Congress should consider help for Puerto Rico's disabled: Task force(Reuters) - The U.S. Congress should consider overhauling its system of benefits for disabled people in Puerto Rico, who get almost no government help, according to a new report by a task force addressing the island’s economic crisis. The report, released Tuesday, cited a December 9 Reuters investigation that detailed the scant support for island residents with severe mental and physical problems.  Most get nothing. Those who do get benefits receive an average of $74 a month - about a tenth of what the U.S. gives the disabled in its 50 states. Reuters also revealed wide disparities in support among U.S. territories.  Read the Special Report here: reut.rs/2hg0vDR Sen. Orrin Hatch - a Republican from Utah who heads the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico - did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday. The task force recommended that Congress consider providing Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories the same Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits it grants to the states.  Four of five U.S. territories - Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands - have been excluded from SSI since the program launched in the 1970s. The fifth territory, the Northern Mariana Islands, gets the same SSI benefits as a state, with an average payment of $560 monthly, in part because it negotiated its territory status at about the same time Congress enacted the SSI program.  Disabled Puerto Ricans, by contrast, receive much less through a nearly forgotten program administered by the Administration of Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nearly half of Puerto Rico’s disabled residents live in poverty - twice the rate of those in the 50 states. The disabled in Guam receive an average of $164, and in the Virgin Islands, $176. Disabled people in American Samoa get nothing.  SSI offers disabled residents of U.S. states up to $733 each month and pays an average of $540. As an alternative to giving the territories SSI benefits, the task force suggested Congress could increase benefits through ACF. Federal funding for the program has been capped since 1996 and is not indexed for inflation. The panel also recommended that ACF publicly release up-to-date information about the benefits paid to disabled citizens of U.S. territories. When Reuters first requested comment on benefits for the disabled in Puerto Rico, ACF declined to make anyone available because “no one is completely versed in all the details,” said spokesman Pat Fisher.  On Wednesday, Fisher declined to comment on the task force recommendations. “We cannot offer an opinion on proposed policy,” he said. “We only carry out approved policy.” A 2014 study by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found that if Puerto Rico received SSI, eligibility would expand ten-fold from nearly 34,500 in 2011 to 354,000 people. The federal government’s payments to the island would skyrocket from $24 million to as much as $1.8 billion annually.  The task force also made recommendations about how to improve health care in Puerto Rico, which the group described as “a serious and urgent issue.” For decades, the U.S. offered lower payments to Puerto Rico under the federally sponsored Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs, which cover most people on the island. The Medicaid insurance program for the poor, for example, has had its funding capped by Washington for decades, spurring island officials to borrow heavily through municipal bonds.  That contributed to what is now the largest municipal debt crisis in U.S. history. An estimated one-third of Puerto Rico’s $70 billion of outstanding debt stems from bonds issued to shore up healthcare funding. Reuters reported in October that Puerto Rico’s physicians are fleeing the island’s financially strapped healthcare system for high-paying and more stable jobs in the 50 states. The resulting shortage of doctors has exacerbated waits for appointments on the island to longer than 18 months in some specialties. Read the Special Report here: reut.rs/2e4T00o The most-cited reason for giving Puerto Rico unequal treatment in Medicaid and other programs is because Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income taxes. Some members of the task force believe that may warrant lower allocations for social welfare on the island, according to the report. Other members disagreed.  All members, however, agreed “more equitable treatment should still be considered,” according to the report. That would reduce the incentive for Puerto Rico residents to migrate to U.S. states, as they have in large numbers for decades, leaving behind a more vulnerable population. The panel urged Congress to begin addressing the funding issues early next year, and suggested federal funding of the island’s Medicaid program be “more closely tied to the size and needs of the territory’s low-income population.” politicsNews
congress consider help puerto rico disabled task force reuters the congress consider overhanging system benefits disabled people puerto rico get almost government help according new report task force addressing island economic crisis the report released tuesday cited december reuters investigation detailed scant support island residents severe mental physical problems most get nothing those get benefits receive average month tenth gives disabled states reuters also revealed wide disparities support among territories read special report train hatch republican utah heads bipartisan congressional task force economic growth puerto rico immediately respond requests comment wednesday the task force recommended congress consider providing puerto rico territories supplemental security income ssi benefits grants states four five territories puerto rico gum american samoa virgin islands excluded ssi since program launched the fifth territory northern marina islands gets ssi benefits state average payment monthly part negotiated territory status time congress enacted ssi program disabled puerto ricas contrast receive much less nearly forgotten program administered administration children families acf division department health human services nearly half puerto rico disabled residents live poverty twice rate states the disabled gum receive average virgin islands disabled people american samoa get nothing ssi offers disabled residents states month pays average as alternative giving territories ssi benefits task force suggested congress could increase benefits acf federal funding program capped since indexed inflation the panel also recommended acf publicly release information benefits paid disabled citizens territories when reuters first requested comment benefits disabled puerto rico acf declined make anyone available one completely versed details said spokesman pat fisher on wednesday fisher declined comment task force recommendations we offer opinion proposed policy said we carry approved a study government accountability office investigative arm congress found puerto rico received ssi eligibility would expand nearly people the federal government payments island would skyrocket million much billion annually the task force also made recommendations improve health care puerto rico group described serious urgent for decades offered lower payments puerto rico federally sponsored medical medical insurance programs cover people island the medical insurance program poor example funding capped washington decades sparring island officials borrow heavily municipal bonds that contributed largest municipal debt crisis history an estimated puerto rico billion outstanding debt stems bonds issued shore healthcare funding reuters reported october puerto rico physicians fleeing island financially strapped healthcare system stable jobs states the resulting shortage doctors exacerbated waits appointments island longer months specialties read special report the reason giving puerto rico unequal treatment medical programs puerto ricas pay federal income taxes some members task force believe may warrant lower allocations social welfare island according report other members disagreed all members however agreed equitable treatment still considered according report that would reduce incentive puerto rico residents migrate states large numbers decades leaving behind vulnerable population the panel urged congress begin addressing funding issues early next year suggested federal funding island medical program closely tied size needs territory politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Congress should consider help for Puerto Rico's disabled: Task force(Reuters) - The U.S. Congress should consider overhauling its system of benefits for disabled people in Puerto Rico, who get almost no government help, according to a new report by a task force addressing the island’s economic crisis. The report, released Tuesday, cited a December 9 Reuters investigation that detailed the scant support for island residents with severe mental and physical problems.  Most get nothing. Those who do get benefits receive an average of $74 a month - about a tenth of what the U.S. gives the disabled in its 50 states. Reuters also revealed wide disparities in support among U.S. territories.  Read the Special Report here: reut.rs/2hg0vDR Sen. Orrin Hatch - a Republican from Utah who heads the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico - did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday. The task force recommended that Congress consider providing Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories the same Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits it grants to the states.  Four of five U.S. territories - Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands - have been excluded from SSI since the program launched in the 1970s. The fifth territory, the Northern Mariana Islands, gets the same SSI benefits as a state, with an average payment of $560 monthly, in part because it negotiated its territory status at about the same time Congress enacted the SSI program.  Disabled Puerto Ricans, by contrast, receive much less through a nearly forgotten program administered by the Administration of Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nearly half of Puerto Rico’s disabled residents live in poverty - twice the rate of those in the 50 states. The disabled in Guam receive an average of $164, and in the Virgin Islands, $176. Disabled people in American Samoa get nothing.  SSI offers disabled residents of U.S. states up to $733 each month and pays an average of $540. As an alternative to giving the territories SSI benefits, the task force suggested Congress could increase benefits through ACF. Federal funding for the program has been capped since 1996 and is not indexed for inflation. The panel also recommended that ACF publicly release up-to-date information about the benefits paid to disabled citizens of U.S. territories. When Reuters first requested comment on benefits for the disabled in Puerto Rico, ACF declined to make anyone available because “no one is completely versed in all the details,” said spokesman Pat Fisher.  On Wednesday, Fisher declined to comment on the task force recommendations. “We cannot offer an opinion on proposed policy,” he said. “We only carry out approved policy.” A 2014 study by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found that if Puerto Rico received SSI, eligibility would expand ten-fold from nearly 34,500 in 2011 to 354,000 people. The federal government’s payments to the island would skyrocket from $24 million to as much as $1.8 billion annually.  The task force also made recommendations about how to improve health care in Puerto Rico, which the group described as “a serious and urgent issue.” For decades, the U.S. offered lower payments to Puerto Rico under the federally sponsored Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs, which cover most people on the island. The Medicaid insurance program for the poor, for example, has had its funding capped by Washington for decades, spurring island officials to borrow heavily through municipal bonds.  That contributed to what is now the largest municipal debt crisis in U.S. history. An estimated one-third of Puerto Rico’s $70 billion of outstanding debt stems from bonds issued to shore up healthcare funding. Reuters reported in October that Puerto Rico’s physicians are fleeing the island’s financially strapped healthcare system for high-paying and more stable jobs in the 50 states. The resulting shortage of doctors has exacerbated waits for appointments on the island to longer than 18 months in some specialties. Read the Special Report here: reut.rs/2e4T00o The most-cited reason for giving Puerto Rico unequal treatment in Medicaid and other programs is because Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income taxes. Some members of the task force believe that may warrant lower allocations for social welfare on the island, according to the report. Other members disagreed.  All members, however, agreed “more equitable treatment should still be considered,” according to the report. That would reduce the incentive for Puerto Rico residents to migrate to U.S. states, as they have in large numbers for decades, leaving behind a more vulnerable population. The panel urged Congress to begin addressing the funding issues early next year, and suggested federal funding of the island’s Medicaid program be “more closely tied to the size and needs of the territory’s low-income population.” politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: congress consider help puerto rico disabled task force reuters the congress consider overhanging system benefits disabled people puerto rico get almost government help according new report task force addressing island economic crisis the report released tuesday cited december reuters investigation detailed scant support island residents severe mental physical problems most get nothing those get benefits receive average month tenth gives disabled states reuters also revealed wide disparities support among territories read special report train hatch republican utah heads bipartisan congressional task force economic growth puerto rico immediately respond requests comment wednesday the task force recommended congress consider providing puerto rico territories supplemental security income ssi benefits grants states four five territories puerto rico gum american samoa virgin islands excluded ssi since program launched the fifth territory northern marina islands gets ssi benefits state average payment monthly part negotiated territory status time congress enacted ssi program disabled puerto ricas contrast receive much less nearly forgotten program administered administration children families acf division department health human services nearly half puerto rico disabled residents live poverty twice rate states the disabled gum receive average virgin islands disabled people american samoa get nothing ssi offers disabled residents states month pays average as alternative giving territories ssi benefits task force suggested congress could increase benefits acf federal funding program capped since indexed inflation the panel also recommended acf publicly release information benefits paid disabled citizens territories when reuters first requested comment benefits disabled puerto rico acf declined make anyone available one completely versed details said spokesman pat fisher on wednesday fisher declined comment task force recommendations we offer opinion proposed policy said we carry approved a study government accountability office investigative arm congress found puerto rico received ssi eligibility would expand nearly people the federal government payments island would skyrocket million much billion annually the task force also made recommendations improve health care puerto rico group described serious urgent for decades offered lower payments puerto rico federally sponsored medical medical insurance programs cover people island the medical insurance program poor example funding capped washington decades sparring island officials borrow heavily municipal bonds that contributed largest municipal debt crisis history an estimated puerto rico billion outstanding debt stems bonds issued shore healthcare funding reuters reported october puerto rico physicians fleeing island financially strapped healthcare system stable jobs states the resulting shortage doctors exacerbated waits appointments island longer months specialties read special report the reason giving puerto rico unequal treatment medical programs puerto ricas pay federal income taxes some members task force believe may warrant lower allocations social welfare island according report other members disagreed all members however agreed equitable treatment still considered according report that would reduce incentive puerto rico residents migrate states large numbers decades leaving behind vulnerable population the panel urged congress begin addressing funding issues early next year suggested federal funding island medical program closely tied size needs territory politicsnews