I think this chart from a recent Urban Institute report is interesting. (DI = Disability Insurance):
Sunday, 30 June 2013
Friday, 28 June 2013
SSA Unprepared For SCOTUS Decision On DOMA
Posted on 05:40 by Unknown
Social Security has sent out its first staff instruction on what to do with same sex marriages in the wake of the Supreme Court decision that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. The instruction is to "Take and hold all claims by individuals who are filing for benefits that are dependent upon the existence of a same-sex marriage." This is not just for those who have moved
Thursday, 27 June 2013
AP Report On Today's Hearing
Posted on 11:04 by Unknown
From an AP piece:
Driven to reduce a huge backlog of disability claims,
Social Security is pushing judges to award benefits to people who may
not deserve them, several current and former judges told Congress
Thursday.
Larry Butler, an administrative law judge from Fort Myers, Fla., called the system "paying down the backlog."
A former Social Security judge, J.E. Sullivan, said,
Driven to reduce a huge backlog of disability claims,
Social Security is pushing judges to award benefits to people who may
not deserve them, several current and former judges told Congress
Thursday.
Larry Butler, an administrative law judge from Fort Myers, Fla., called the system "paying down the backlog."
A former Social Security judge, J.E. Sullivan, said,
Some ALJ Testimony
Posted on 08:14 by Unknown
Some excerpts from the written statements of witnesses at today's hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee:
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Larry Butler (31% reversal rate): "The Social Security disability programs are bankrupt. ... Is SSA managing the disability system for the primary benefit of genuinely disabled individuals and taxpayers or has the disability
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Round Up The Lowest Allowing ALJs And Call Them Models?
Posted on 11:24 by Unknown
Here's the witness list for tomorrow's hearing before the House Oversight Committee, with the reversal rates for each of the Administrative Law Judges in parentheses after their name:
The Honorable Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-Oklahoma), Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs,
The Honorable Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-Oklahoma), Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs,
DOMA Found Unconstitutional
Posted on 08:29 by Unknown
The Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevented the Social Security Administration and other agencies from recognizing same sex marriages, has been found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Unfortunately, this leaves open the question of whether Social Security can recognize same sex marriages when the married person has moved to a state that refuses to recognize same sex
Make Your Choice Early -- And Don't Move
Posted on 05:58 by Unknown
From a Notice of Proposed Rule-Making (NPRM) set to appear in the Federal Register tomorrow:
To better utilize our limited resources and make our hearing process more efficient for all claimants, we propose to modify our rules so that we would notify a claimant earlier in the process, before an ALJ is assigned or a hearing is scheduled, that he or she has the right to object to
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
Paying Money To Dead People
Posted on 08:06 by Unknown
The Wall Street Journal is running a story on a report by Social Security's Office of Inspector General concerning payment of benefits to 1,546 people listed in the Death Master File as dead.
It's funny. I had seen the same report and thought it showed that on the whole Social Security was doing a good job. I thought about posting about the report but decided that it wasn't of any
An Original Type Of Fraud
Posted on 06:16 by Unknown
From Inside NOVA, which, I think, stands for Northern Virginia:
A former Woodbridge woman was sentenced Friday
to one day in prison, plus three years of supervised release, for
committing Social Security fraud by helping her husband claim he was
dead. ...
According to documents on file at U.S. District Court in Alexandria,
Rios’ husband, Luis Melecio Rios Guizado, was wanted on
A former Woodbridge woman was sentenced Friday
to one day in prison, plus three years of supervised release, for
committing Social Security fraud by helping her husband claim he was
dead. ...
According to documents on file at U.S. District Court in Alexandria,
Rios’ husband, Luis Melecio Rios Guizado, was wanted on
Monday, 24 June 2013
I'm Not Expecting Calm Deliberation
Posted on 13:01 by Unknown
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has scheduled a hearing for June 27 at 9:30 a.m. on Oversight of Rising Social Security Disability Claims and the Role of Administrative Law Judges. This is supposed to be the first of a series of hearings on this subject. In advance of the hearing, there is an Associated Press piece saying that Social Security's Administrative Law
Error In Blast E-Mail From SSA
Posted on 11:26 by Unknown
I received this e-mail from Social Security today, probably because I have set up a MySSA account:
Affordable
Health Care
Need health insurance or know
someone who does? Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more Americans now qualify
to get coverage that fits their needs and budgets. Visit the Health Insurance
Marketplace at www.HealthCare.gov or
call 1-800-318-2596 to get more
Affordable
Health Care
Need health insurance or know
someone who does? Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more Americans now qualify
to get coverage that fits their needs and budgets. Visit the Health Insurance
Marketplace at www.HealthCare.gov or
call 1-800-318-2596 to get more
Hearing Office Average Processing Time Report
Posted on 06:12 by Unknown
From the newsletter of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (click on each page to view full size):
Sunday, 23 June 2013
Why Is The Chamber Of Commerce Attacking Social Security?
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
Jamelle Bouie writing for the Washington Post asks why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has rededicated itself to a campaign to slash Social Security. Bouie notes that the Chamber's executive director for government affairs recently gave a speech about Social Security that was filled with overstatements and inaccuracies, a speech that seemed lifted from Republican campaign rhetoric.
The
Saturday, 22 June 2013
I Don't Know What To Make Of This
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
Below is a table from the Social Security Administration's monthly International Update. The Update deals, in part, with changes made in early retirement programs. I don't think that differences in social insurance programs can explain these dramatic differences between countries or that changes in social insurance programs explain the differences over time in individual countries. I don't
Friday, 21 June 2013
Problems With MySocialSecurity
Posted on 06:21 by Unknown
From the testimony of Theresa Gruber, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Social Security Administration to the Senate Special Committee on Aging:
In May 2013, we added key measures to combat fraud through our on line MySocialSecurity portal. For example, we have added unique and stringent fraud protection tools to our online registration and authentication technology.
Threatening To Rape Little Girls Isn't Cool
Posted on 05:59 by Unknown
From WOOD-TV:
A Battle Creek man may spend up to five years in prison after
threatening to "rape little girls" in a message to the Social Security
Administration.
In December 2012, Timothy Burgess sent a
message via the Internet to the Social Security Administration office in
Maryland, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In the
message, he said he wanted more money. He
A Battle Creek man may spend up to five years in prison after
threatening to "rape little girls" in a message to the Social Security
Administration.
In December 2012, Timothy Burgess sent a
message via the Internet to the Social Security Administration office in
Maryland, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In the
message, he said he wanted more money. He
What Happens If DOMA Is Found Unconstitutional?
Posted on 03:01 by Unknown
The Supreme Court is likely to hand down its opinion on the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) next week. DOMA forbids the federal government from recognizing same sex marriages even though some states recognize them. Many observers expect that DOMA will be found unconstitutional. This would not take care of the same sex marriage issue for Social Security, however. The
ACUS Recommendations
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) has issued its recommendations for "Improving Consistency in Social Security Disability Adjudications." In reading this document, it's quite obvious that ACUS thinks that too many claims are being approved by Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) and Something Must Be Done. It's also obvious that even after studying Social Security, ACUS
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Center For American Progress Report On Social Security Disability
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
The Center for American Progress has issued a report in Q&A format on Social Security's disability programs. Here are a few somewhat random excerpts:
...
Controlling just for income, participation in Supplemental Security by
working-age adults who are potentially eligible because of low income
has actually declined over the past decade and a half. In 2011 there
were 17.6 nonelderly
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Problems With Debit Cards
Posted on 07:32 by Unknown
From the Center for Public Integrity:
A government initiative aimed at saving money by eliminating paper
checks is hurting some recipients of federal benefits while earning the
bank that operates the program millions in fees charged to consumers.
The U.S. Treasury Department has been urging people who collect
Social Security and other benefits to switch to direct deposit rather
than
A government initiative aimed at saving money by eliminating paper
checks is hurting some recipients of federal benefits while earning the
bank that operates the program millions in fees charged to consumers.
The U.S. Treasury Department has been urging people who collect
Social Security and other benefits to switch to direct deposit rather
than
MySSA Help Desk
Posted on 05:49 by Unknown
From EM-13020 posted yesterday by Social Security:
... [O]n June
18, 2013, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will establish a
dedicated MySocialSecurity (MySSA) Help Desk to assist the public with
MySSA related issues. SSA will implement prompts to the existing
National 800 Number that will route callers with MySSA related questions
to the dedicated Help Desk for resolution.
... [O]n June
18, 2013, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will establish a
dedicated MySocialSecurity (MySSA) Help Desk to assist the public with
MySSA related issues. SSA will implement prompts to the existing
National 800 Number that will route callers with MySSA related questions
to the dedicated Help Desk for resolution.
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
It's Time To Stop Allowing Any New Online Accounts
Posted on 05:53 by Unknown
From the Braintree Patriot Ledger:
When the form letter from Social Security arrived, Lillian Broide
almost didn’t give it a close reading. She has been receiving lots of
official forms and letters lately, after going through several hospital
stays and rehab programs.
“I did open it and found out there is a fraud going on that is tagging seniors,” Broide said when she called
When the form letter from Social Security arrived, Lillian Broide
almost didn’t give it a close reading. She has been receiving lots of
official forms and letters lately, after going through several hospital
stays and rehab programs.
“I did open it and found out there is a fraud going on that is tagging seniors,” Broide said when she called
Some Straight Talk On The Trust Funds
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
Andy Landis writing for Market Watch at the Wall Street Journal,
of all places, has an excellent Q&A piece addressing the recently released report of Social Security's
trustees. It's refreshingly honest and
straightforward. Here's an excerpt:
How much does Social Security waste in bureaucracy?
SSA's
Monday, 17 June 2013
WSJ On Unemployment And Disability
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
From the Wall Street Journal's Economy Stream Blog:
The sharp rise in federal disability rolls in recent years has sparked
worry that able-bodied workers are using the system to hide from the
weak job market. But new research suggests those fears may be overblown. ...
University of California, Berkeley economist Jesse Rothstein
set out to test [that] theory. He reasoned that if the
The sharp rise in federal disability rolls in recent years has sparked
worry that able-bodied workers are using the system to hide from the
weak job market. But new research suggests those fears may be overblown. ...
University of California, Berkeley economist Jesse Rothstein
set out to test [that] theory. He reasoned that if the
Sunday, 16 June 2013
You Can't Separate Body From Mind
Posted on 03:01 by Unknown
From Ritchie King at Quartz (whatever that is):
A recent German study
shows that a middle-aged worker who develops arthritis is much more
likely to take a disability pension and retire early if she is feeling
depressed than if she is struggling physically to perform her job but
isn’t suffering mentally. Overall, musculoskeletal disorders such as
arthritis are the most common cause (
Fees Rebound After Slow April
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
Social Security has issued updated numbers on payments of fees
to attorneys and some others for representing Social Security
claimants. These fees are withheld and paid by Social Security but come
out of the back benefits of the claimants involved. The attorneys and
others who have their fees withheld pay a user fee for this privilege. Since these fees are usually
paid at the same time
Saturday, 15 June 2013
New Policy On Gender Reassignments
Posted on 08:04 by Unknown
From the National Center for Transgender Equality:
In June 2013 [actually just yesterday], the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a new policy to for updating Social
Security records to reflect a person’s gender identity. Under the new policy, a transgender person
can change their gender on their Social Security records by submitting either government-issued
documentation
In June 2013 [actually just yesterday], the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a new policy to for updating Social
Security records to reflect a person’s gender identity. Under the new policy, a transgender person
can change their gender on their Social Security records by submitting either government-issued
documentation
The Octopus At Work
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
Iowa Watchdog, Kansas Watchdog, Colorado Watchdog and New Mexico Watchdog have each released state-specific pieces decrying the growing number of people receiving disability benefits in each of these states. I don't know how many state-specific "Watchdog" organizations there are. They are all supported by the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. Exactly who is behind the
Friday, 14 June 2013
Hearing On Protecting Seniors From Online Fraud
Posted on 09:03 by Unknown
The Senate Special Committee on Aging has scheduled a hearing for June 19 on "Social Security Payments Go Paperless: Protecting Seniors from Fraud and Confusion."
This hearing stands to be far more useful than the House Social Security Subcommittee's upcoming annual hearing on disability work incentives. It's clear. Work incentives just don't work. However, something has to be done
Get Over It Guys!
Posted on 08:30 by Unknown
The National Review really wants to prove that fraud is rampant at Social Security. They offer as proof the bizarre case of Charles Fisher. After Fisher died of natural causes his mentally ill daughter decided to put him on ice, not a freezer but ice, so she could keep getting his Social Security checks. At some point she decided to cut off her deceased father's hands since it would make it
Big Decision Coming?
Posted on 03:01 by Unknown
From the Washington Post:
With the Supreme Court only days away from major rulings on same-sex marriage, President Obama faces the prospect of having to make his own difficult decisions about the definition of wedlock. ...
Obama’s choices on federal benefits arise from the other case, in which the justices are expected to determine the constitutionality of a key provision of the 1996
With the Supreme Court only days away from major rulings on same-sex marriage, President Obama faces the prospect of having to make his own difficult decisions about the definition of wedlock. ...
Obama’s choices on federal benefits arise from the other case, in which the justices are expected to determine the constitutionality of a key provision of the 1996
$300,000 Fraud Alleged
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
From KDKA in Pittsburgh:
Chauncey Clinton, 65, of Ross Township was indicted Tuesday by a
federal grand jury on charges he cashed his late mother’s social
security checks for nearly four decades.
Clara Clinton died in May, 1973, and Clinton allegedly began cashing her checks the very next month. ...
Clinton allegedly received more than $300,000 he was not entitled to through the
Chauncey Clinton, 65, of Ross Township was indicted Tuesday by a
federal grand jury on charges he cashed his late mother’s social
security checks for nearly four decades.
Clara Clinton died in May, 1973, and Clinton allegedly began cashing her checks the very next month. ...
Clinton allegedly received more than $300,000 he was not entitled to through the
Thursday, 13 June 2013
It Seems Like There's A Congressional Hearing On This Every Year
Posted on 06:07 by Unknown
From a press release:
U.S. Congressman Sam
Johnson (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means
Subcommittee on Social Security, today announced a hearing on
encouraging work through the Social Security Disability Insurance
program. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, June 19, 2013, in B-318 Rayburn House Office Building beginning at 10:00 a.m.
U.S. Congressman Sam
Johnson (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means
Subcommittee on Social Security, today announced a hearing on
encouraging work through the Social Security Disability Insurance
program. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, June 19, 2013, in B-318 Rayburn House Office Building beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
DSM-5 On Autism Spectrum Disorders
Posted on 05:55 by Unknown
I had earlier posted an excerpt on Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder from the newly issued Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the so-called Bible of psychiatry. It's not at all clear what Social Security will do with that new diagnostic criteria which will greatly reduce the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents but it is
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
OMB Clears Proposed Regs On Objecting To Video Hearings
Posted on 06:32 by Unknown
After nearly five months of review, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has cleared proposed new regulations concerning objecting to video hearings. This proposal was submitted while Michael Astrue was still Commissioner. OMB is part of the White House. OMB has to clear any regulatory proposal made by any agency. Five months is a very long time for one of Social Security's proposals
Online Crooks Going After Online Accounts
Posted on 06:03 by Unknown
From WPTV:
A new kind of Social Security scam has left local beneficiaries wondering where their money is.
Pills and bills eat up Patricia Bell's monthly Social Security check. "Without Social Security, we'd have nothing," said Bell, 71, of Okeechobee. When she got a letter in the mail saying she had created an online account on Social Security's website, she called her son. "Right
Monday, 10 June 2013
A Top Ten List
Posted on 06:14 by Unknown
The right is really getting invested in the idea that fraud is rampant in Social Security's disability programs. The National Review has posted its Top Ten List of the most outrageous disability cheaters of the past year.
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Legislation Proposed
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
From a press release:
U.S. Senators Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced the Reducing Overlapping Payments Act, which aims to protect the Social Security Disability Insurance and Unemployment Insurance programs by reducing overlapping benefits. The bill requires the Social Security Administration (SSA) to suspend Disability
U.S. Senators Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced the Reducing Overlapping Payments Act, which aims to protect the Social Security Disability Insurance and Unemployment Insurance programs by reducing overlapping benefits. The bill requires the Social Security Administration (SSA) to suspend Disability
Saturday, 8 June 2013
Was Social Security Originally Designed In A Racist Way?
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
Brad Plummer writes in the Washington Post about an argument that the Social Security Act as originally passed was designed to exclude most African-American workers. This was supposedly done to gain the support of Southern Democrats in the Congress. This was accomplished by excluding agricultural workers and maids, the most important occupations for African-Americans in the South at the
Friday, 7 June 2013
Criticism For "Unfit For Work"
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
Trudy Lieberman, writing in the Columbia Journalism Review, takes a belated look at NPR's "Unfit For Work" series and finds it lacking. Lieberman primarily criticizes "Unfit For Work" for suggesting that it's easy to get on Social Security disability benefits. Lieberman writes in conclusion that "Unfit For Work":
... did a disservice to an important safety net crucial to the
survival of
Thursday, 6 June 2013
Calling Social Security
Posted on 03:00 by Unknown
From the Hartford Courant:
There comes a time in every baby boomer's life when he or she must
deal with the Social Security Administration. This is not cause for
alarm.
Once you get to speak to a representative, you will find
them pleasant and helpful. The trick is getting to a representative. I
don't mean to be discouraging, but it is easier to get Barack on the
line. ...
There
There comes a time in every baby boomer's life when he or she must
deal with the Social Security Administration. This is not cause for
alarm.
Once you get to speak to a representative, you will find
them pleasant and helpful. The trick is getting to a representative. I
don't mean to be discouraging, but it is easier to get Barack on the
line. ...
There
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
Hearing On Rep Payees
Posted on 06:48 by Unknown
From a House Ways and Means Committee press release:
U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, today announced an oversight hearing on the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) representative payee program. This hearing will focus on the management challenges of the representative payee program and the agency’s
U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, today announced an oversight hearing on the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) representative payee program. This hearing will focus on the management challenges of the representative payee program and the agency’s
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
FAIR Says Disability Reporting Isn't Fair
Posted on 05:53 by Unknown
Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR), a group that "has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986," has a report on the recent surge of media reports purporting to show problems with Social Security's disability programs. Here are a few excerpts (emphasis added):
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof (12/9/12) reported that poor families in
Can Anyone Explain How This Happened?
Posted on 05:44 by Unknown
From a television station in Austin, TX:
The KVUE Defenders help a 93-year-old World War II veteran caught in
government red tape. A few months ago, the Social Security
Administration admitted to Charles Corvill it mistakenly changed the
date of his birthday, but refused to correct it.
According to his birth certificate, his birthday is March 2. The agency incorrectly changed it to
Monday, 3 June 2013
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Posted on 05:37 by Unknown
The new 5th Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the "Bible" of psychiatry, is out. One of the biggest changes in DSM-5 is the addition of the diagnostic category of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. This diagnostic category is primarily designed for children and adolescents but I see nothing in DSM-5 that would limit this diagnosis to children
Sunday, 2 June 2013
NADE Newsletter
Posted on 07:48 by Unknown
The National Association of Disability Examiners (NADE) has released its Spring 2013 newsletter. NADE is an organization of the personnel who make initial and reconsideration determinations on Social Security disability claims. Here's a quote from the NADE President's column:
One issue that seemed to come to the forefront [in meetings with Social Security officials] was the destruction of
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Doctor Sentenced For Fraud
Posted on 07:40 by Unknown
From the Associated Press:
A clinical
psychologist in San Diego is going to federal prison for a scheme that
allowed patients to falsely collect disability benefits and to avoid
taking English tests for U.S. citizenship.
The
U.S. attorney's office says Roberto J. Velasquez was sentenced
Wednesday to 21 months in prison and ordered to repay more than $1.5
million to the Social
A clinical
psychologist in San Diego is going to federal prison for a scheme that
allowed patients to falsely collect disability benefits and to avoid
taking English tests for U.S. citizenship.
The
U.S. attorney's office says Roberto J. Velasquez was sentenced
Wednesday to 21 months in prison and ordered to repay more than $1.5
million to the Social
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