Do you trust NPR? Start there: http://apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/
Also see http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardfinger/2013/01/14/fraud-and-disability-equal-a-multibillion-dollar-balck-hole-for-taxpayers/
While the NPR study cites the fact that the number of people who have applied for disability has increased as the economy has tanked, it doesn't mention that the percentage of those people applying who are denied has risen as well. The program actually became more stringent in this sense since the economy fell apart, less than 40% of people who apply are accepted.
There has been a rise in total disability payments and that's been attributed to a) Baby Boomers aging and entering into "high-disability" age groups and b) the influx of women in the 1970's and 80's into the workforce (women who paid into a system they are now withdrawing from). As such, disability payments have leveled off and are projected to fall.
Oooh, the number is "expected to fall!" We'll there's a relief. Yes, if the economy actually improves and people go back to work, I expect the number on disability will[i/] fall. Youd have to be seriously diluded to ignore the rampant fraud highlighted in that NPR piece. Can't help you.
You're overstating the impact that "fraud" plays in this or to even make clear what your definition of fraud is. While I'm not denying that some fraud (even what your definition is, which will probably be poor, lazy, obama voter who wants to sit on his couch all day) certainly occurs there is scant evidence that it is significant and even less so that its "rampant". The NPR piece did nothing to change that see the mountain of research and academics who came out against it.
There certainly is a problem with the program overall but it's entirely systemic and is based on so many varying factors including the economy, tax base, health care, welfare, budget allocation, etc, etc, that even bringing up fraud is to put a bandaid on a broken arm.