Just what we need, more people on the dole.

(CNSNews.com) – In the past four decades, the number of people receiving benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) program has increased nearly sixfold, rising from 1.5 million in 1970 to 8.8 million in 2012, the Congressional Budget Office says.

On Thursday, Joyce Manchester, a chief analyst with the Congressional budget Office, told a House subcommittee that the number of people seeking DI benefits is expected to continue rising, and she said the Affordable Care Act “is likely to influence application rates” although it’s “difficult to predict” what the impact will be.

“Looking ahead, the Affordable Care Act is likely to influence application rates for the DI program, but whether it will result in more or fewer beneficiaries is difficult to predict,” Manchester told the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security.