MEGAHIT Working Well — But How Much Does It Matter?
From a report by Social Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG): Despite challenges, SSA [Social Security Administration] continued expanding health IT [Information Technology] and partnered with 38 health care organizations, exchanged electronic records in 30 States and the District of Columbia, and identified ways of enhancing health IT case processing and data analytics.
Disability Benefits and Boston’s Homeless
It is hard to walk to down the street in downtown Boston without seeing those who live on the city streets. While it is never easy to be without a home, it was especially difficult during this harsh winter that has just ended. The Boston Globe published a recent article in the Metro section that looked at the homeless population in our city and their struggle to obtain Social Security disability benefits. During the month of February, over 300 city officials and volunteers spend an evening walking the cold dark streets to conduct the city’s annual count of homeless residents. This winter has not only been particularly brutal in terms of cold temperatures and snowfall, but a large homeless shelter closed as well. This was, of course the …
Time Is Running Out for Social Security Disability Funding
Time is running out for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The Social Security Administration (SSA) is nearing a fiscal cliff. By fourth quarter 2016, nearly 9 million Americans will have their benefits cut by as much as 20 percent. Congress needs to act now. These are just some examples of the headlines we have seen over the past several months predicting a budgetary crisis to the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. Let’s move beyond the “Sky is Falling” headlines and identify the real problems. In 2014, the Social Security Trustees released their annual report. This report claimed there will be no major change in the number of people retiring or the number of people claiming disability benefits in the near future. In other words, demand for …
Social Security Disability Funding Cuts Could Prevent People from Returning to Work
All of the talk from those opposed to providing sufficient funding to the Social Security Disaiblity Insurance (SSDI) program seem to think it will save tax payers money. According to a recent feature from the Center for American Progress, it will leave millions of Americans unable to take care of themselves and their families with no realistic hope of ever returning to work. One of the main problems was related to a recent budget, which passed along party lines, designed to stop people from collecting unemployment benefits and Social Security Disability Benefits at the same time. In other words, the goal to prevent “double dipping” would punish disability insurance recipients who lose their jobs for reasons other than through their own fault, who apply for unemployment benefits. …
Wounded Warriors Denied for Social Security Disability Benefits
During the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was impossible to watch the news without seeing the consequences to brave men and women of our armed forces. Many were killed, and even more were sent home with serious disabilities caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other combat-related injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to a recent news article from Forbes, wounded service members have been sending open letters to their respective Congress members asking for help with the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits application process. One of those letters was from a medically discharged U.S. Army soldier. He describes how he became disabled and what has happened since getting back to the United States. After he completed his last …
Social Security Agencies Push for Stricter Reporting in Disability Cases
The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for managing the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, and of course, the Social Security retirement program. Social Security disability insurance benefits are made available to claimants who can no longer work due to injury or illness. A worker must have been employed for a certain about of time (broken up into quarterly credits), so that he or she has paid into the system, before SSA will approve claimant to receive disability benefits. The Supplemental Security Income benefits program is designed to provide money for children of low income families and disabled elderly claimants. This program does not require claimant to have ever worked or worked enough to build up a certain …
How Often Does This Happen?
Guy gets a new Social Security number because some other guy had been using the same number and messed up his credit.
Problems With Social Security Ticket to Work Program
Social Security Administration (SSA) officials and members of Congress have been looking for ways to cut spending for years. One of these was a program known as the Ticket to Work. It is designed so a claimant can go back to work at first on a part-time basis without any reduction in benefits. This is meant to address the problem of claimants who would actually prefer to work but are afraid to get any type of employment out of fear their Social Security Disability benefits will be reduced or even cut entirely, if SSA finds out about claimant earning income. According to a recent news article from the Atlantic, a senior member of a rehabilitation professional association referred to the Ticket to Work program as the …
Mitze v. Colvin: Social Security Disability Appeals Process
Mitze v. Colvin, an appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, involved claimant who applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in 2009 at the age of 43 because she was suffering from a cyst in her pineal gland. The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland in the human brain which is responsible for production of melatonin. Melatonin is necessary to regulate sleep. After Social Security Administration (SSA) denied her initial application, and she made several efforts to apply for reconsideration in writing, SSA granted her a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) in November of 2011. ALJ held a hearing and rejected her claim for disability benefits. At this point, claimant appealed to the district court. During this appeal, the court …
Difficulties in Obtaining Disability Benefits
Every week, we see a new rash of news articles about the fate of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Most focus on the fact that by the end of 2016, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will not have enough money in its budget to pay all disability awards. There is expected to be a 20 percent reduction in the budget if Congress doesn’t act quickly to fix the pending deficit. One way to fix this predicted crisis is to shift money from the Social Security retirement benefits to the SSDI and Supplemental Secularity Income (SSI) benefits fund. The retirement fund is currently fully funded through 2030, so if money is reallocated to the disability fund, there is time to work on a long-term solution or do another …
A Call to Eliminate the Income Cap on Social Security Disability Insurance Program
According to a recent Letter to the Editor in the Asbury Park Press, one Hurricane Sandy survivor and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits recipient makes a call to lift the income cap from the program funding tax. As the author describes, he and his wife, both retired, had saved for years and created a sound financial plan. However, they never planned for anything like Hurricane Sandy. After having to spend most of their savings to rebuild their home, they would have not been able to survive without Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. He describes SDDI as one of the most successful programs ever created by the United States government, but it is in trouble with respect to future spending cuts. He also claims anyone calling disability …
Mascio v. Colvin: Disability Benefits Appeals
Mascio v. Colvin, an appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, involved claimant who applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the Social Security Administration (SSA) denied her claim for benefits. Claimant based her request for disability benefits on the fact she suffers from a degenerative disc disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and an adjustment disorder. Adjustment disorder is a psychological illness related to stress that makes it difficult for patients to engage in normal social situations or workplace situations. She had a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ), who determined claimant was not disabled. Claimant timely appealed this decision, and the appellate court reversed ALJ’s decision and remanded the case for a new hearing before a different ALJ.