From The NOSSCR Conference -- Marty Ford

Marty Ford, the head of the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) and the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a very important umbrella group, spoke last Thursday morning at the conference of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSCRC). Here are some points she covered and some comments by me in brackets:

• She wants to see details of Social Security's budget submission. Social Security has been releasing little more that a bottom line number. She would like to know more. [A lot of people are paying a lot more attention to Social Security's budget after the fiasco of this year's budget. There is also an increased realization that it is not just how much money Social Security is getting, although that is most important, but also how the money is being spent.]
  
• The U.S. Comptroller General held a forum two weeks ago on disability policy. She spoke. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is under the direction of the Comptroller General. [There was no public notice of this "forum."]
• Ford had a meeting with Commissioner Astrue about two and a half weeks ago.
• Ford expects changes in Social Security's Office of Medical and Vocational Experts. [Tell us more.]
• Ford expects Social Security to work on its Listings of Impairments, with more listings added and more old listings updated.
• Ford thinks Astrue wants to "close the record" in Social Security disability cases earlier. [Nancy Shor mentioned concerns about the same thing.]
• Ford expects new Ticket to Work regulations to reach the Office of Management and Budget soon, but does not necessarily expect them to be published soon.
• Commissioner Astrue seemed concerned about the limited time he has to accomplish something as Commissioner. [Nancy Shor said much the same thing.]