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Social Security Commissioner Visits National Federation of the Blind
Headquarters


Social Security Administration

December 17, 2025

Commissioner Bisignano visited the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to
meet with NFB President Mark Riccobono.

Baltimore, MD - On Monday, December 8, 2025, Social Security Administration
(SSA) Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano visited the National Federation of the
Blind (NFB) headquarters to meet with NFB President Mark Riccobono and
discuss the ways SSA can continue and strengthen its support of the blind
community. Bisignano is the first SSA Commissioner to ever visit the NFB
headquarters.

"I am grateful for all the work NFB does to support, rehabilitate, and
expand opportunities for the blind. With approximately 50 million American
adults suffering from vision loss or blindness, almost every family either
is or knows someone closely impacted by vision loss, and my family is no
exception. I will continue to advocate for the blind and explore new ways to
improve SSA's services, including the return-to-work efforts for
beneficiaries," said Commissioner Bisignano.

"We deeply appreciate Commissioner Bisignano's commitment to partnership
with our organization to create meaningful opportunities to advance
self-sufficiency and financial independence for all blind Americans. We
value leaders like Commissioner Bisignano who invest the time and effort to
learn from our community by visiting our national headquarters, speaking at
our national convention, and making actionable commitments to address our
concerns," said NFB President Riccobono.

SSA provides employment support
<https://choosework.ssa.gov/library/fact-sheet-work-incentives-for-people-wh
o-are-blind>  for blind Americans in addition to other programs for
low-vision and blind Americans <https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10052.pdf> .
SSA strives to make our services more accessible, including changes to
<https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/> my Social Security, our secure online
gateway for customers that provides immediate electronic access to Social
Security information and services.

  _____  


Social Security COLA amount may decrease in 2027. Here's why, Ohio impact


The Columbus Dispatch

December 17, 2025

When the Federal Reserve finished its final meeting of 2025, it delivered
its third straight interest rate cut, according to 24/7 Wall St
<https://247wallst.com/investing/2025/12/14/the-feds-december-rate-cut-means
-social-security-retirees-could-be-in-for-a-cola-surprise/> .

The cost of Medicare premiums coupled with inflation could wipe out Social
Security's 2026 cost of living adjustment amount
<https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2025/09/16/social-security-cola-wiped-o
ut-double-whammy-2026-affects-ohio/86180508007/> . And the decision to once
again cut rates could drastically impact the COLA on Social Security
benefits in 2027. Here's what we know, and how many Ohioans may be affected.


Interest rates could impact Social Security COLA amounts in 2027


The Federal Reserve decided to reduce rates by 0.25% in December 2025. As we
move into 2026, the benchmark rate will range from 3.50% to 3.75%. This
reflects a three-quarters-of-a-percentage-point drop from the start of the
year, after the benchmark rate was set to a 4.25% to 4.50% target range in
January, according to a Federal Reserve press release
<https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20250129a.h
tm> .

Here's why a lower interest rate may lead to a lower COLA increase in 2027.


Why lower interest rate now can mean lower COLA for 2027


The Federal Reserve makes decisions that can have a ripple effect across the
economy.

As 24/7 Wall St. explains, a lower interest rate can signal the Fed feels
inflation may be more under control. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index for
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is a measure both of
inflation and a tool that helps set COLA amounts for the following year. The
lower the CPI-W number, the lower the COLA increase.

If inflation is truly under control in the third quarter of 2026, the CPI-W
may also be lower at this time, which is when the Social Security
Administration sets its COLA amounts for the following year.

The COLA increase for 2027 could be as low as 2.1%, one of the lowest rates
ever, according to 24/7 Wall Street.


What have COLA benefit increases looked like recently?


Here is what benefit increases have looked like in recent years, per 24/7
Wall St.:

*	2026: 2.8%
*	2025: 2.5%
*	2024: 3.2%
*	2023: 8.7%
*	2022: 5.9%
*	2021: 1.3%


How much do Ohioans receive from Social Security?


According to the SSA website
<https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/factsheets/cong_stats/2023/oh.html> , Ohio
beneficiaries received $4.23 billion in total payments each month in 2023.
Nearly 2.5 million Ohioans were beneficiaries of Social Security. That
included:

*	Retired workers (1,779,927)
*	Disabled workers (305,732)
*	Widows, widowers, and parents (159,964)
*	Spouses (70,208)
*	Children (147,123)

In 2024, Ohio's Social Security benefit payments
<https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2024/09/03/social-security-cola-2025-fo
recast-calculator-rise-impacts-ohioans/75016182007/>  were predicted to rise
by as much as $84.6 million per month in total with a new cost-of-living
adjustment for 2025. That amounted to $1.01 billion total in additional
benefit payments in Ohio with COLA applied.


Does Ohio tax Social Security benefits?


No, Ohio does not tax Social Security income, according to the Ohio
Department of Taxation
<https://tax.ohio.gov/individual/file-now/senior-citizens-and-ohio-income-ta
x> . However, nine states do tax Social Security, according to Kiplinger
<https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/social-security/603803/states-that-tax
-social-security-benefits> .


What is the Social Security COLA?


The COLA is an SSA tool that helps beneficiaries handle the effects of
inflation.

If the collective cost for a broad range of goods and services regularly
purchased by seniors rose by 3% year to year Social Security benefits would
also need to increase by the same rate to avoid a loss of buying power.
Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment is the "raise" beneficiaries
receive in most years to help counteract the impact of inflation on their
purchasing power.

Beginning in 1975, the CPI-W became the program's inflationary yardstick,
which allowed for annual COLAs to be passed along to beneficiaries, if
necessary. Before then, Congress arbitrarily passed benefits increases
during infrequent special sessions. (For instance, there wasn't a single
benefit adjustment during the 1940s, which was followed by the largest-ever
COLA of 77% in 1950.)


Social Security's 2026 cost-of-living adjustment will make history


Based on multiple independent estimates, the 2.8% COLA increase
<https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/cola/factsheets/2026.html>  in 2026 will make
history by reaching or surpassing 2.5% for a fifth consecutive year
<https://www.fool.com/retirement/2025/06/28/social-security-2026-cola-do-som
ething-not-seen/?utm_source=usa-today&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article&r
eferring_guid=02dcd335-de87-4db0-a4d0-bae60b92a78a> . The last time
beneficiaries received at least a 2.5% payout bump for a half-decade was a
10-year stretch from 1988 through 1997, during which COLAs varied between
2.6% and 5.4% on an annual basis.


Potential double whammy awaits many of Social Security's 70 million
beneficiaries in 2026


Things look great on paper, but the practical application of Social
Security's 2026 COLA is a long way from perfect.

The first problem that aged beneficiaries are going to run into is an
expected loss of purchasing power. According to a TSCL analysis released
last year, the buying power of a Social Security dollar fell 20% from 2010
to 2024.

The CPI-W generally does a poor job of accounting for the expenses that
matter most to seniors. It tracks the spending habits of "urban wage earners
and clerical workers," who in many instances are working-age Americans not
currently receiving a Social Security benefit. These people spend their
money quite differently from Social Security recipients, the majority of
whom are older than 62.

The second part of the double whammy pertains to seniors dually enrolled in
Social Security and traditional Medicare. Most of these dual enrollees have
their Part B premium, which is the segment of Medicare responsible for
outpatient services, automatically deducted from their monthly benefit.

According to estimates in the Medicare Trustees Report, the Part B premium
is expected to rise
<https://www.fool.com/retirement/2025/07/27/social-security-2026-cola-missin
g-silver-lining/?utm_source=usa-today&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article&r
eferring_guid=02dcd335-de87-4db0-a4d0-bae60b92a78a>  in 2026 to $206.20 per
month (up more than 11%). This follows more modest increases of 5.9% in
back-to-back years. Most aged beneficiaries will see some or all of their
2026 cost-of-living adjustment offset by this sizable jump in the Medicare
Part B premium.


How much will your Social Security benefit be? Use a Social Security COLA
calculator


*	See current potential payments using the Social Security Adminis
<https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/> t
<https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/> ration's benefits quick calculator.
<https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/> 
*	See the North State Bank's calculator to adjust for inflation.
<https://www.northstatebank.com/calculator/social-security> 

  _____  


Popular influencer's TikTok video spotlights Miami University's accessible
'foot button' elevators


Miami University

December 17, 2025

Dan Darkow, director of the Miller Center for Student Disability Services
<https://miamioh.edu/academic-programs/resources-services/student-disability
-services/index.html> , said he was "genuinely shocked" when he was first
sent a TikTok video praising Miami University's accessible elevator at
Shriver Center that features floor panel buttons.

The glowing review came from influencer Shane Burcaw, who along with his
wife, Hannah Burcaw, are known to their 634,000 social media followers as
"Squirmy and Grubs."

Darkow MA '17 - credited with advocating for enhanced elevator accessibility
at Shriver and elsewhere on campus - said the video came after the center
welcomed the popular influencers to Miami for
<https://events.miamioh.edu/event/breaking-barriers-a-conversation-with-squi
rmy-and-grubs> "Breaking Barriers: A Conversation with Squirmy and Grubs."


'Wow! That's so cool'


Shane Burcaw, who has spinal muscular atrophy, runs a blog and nonprofit
organization <https://www.laughingatmynightmare.com/>  dedicated to
enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities and
providing medical equipment to people with neuromuscular diseases.

He shared his experience using the accessible elevator at Shriver Center.

"I'm about to use an elevator completely by myself, for the first time ever,
thanks to adaptation!" he said in the TikTok video
<https://www.tiktok.com/@squirmyandgrubs/video/7561570221190827295?_r=1&_t=Z
T-90b92okzrMk>  as he demonstrated using the exterior floor panel buttons
showing UP and DN.

"But wait! There's more!" he said as he entered the elevator, in which
wheelchair users can use a wheel to select the floor they would like to go
to because the floors are numbered on the interior floor panel buttons.
Burcaw demonstrated using his wheel to select going down to the first floor.


"Wow! That's so cool. I wish every elevator ON EARTH had foot buttons.
That'd be so helpful!" he said in the video.

Darkow, who advocated for getting the floor panel buttons installed, said,
"I had no idea they had captured that video while visiting and was excited
to see how they appreciated the intentional design we brought to campus.
Hannah and Shane have incredible reach from their social media platforms,
and I was glad Miami could be featured in implementing universal design."

Darkow added, "We currently have these types of elevators in Shriver,
Armstrong, and Clinical Health Sciences."


A wheelchair-friendly campus


In 2021, Miami was named one of 20 colleges that create wheelchair-friendly
campuses
<https://www.miamioh.edu/news/top-stories/2021/01/miami-named-one-of-20-whee
lchair-friendly-colleges.html>  and cultures that promote an inclusive
college experience by Wheels on Campus, in the first-of-its-kind guide.

Darkow, who earned his master's in Student Affairs in Higher Education, said
he first learned of this innovative and highly accessible concept during his
graduate studies while researching disability rights in the United States
for one of his classes.

Mitzie Willis, administrative assistant for the Miller Center for Student
Disability Services, praised Darkow for always identifying ways to support
the Miami community's accessibility needs, including when the center team
moved to the Shriver Center in 2017.

"Dan advocated for making elevator use more inclusive and intuitive for
individuals with disabilities, aligning with our shared commitment to
fostering an equitable and accessible campus environment," Willis said. "He
is the reason Miami has those fabulous elevators."

Miami is now piloting a new style of accessible push button at an accessible
entrance for Upham Hall and at the entrance to Patio Grill on East Quad.

"These accessible push buttons offer a vertical design accommodating a wider
range of access needs," Darkow said.


How the elevators came about


Darkow learned about Ed Roberts, an international leader and educator in the
independent living and disability rights movements based in Berkeley,
California.

"Following his passing in '95, the Ed Roberts Campus
<https://www.edrobertscampus.org/>  was created and designed to be a center
dedicated to fostering collaboration and improving services and
opportunities for people with disabilities," he said.

In those videos, Darkow said he first saw the floor panel buttons installed
and "knew that if I had an opportunity to improve elevator access on campus,
this would be a part of my plan."

Darkow was a graduate student at Miami when initial discussion occurred
about moving Student Disability Services from the ground level of Nellie
Craig Walker Hall (formally the Campus Avenue Building) to the third floor
of the Shriver Center.

"I was asked for my input regarding the placement of a Disability Services
office on the third floor of a building," he said. "It was important for me
to consider the benefits and challenges that may present themselves with the
new location."

Darkow knew that Shriver's central location on campus greatly increased
access for students because it is across from the Armstrong Student Center.

"This location would also provide an opportunity for Student Disability
Services, the Rinella Learning Center, RLC Testing Center, and the AccessMU
Center to all be located together on the third floor, creating an academic
and accessibility support hub for students," he said.

At the same time, Darkow said he knew from personal experience that it was
important to consider barriers that students with disabilities may face in
accessing the office on a non-ground level.

"Ultimately, we reached a consensus that the third floor of Shriver would be
a great location if we could ensure the elevator had additional
accessibility features, ensuring it could be used independently by the
widest range of people," he said.

Darkow said he had personal experience with a horizontal panel at waist
height at his undergraduate institution. He called that incredibly helpful
and "wanted to adopt additional accessibility, mirroring the design I had
seen on the Ed Roberts campus."


Miami leaders supported the vision


Darkow said, "We had incredible support from our Physical Facilities
department to bring this vision to fruition." After the Shriver elevator was
installed, they received positive feedback from users about the additional
accessibility features.

"These additional panels not only supported folks with physical access
needs, but it also was helpful for anyone who had their hands full or would
prefer not to physically touch the elevator button in hopes of avoiding
unnecessary germs," he said.

With the support from the President's Office and Armstrong Student Center,
in collaboration with Physical Facilities, a project to install additional
accessibility panels in the student center was done in fall 2019.

Darkow noted that these types of buttons were part of the initial building
design for the Cleveland Clinic Clinical Health Sciences and Wellness
facility, which opened in 2023.

He hopes Burcaw's TikTok video inspires other campuses and businesses to
adopt the foot panel elevators.

"I hope anyone who saw the video will be inspired the next time they are a
part of a remodel or a new construction project and they remember the major
impact that can be felt from a small design shift, increasing elevator
access for not only people with disabilities but everyone," he said.

Darkow is always looking for ways Miami can further support the community's
accessibility needs.

"Physical accessibility is just one aspect of the larger accessibility
landscape here at Miami that we are consistently working to improve and make
better for everyone," he said.

"Over the past year, we have addressed uneven sidewalk barriers, added a few
power operator doors to various locations on campus, increased navigation
access with additional accessible features being highlighted on the campus
map, and are finishing up renovating a new accessible restroom with an adult
changing table on the third floor of Armstrong."

  _____  


How clinical depression leads as the top cause of disability in the United
States


Dayton 24/7 Now

December 17, 2025

DAYTON, Ohio (WKEF) -- Major Depressive Disorder, MDD, or clinical
depression, is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting about
22 million adults in the U.S.

It is the leading cause of disability in the U.S., affecting a person's
thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Amy Belnap,
shares her perspective on this complex condition and how to find a treatment
option for you. View the news segment at the Dayton 24/7 Now website.
<https://dayton247now.com/news/local/how-clinical-depression-leads-as-the-to
p-cause-of-disability-in-the-united-states> 

  _____  

 

 

Suzanne M. Hartfield Turner

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, Vice President

Ohio Legislative Director

Cleveland Chapter, President

 

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and
all blind people in the United States. We know that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination,
and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

 

P: (216) 990-6199

W: NFBOhio.ORG

Facebook:  <https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/>
https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/

 

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