Data: Texas ranks third-worst for people waiting for disability benefits, some dying

New applicants for disability benefits are having to wait upwards of seven months for their claims to be processed, according to Social Security Benefit data.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — New applicants for disability benefits are having to wait upwards of seven months for their claims to be processed, according to Social Security Benefit data.

And that's only getting worse, though fewer people have applied for disability benefits in the last three years, according to a USA Facts Report. USA facts is a non-partisan nonprofit that compiles data. It interpreted recent Social Security data released January 2023.

According to data, between December 2021, and December 2022, there was a roughly 68% increase in wait times for disability benefits.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office sent a letter to the U.S. Senate, detailing concerns about applicants dying while waiting for disability benefits and filing for bankruptcy.

This story will be updated by Reporter Jala Washington. She'll include a personal story from a Texan who has been waiting on disability benefits for nearly three years.