Here's an article regarding the initial rollout of the Social Security Administration's Disability Service Improvement (DSI) initiative which will begin in the smallest SSA region on 8/1/06.An interesting excerpt:"Barnhart acknowledged that elimination of the Appeals Council has created the most concern among stakeholders. They expressed fears that erroneous denial decisions might escape review
Friday, 30 June 2006
Thursday, 29 June 2006
American Health Care
Posted on 12:43 by Unknown
Two patients limp into two different American Medical clinics with the same complaint. Both have trouble walking and appear to require a hip replacement.The first patient is examined within the hour, is x-rayed the same day and has a time booked for surgery the following week.The second sees the family doctor after waiting a week for an appointment, then waits eighteen weeks to see a specialist,
Wednesday, 28 June 2006
ODAR and DDS in the same builing in Norfolk VA
Posted on 10:09 by Unknown
This article is fairly brief and regards a building contract being awarded. What's interesting is that this new 65,000 sq foot facility in Norfolk VA will house space for ODAR (the new title for OHA, the office of hearings and appeals: office of disability adjudication and review) and DDS. Of course, my own perspective is limited to NC, but DDS and ODAR in the same building, perhaps along with
Over 40 Million Americans without Health Insurance at some point last year
Posted on 10:00 by Unknown
"Approximately 41.2 million U.S. residents, or 14.2%, of the U.S. population, had no health insurance in 2005 at a specific point in time"Significant portion of America without needed health coverageReturn to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther Posts: Social Security Disability SSI and Chronic PainHow hard is it to find a lawyer for a social security disability or SSI claim?
Tuesday, 27 June 2006
Rising Medicare Prescription Drug Costs
Posted on 13:31 by Unknown
According to analysis conducted by FamiliesUsa, Medicare Part D is the not the solution to affordable prescription drug access that the Bush administration would have one believe. After collecting prices for the 20 drugs most frequently prescribed to seniors (between 11/05 and 4/06), their report finds that "virtually all of the Part D plans raised their prices for the majority of the top 20
Friday, 23 June 2006
How many Americans become disabled?
Posted on 07:14 by Unknown
According to U.S. census data, eighteen percent of the American population (at this point in time, that comes to 51 million citizens) has some form of disability with 12% having a severe disability.I've probably seen similar figures before, but, still, the statistics are sobering. And, of course, not surprising. Aside from the fact that many accidents and impairments just happen, humans, like
Thursday, 22 June 2006
One serious illness away from losing a job and paying high health insurance costs
Posted on 07:07 by Unknown
Unfortunately, this is not at all an uncommon story. And if you've had a substantial amount of contact with disability claimants, most of this will sound fairly familiar. In fact, stories like this may be one reason why some disability reps delegate the "return call function" to office staff: they find it too depressing to hear these kinds of stories day in and day out. Mind you, that doesn't
Wednesday, 21 June 2006
"The Great Leap Forward" OR..."The last time the Commissioner set forth an 'improvement' plan"
Posted on 21:15 by Unknown
From: Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Social Security of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Hearing on Social Security Disability Program's Challenges and Opportunities, June 28, 2001"We are in the midst of an emerging disaster surrounding the disability workload at OHA precipitated by the demise of the Senior Attorney decision maker and fueled by HPI. The backlog at OHA has increased
Social Security Disability SSI : Liberal versus Conservative Viewpoints
Posted on 06:15 by Unknown
The DSI (Disability Service Improvement) plan being implemented by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration does not seem to be headed in the direction of actual "improvement" as far as the needs of disability claimants are concerned (for one thing, disability claimants need a system that is not adversarially tilted against them). But, considering who's holding the reins, what's
Tuesday, 20 June 2006
Will E-dib dramatically speed disability cases at hearings offices ?
Posted on 20:03 by Unknown
I came across this interesting thread at SSA Connect (Future of SSA reps) begun by a non-attorney claimant's representative who seems convinced that disability reps (attorney and non attorney) will be needed far less in the near future. I can't say I agree. Here are my thoughts regarding some of the postings in this thread."I've talked with ALJ's and office personnel at ODAR's in three states and
Monday, 19 June 2006
The Question of Nurse Case Managers
Posted on 19:44 by Unknown
On his June 19th, 2006 post, Attorney Charles Hall questions why the social security administration needs to hire 90 nurse case managers in addition to 103 Federal Reviewing Officers by the end of this year. (Mr. Hall's post: Why Does SSA Need to Hire 90 Nurse Case Managers For Disability Service Improvement? )I have to admit, when I came across the same information several days ago, I was
Medicaid , Nursing homes, Changing Demographics, and National Priorities
Posted on 08:15 by Unknown
As with the social security disability and retirement programs, there's a hazy question mark floating over the future of medicaid. Questionable budget priorities, and an exploding national debt, of course, only fuel an incubating problem, the source of which is changing demographics, i.e. a greying population that is increasingly reliant on a smaller pool of younger workers to carry the
Sunday, 18 June 2006
Cleveland Hearing Office 4th worst in Nation with over 11,000 cases
Posted on 23:13 by Unknown
Apparently, the backlogs at the Cleveland hearing office are the 4th worst in the country with 11,026 cases. The wait time for disability hearings has increased by 50% since January of 2004 with social security disability and SSI claimants now waiting an average of 597 days for a hearing.Unfortunately, things may get worse with anticipated budget cuts (not surprising considering who we have in
Medicaid is changing
Posted on 22:51 by Unknown
The Deficit Reduction Act is allowing the various states to modify their level of medicaid coverage and pare back the benefits that medicaid recipients have traditionally received. How is this being viewed by those outside the administration and the republican-dominated congress?Well, here's a quote from the article linked below: "Low-income individuals are increasingly going to be put at far
Thursday, 15 June 2006
Social Security Disability SSI : I told you so
Posted on 19:37 by Unknown
Charles Hall posted excerpts from the written statements for witnesses for the House Social Security Subcommittee. Here's one of them:"Specifically, several of the ALJs we interviewed told us that at the hearings level, judges and their staff currently spend significant time developing case files. They noted that if the reviewing official position is designed to focus on case development, then
Social Security Disability & the two year waiting period for Medicare Benefits
Posted on 14:01 by Unknown
I just came across a great blog post that touches on one of the most important issues for social security disability claimants, which is medical coverage. Unfortunately, a great many claimants go without proper access to medical care at the very time:1. their condition has become disablingAND2. they are trying to document their condition for the social security administration (difficult to do if
Social Security Disability and working under the table
Posted on 09:24 by Unknown
Here's an article the point of which makes perfect sense: don't work under the table. Because if you do and later have to apply for social security disability, you may find that your benefit amount isn't as high as it might have been...or that you are simply not covered for social security disability.My own spouse is a claim reps at an SSA field office and, of course, they see this all the time.
Wednesday, 14 June 2006
Social Security Disability SSI : Can You See A Disability ?
Posted on 18:09 by Unknown
I'll be honest, the first part of this article (link provided below) irritates and sickens me.From the article:"It's a story Social Security Manager Shannon Patrick has heard plenty of times before: There's a man collecting Social Security disability payments that was spotted up on his roof making repairs. Just how disabled is he? Don't ask Patrick. The Social Security office won't know because
Social Security Disability SSI : Wanting to work
Posted on 18:04 by Unknown
"You think we're mooching off the Gov't and taking SSI Disability but believe me that's not the case. We really want to work as that is how we judge our worth in life. Not what we make but that we work and are productive in society."Read Sage's full blog postReturn to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther PostsAttorney for a disability Claim Application for social security
Social Security Disability SSI : A flawed system
Posted on 17:41 by Unknown
"I am not the only one who has worked, paid in taxes, become disabled, only to be thrown into a system that doesn't care enough to want me to be able to maintain my health or support my family"Read Jaime's full blog entryReturn to the Social Security Disability SSI Benefits BlogOther PostsAttorney for a disability Claim Application for social security disability Social security appealDisability
Social Security Disability SSI : Falling through the cracks
Posted on 17:34 by Unknown
"There are a lot of people who fall through these cracks in the programs, not just me. I know this is something some Democrats, such as Al Gore, have specifically wanted to address. However, many Republicans have blocked changes consistently over the years. Maybe the people I know who vote Republican will help me pay for my MRIs..."Read Pam's full blog entryReturn to the Social Security
Tuesday, 13 June 2006
Social Security Disability SSI : The Worst Advice I've seen yet
Posted on 15:11 by Unknown
Here's an excerpt from an article that, essentially, is a recommendation against representation. I think I may have mentioned this article once before, but the advice on it is flawed enough that it is certainly worth mentioning once more:"Instead of having an attorney represent you, bring other qualified individuals to speak on your behalf. This can include your doctor, social worker, and family
Can you afford a lawyer for a social security disability claim?
Posted on 14:48 by Unknown
Here's a post from another blogger. In the post, Jonathan mentions that he received an approval for disability on his first try without the need for representation. He also mentions having a friend who is thinking of hiring an attorney for a social security claim; however, the friend is of the opinion that he cannot afford to hire an attorney. Regarding Jonathan's success with his own claim, yes
Disability Denied
Posted on 12:48 by Unknown
I've been around social security disability and SSI disability claimants in several capacities over a number of years (caseworker, disability examiner, advocacy) and the conclusion I've reached is that the majority of disability applicants do not want to file for disability benefits. They file for disability benefits because they have to. In other words, because their medical or mental condition
Application for Disability - SSD and SSI applications
Posted on 12:30 by Unknown
Many individuals who are effectively disabled (unable to perform the work requirements of their current jobs, past jobs, or any other job) wait quite a while before they decide to contact the social security office and file an application for disability. In fact, some potential claimants never seriously consider filing for disability benefits until their funds are exhausted and their disabling
Sunday, 11 June 2006
Social Security Disability and the Mental Health Treatment Study
Posted on 16:16 by Unknown
From Don Lavin's Blog:"My employer, Rise, Incorporated, recently joined a national research project that will study the impact of providing integrated mental health treatment and evidence-based employment practices (EBPs) for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients. This project is entitled the Mental Health Treatment Study (MHTS) and it will officially begin on July 1, 2006. MHTS
Who makes the Social Security Disability decision ?
Posted on 16:06 by Unknown
Actually, the answer to this question depends on the level your claim is at. If your social security disability or SSI disability claim is being processed at the intial claim level, the decision will be made by a disability examiner who works at the state agency that handles medical evaluations for the social security administration in your particular state (in most states, this agency is known
How much does it cost to hire a social security disability attorney?
Posted on 15:49 by Unknown
Individuals who provide representation services on social security disability and SSI disability claims (either a disability attorney or a non attorney representative) are not paid upfront. Quite the reverse, they are paid on contingency -- meaning a claimant does not pay a fee until a case has been won...regardless of how long the case takes (and this, unfortunately, can take years).This, of
Social Security Back Pay
Posted on 15:42 by Unknown
Social security back pay is exactly that. It's what social security "owes you back" after your claim has finally been approved. Back pay, of course, is a huge issue for social security disability claimants since most claimants go months and even years with no source of appreciable income.How far back can social security disability back pay go? The answer is not quite as clearcut as one might
Thursday, 8 June 2006
Social Security Disability SSI : Psychological and other mental testing
Posted on 20:19 by Unknown
I came across someone else's blog and the individual was commenting on the fact that her mother was sent to a consultative examination (a CE exam) for her social security disability application. The exam was a psychological CE, designed to gauge a client's mental status and level of psychological functional limitations.The blogger indicated that the exam took 2 1/2 hours to complete. Not every
Social Security Disability Appeal - Tips on the Appeals Process
Posted on 20:10 by Unknown
The point of this post is to illustrate a few insights as to why it is better to follow the social security disability appeals process, versus starting over with a new disability application. And to do that, let me relate a recent experience.I was speaking to someone the other day who, like me, is a former disability examiner for social security disability and SSI claims. The question that came
SSI Benefits - How to apply for SSI Disability
Posted on 20:03 by Unknown
What are SSI benefits? This is a fairly common question for individuals who are considering filing a claim for disability benefits. SSI stands for supplemental security income and is mandated by title 16 of the social security act.SSI disability benefits exist to provide coverage to those individuals who were never insured and eligible for social security disability benefits, as well as
Reasons to Apply for Disability
Posted on 19:57 by Unknown
There's only one reason to apply for disability. And the reason is...that an individual is limited enough by their condition, or various conditions (mental, physical, or both), to the extent that they can no longer work, either at one of their past jobs, or at any other form of work deemed suitable by the social security administration (based on a claimant's age, work skills, past work
Getting Disability - Social Security Disability and SSI
Posted on 19:48 by Unknown
Getting disability benefits. There are literally tons of questions associated with this two word sentence. If you're searching for information online regarding social security disability or SSI disability, of course, there's a more than fair chance that you're looking for either 1. basic information about how to file an application or an appeal for disability benefits, 2. information regarding
Can you receive Social Security Disability (aka SSDI and SSD) and SSI also ?
Posted on 19:42 by Unknown
Actually, you can receive both social security disability benefits and SSI benefits both at the same time, though this is not something in which you really have any choice. In brief, here's how it works. When you file for disability benefits, either online or by visiting your local social security office, you do simply that---you file an application for disability. The category from which your
Wednesday, 7 June 2006
The Canadian Approach to Health Care....
Posted on 21:17 by Unknown
The Canadian approach to health care seems to have some advantages. At least that's what you can infer from an associated press article written by Michael Stobbe and appearing on Newsday.com on 5/30/06.Excerpts:"Universal coverage makes it easier for more Canadians to get disease-preventing health services, she said.""And nearly twice as many Americans said there were medicines they needed but
Social Security Administration to Speed Disability Payments to Recipients?
Posted on 20:53 by Unknown
If you can believe it, an election-year bill in Congress reportedly and allegedly contains funding for this. From the article by Richard Cowan, writing for Reuters:"Regula (republican congressman from Ohio) said his bill also would add $184 million next year to help the Social Security Administration speed disability payments to recipients."No details, unfortunately, on how they plan to put this
The difficulty in reaching Social Security Claims Reps versus the need to protect them
Posted on 08:16 by Unknown
Attorney Charles Hall has an excellent blog (Social Security News) but I have to disagee with something he said on a recent post: Protecting Social Security Employees.In the post, Mr. Hall comments about an SSA notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would enable social security field office personnel to refuse to give out the desk phone numbers of claims reps.He states "It is a little hard to
Bipolar Disorder, ECT, Social Security Disability
Posted on 07:30 by Unknown
Here's a post from another blogger that I'd like to recommend, simply because reading and listening to other people's stories is didactic, particularly if you suffer from the same affliction.The blogger is an attorney with Bipolar Disorder who is on ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). His claim for LTD benefits has been denied and he is currently in the process of pursuing social security disability
Monday, 5 June 2006
Looking forward to those golden years...Gulp! (retirement ain't what it used to be)
Posted on 21:44 by Unknown
This is a depressing article, but there are several statistics that offer some food for thought. Retired Seniors find little SecuritySome of the stats that seemed especially depressing to me were as follows:1. For about 7.7 million Americans older than 65, Social Security is the sole source of income, according to the Social Security Administration. 2. Many seniors -- nearly 3 million nationwide
Just when you think it can't get worse on disability benefits
Posted on 07:12 by Unknown
Sometimes when I write a post, I'll mention the devastating financial aspects of filing for social security disability or SSI, because, as we all know, it's difficult to subsist without some form of income, and applying for disability benefits can be an incredibly long process.However, even for those who do get approved, life is still no cakewalk. Let's face it, a disability check doesn't go that
Sunday, 4 June 2006
Disability Blogs and Disability Claimants
Posted on 18:38 by Unknown
If you do a search on google's blog search (www.blogsearch.google.com -- still in beta, I believe) for the phrase "disability blogs", you'll find a number of references to individual disability blogs and lists of disability blogs. Visting a few of these blogs you'll find that some are focused on specific issues, some are used by their authors for catharsis, some are quite humorous, and some, to
Social Security Disability SSI Application and Hearing Tips: Describing your work
Posted on 17:07 by Unknown
If you ask a social security claims rep (claims reps are the individuals who take your application for either social security disability or SSI) which part of the application interview takes the longest amount of time to complete, they'll likely tell you it has to do with getting a breakdown of the physical activities attached to a past job. In other words, how much time was spent sitting,
Saturday, 3 June 2006
Who's that old guy?
Posted on 23:40 by Unknown
Just the odd post here. I was sitting in a Barnes and Noble bookstore (usually pretty nice places with decent snacks, plenty of room, and, most importantly, wireless internet access). While tapping out a different post for this blog, I saw a fairly old soldier enter the store. Judging by his appearance, he was probably about 50. What's the significance of this? Well, if you have any familiarity
Social Security Disability SSI: What is an on the record decision ?
Posted on 15:40 by Unknown
"On the record decisions" occur after a request for a hearing before an administrative law judge has been made. And they happen in two basic ways. In some instances, a hearing office staff attorney will initiate an on the record review of a case that is pending a hearing date. In other instances, an attorney or non attorney claimant's representative will request an on the record review.First off-
Social Security Disability SSI: Two is (may be) an unlucky number
Posted on 10:51 by Unknown
Earlier this evening, I was in a convenience store and the customer in front of me at the checkout register was asked by the cashier, "Are you sure you don't want to get something else?" Two pepperoni flavored slimjims were on the counter. For a second, the customer, a slightly disheveled-looking gentlman in his early thirties wore a blank look. Then, in the tradition of Eureka!, a realization
How hard is it to find a lawyer or representative for a social security disability or SSI claim?
Posted on 08:06 by Unknown
Believe it or not, though there are plenty of disability attorneys and non attorney representatives (non attorneys are allowed to provide representation on social security disability claims, which is a very good thing since many non attorneys are former SSA claims reps, DDS examiners, nurses, etc, and these individuals are often ideally suited to providing top notch disability claim
Friday, 2 June 2006
Social Security Disability SSI and Bad articles
Posted on 06:15 by Unknown
(as with so many posts on this blog, the point of the post comes at the end)I came across an article on bipolar and, since my step-son, brother-in-law, and mother-in-law all have bipolar disorder (still don't think there's a genetic component to this condition?), I decided to take a look. But after a second, I realized it was mainly a promotional article for someone's guide to winning social
Thursday, 1 June 2006
Social Security Disability SSI: How can you win a case if you don't have health insurance and can't get seen by a doctor ?
Posted on 04:59 by Unknown
This really has to be one of the worst problems that claimants who are filing for social security disability and/or SSI disability benefits have to face.The way the disability system is setup, a disability claims examiner or a disability judge will often have difficulty approving a claim for ongoing benefits if a claimant or the claimant's representative cannot produce recent medical
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