tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post4658325485947687848..comments2024-03-28T10:15:57.792-04:00Comments on Social Security News: What Is Going On In Pittsburgh?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-66888234119149386242012-08-15T22:02:46.931-04:002012-08-15T22:02:46.931-04:00"A Social Security Assistant Deputy Commissio..."A Social Security Assistant Deputy Commissioner is bragging that the agency has found a way to "train" ALJs so that they allow fewer disability claims."<br /><br />I believe what you say here is true insofar as the training part. For decades, the files were assembled, i. e., organized and exhibited, and then given to the judge to review before it was scheduled. During this review, the judge would determine whether any additional medical exams should be ordered and whether the evidence was sufficient for an award on the record.<br /><br />Beginning two to three years ago, the new judges were "trained" to NOT conduct a pre-scheduling review, but rather to review the cases just shortly before the hearing. <br /><br />The general effect of this is to deprive some claimants of more thorough development of the medical record and in my opinion likely reduces the award rate.<br /><br />In addition, the most sinister program in place is called "How Am I Doing." This is a desktop program that opens to display graphs which show the case production rate of the judge in comparison to his peers. The really bad part is a graph that displays the judge's grants versus denials.<br /><br />There is no purpose for the grant/denial graph other than to herd judges to the mean. Not based on the facts of the case. I question the impartiality of judges with the introduction of this behavior modification tool. It can have no other purpose except to influence the outcome of cases based on something other than the facts of the case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-81310392336829797742012-08-15T10:49:11.066-04:002012-08-15T10:49:11.066-04:00The first part of cleaning up this news article wo...The first part of cleaning up this news article would be to inflation adjust his use of 1957 dollars and then calculate the current population of nearly 300 million versus the 179 million population of 1957.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-83686583082089208592012-08-14T11:44:26.769-04:002012-08-14T11:44:26.769-04:00All of you are "funny," none of the comm...All of you are "funny," none of the comments have anything to do with the article criticized by Chucky. Let's waste time talking about "greedy" reps and "overpaid" ALJs (and other professional participants in disability process) while claimants, legit or not, are collecting unearned (for many, if not most) welfare payments for years and/or decades. I wonder how many would ever apply to be declared disabled if all they would ever get be absolutely free acess to medical care but $0 cash. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-32198699823713238232012-08-13T17:00:57.164-04:002012-08-13T17:00:57.164-04:00Why not just get rid of ODAR and the AC entirely, ...Why not just get rid of ODAR and the AC entirely, utilize a disability hearing officer at the recon level, and have the appeal go straight to the federal courts. Let's see how many people that makes happy :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-86320383960739042202012-08-13T16:01:19.961-04:002012-08-13T16:01:19.961-04:00lol @ 2:03
so an ODAR full of paralegal writers a...lol @ 2:03<br /><br />so an ODAR full of paralegal writers and HOSAs is the answer to SSAs hearing woes?<br /><br />you should apply, i think you'd meet 12.03.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-34613199317575031892012-08-13T15:58:41.029-04:002012-08-13T15:58:41.029-04:0011:13, I majored in mathematics ;)
You are really...11:13, I majored in mathematics ;)<br /><br />You are really writing off the cost of pensions in your $200k conclusion, when pensions are probably the second largest cost second to overall salary over the course of one's career and retirement.<br /><br />#lrn2financeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-13601902434765308482012-08-13T14:43:38.632-04:002012-08-13T14:43:38.632-04:00Me thinks it is easier to deny the benefits of oth...Me thinks it is easier to deny the benefits of others than it is for those who make negative comments to take benefits away from friends and family. Glass houses and all that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-76740004333228746872012-08-13T14:03:33.331-04:002012-08-13T14:03:33.331-04:001. Fire all ALJs.
2. Fire all attorneys.
3. Fire 9...1. Fire all ALJs.<br />2. Fire all attorneys.<br />3. Fire 90% of the support staff.<br />4. Hire a few more IT guys.<br />5. Automate the system.<br />1+2=3<br /><br />PROFIT!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-75694396580969610902012-08-13T13:36:42.597-04:002012-08-13T13:36:42.597-04:00well, if we got rid of judges, we could get rid of...well, if we got rid of judges, we could get rid of the attorneys as well (along with other support staff). Not to mention less office space, etc. That's probably where the $2 billion number came from.<br /><br />I would argue the number is even higher. Because ALJ's grant so many unworthy cases that would never be allowed by DDS, simply reducing the number of beneficiaries would probably make the actual savings MUCH greater than $2 billion. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-40874321983049604752012-08-13T11:13:11.667-04:002012-08-13T11:13:11.667-04:00Anonymous 10:30, so even if the real figure is $20...Anonymous 10:30, so even if the real figure is $200,000.00 per Judge, that is farther off than $1,300,000.00? Are you nuts?? It's people like you that give statisticians bad names.. Duh.. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-55277683090875608412012-08-13T10:30:52.035-04:002012-08-13T10:30:52.035-04:00Charles, you and Pierce are both off about ALJ sal...Charles, you and Pierce are both off about ALJ salaries.<br /><br />Doing a quick glance at ALJ pay tables indicates that ALJs start at an average of about $125-130k, in three years the pay rate jumps to between about $150-155k, topping out after 5-7 (depending on locality) at $165300, the current max. <br /><br />So right off the bat, your retort that ALJs cost "less than a tenth" of $1.3 million is wrong, just on salary. <br /><br />Let's assume most all ALJs invest 5% of their pay in Thrift, getting the 5% matching -- that yields another $7k plus per judge per year. Health benefits, what is that, 3/4 or 2/3 paid by Uncle Sam? For a group that is mostly old geezers with an old spouse? And let's also not forget their pensions...<br /><br />So, $1.3 mil per judge per year is high, but your "10% of that" is likely further away from the real number than Pierce.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-32955731898211504932012-08-13T10:01:20.815-04:002012-08-13T10:01:20.815-04:00They claim 85% of disability appellants have priva...They claim 85% of disability appellants have private counsel? What is their attribution for this figure? <br />That has to be impossibly high!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19246708.post-65441763055819164382012-08-13T07:11:37.631-04:002012-08-13T07:11:37.631-04:00"[Richard J.] Pierce [a George Washington Uni..."[Richard J.] Pierce [a George Washington University law professor who has been harshly critical of ALJs] has suggested the government drop law judges from the process. He estimates their salaries and benefits cost more than $2 billion a year"<br /><br /><br />I have been stating these aljs and other $100,000+ employees was overpaid. These folks is likely to blame budget issues solely on claimants and their attornies,and beneficiaries BUT NOT THEMSELVES.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com