The Nashville Scene has a long article on the state of Social Security disability determination in the state of Tennessee and it is not a pretty picture. A few extracts:
In 2003, the state of Tennessee denied more initial requests for Social Security disability benefits than any other state, according to the most recent numbers from the Social Security Advisory Board, a bipartisan commission appointed by Congress. In fact, statistics indicate Tennessee consistently has one of the lowest allowance rates year after year. ...
Critics say that Tennessee’s examiners have consistently been among the lowest paid in the country, and that the state has one of the highest attrition rates among examiners nationwide, suggesting inexperienced employees and frequent turnover might be to blame for the state’s high rate of rejections. ...
Last year in Tennessee, it took an average of 128 days from the time a claim was received by DDS to the time an examiner made a determination, according to the Social Security Administration. That’s compared to the national average of 87 days. ...
In many ways, Social Security’s disability program is the epitome of bureaucracy. The sheer size, coupled with a complicated process and funding shortfalls, create what many applicants refer to as “a nightmare.” But even its harshest critics admit the system is struggling in part because of limited resources.
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