Apr 30, 2007

Charlotte TV Station Reports On Hearing Backlogs

WCNC of Charlotte, NC has posted the first of a two part investigative report on the frustrations that Social Security disability claimants face with high denial rates at the initial and reconsideration levels and the long, long wait time for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings.

The TV station is running this during sweeps week, a time when they know that the Nielsen organization is looking at their viewership, in order to report on it to advertisers. This is the time of the year when TV stations make a special effort to run their most interesting material.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

People think it is all about the hearing and once you get approved you start getting money, not in my case. I received my letter like so many others nearly 2 months after the hearing. It has been 5 months since my letter approval, have I seen any benefits yet? No.

This make 40 months since I originally filed, and counting. I am told that it is being "processed", rebates take less time than this. They say I am in line, so that means others have been waiting this long? That is just atrocious to think of, the system really is messed up.

I get no updates about what is going on, they tell me the only update I will get is a letter stating my benefits. How long must a person wait while their world is closing around them?

Though I do understand there are many others, I have been waiting very long, with no knowing of how long I must wait. I have tried contacting so many others, but in the end, the ones I need to talk to, the payment center, doesn't take calls. It seems they only take emails and respond when they choose, they answer to no one it seems, no one holds them accountable.