 or older $10,870
Permanently and totally disabled persons $11,408
Dependent children under age 21 $1,271
Average 2002 vendor payment for medical services
Nursing facility services $22,247
Inpatient general hospital care $5,766
Prescribed drugs $1,163
Physicians services $378

Other Social Insurance Programs and Veterans' Benefits

Unemployment Insurance

Total payments, 2003 $41.4 billion
Average—
Weekly benefit amount (regular programs) $262
Duration of benefits 16.4 weeks
Weekly insured unemployment 3.5 million
Covered employment 126.1 million

Workers' Compensation

Benefit payments, 2002 $53.4 billion
Compensation payments $29.2 billion
Medical and hospitalization $24.3 billion
Benefits paid by—
Private insurance carriers $29.0 billion
State and federal funds $12.5 billion
Employers' self-insurance $11.9 billion
Covered workers per month 125.6 million
Costs as a percentage of covered payroll 1.58 percent

Temporary Disability Insurance

Average weekly benefit, 2001
California a
State fund $288
Private plans $449
New York
State fund $145
Private plans $191
NOTE: Programs in effect in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, and the railroad industry.
a. Accounts for half of the workers participating in Temporary Disability Insurance.

Black Lung Benefits

Basic benefit to miner or widow $549.00
Maximum family benefit $1,098.00
Part B (claims filed before July 1, 1973)
Number of monthly benefits to miners, widows, and dependents, December 2003 64,237
Total benefits paid, calendar year 2003 $411.6 million
Part C (claims filed July 1, 1973, or later)
Total benefits paid, fiscal year 2003
Disability and survivors benefits $336.9 million
Medical benefits $55 million

Veterans' Benefits

Number of veterans with disability compensation or pension, 2003
Service-connected disability 2,485,000
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, 2003 $9.5 billion
Average monthly number of—
Recipients 4.9 million
Families 2.0 million
Average monthly payment
Per recipient $162
Per family $393

Food Stamps

Monthly benefits, beginning October 1, 2004
Four-person household with no income $499
Standard deduction (one-person to four-person households) $134
Fiscal year 2003
Average number of participants 21.3 million
Total benefits $21.4 billion

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance

Block grants to—
50 states and the District of Columbia $1.65 billion
Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands $2.3 million
Direct block grants to 132 Indian tribes and tribal organizations $16.4 million
Leveraging incentive awards to—
38 states $19.0 million
28 Indian tribes and tribal organizations $1.6 million
Residential Emergency Assistance Challenge (REACH) program awards to—
6 states $5.5 million
7 Indian tribes and tribal organizations $1.0 million
Emergency contingency funds to—
33 states and the District of Columbia $99.4 million
46 Indian tribes and tribal organizations $613 thousand
NOTE: Funds issued by the Department of Health and Human Services in fiscal year 2002.

Poverty Data

Weighted average poverty thresholds, 2003
Individual, aged 65 or older $8,825
Couple, householder aged 65 or older $11,133
Family of four $18,810
Percentage of population with income below poverty level, 2002
All ages 12.1 percent
Children under age 18 living in families 16.2 percent
Persons aged 65 or older 10.4 percent