From a Program Operations Manual Series (POMS) release:
It would not be fair to blame the Commissioner of Social Security for this, since Congress has made it clear that it wants this. Of course Social Security ought to have sufficient funds to address the redeterminations, answer the telephones, work off the disability claims backlogs and more, but it does not. No one should be surprised that Scial Security service does not get better. That is not where our nation's priorities lie.
Unlike prior Fiscal Years (FY), the number of workyears allocated for processing redeterminations (RZs) and Limited Issues (LIs) in FY 2008 is larger than in FY 2007. Because of the increase in workyears, the number of High Error Profile (HEP) Redeterminations (RZs) and Limited Issues (LIs) selected will be greater than were selected in FY 2007. Also the A, B and UC profiles will again be selected.To translate this for you, it is more important to address SSI redeterminations to prevent erroneous payments of benefits than it is to answer the telephones at Social Security's field offices or to address the backlogs in processing of disability claims. In fact, it looks as if there will be a near complete hiring freeze during this fiscal year so these other problems will just get worse over the next year.
It would not be fair to blame the Commissioner of Social Security for this, since Congress has made it clear that it wants this. Of course Social Security ought to have sufficient funds to address the redeterminations, answer the telephones, work off the disability claims backlogs and more, but it does not. No one should be surprised that Scial Security service does not get better. That is not where our nation's priorities lie.
Those who subscribe to conspiracy theories might suggest that the degradation of service at the local DO's is part of a greater plan. Before anyone will want to tackle Social Security "reform" he or she will need to show that the system is broke. In the past the SSA has given good service, so why mess with it? If over the next few years the service continues to degrade, then people may more easily swallow broad reforms. Of course, those reforms will include changes to private accounts from which a relatively small group of people/organizations will make tremendously large amounts of money. If you think socialized medicine is anathema to corporate America, what do you think its opinion is of socialized Social Security?
ReplyDeleteIn fact, with the earmarked appropriations toward redeterminations and no hiring, personnel will be redirected away from answering phones and processing claims toward processing the redeterminations--it is the only way to do it.
ReplyDelete