New AARP Article

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Bulletin for November contains another article about Social Security's backlogs. Here is an excerpt:

Maria Leal of Portland, Ore., tells her story slowly because her tongue is sutured, making it difficult for her to speak clearly. She has grand mal seizures, and during the last one she bit down on her tongue so violently it needed stitches. ...

But three years after she applied for disability benefits, Leal is living in a residence for the homeless, sharing a bathroom with 54 other women and eating baloney sandwiches. She's still waiting for her claim to be processed. ...

"People have died waiting for a hearing," Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue concedes. "This is America, and it is simply not acceptable for Americans to wait years for a final decision on a claim."

Disability claims, officials say, have doubled since 2001 as millions of boomers in their 50s—the years when working men and women are most prone to illness and disabilities—have applied to collect the insurance. Despite a growing aging population and caseload, the agency hasn't been able to afford to add workers. Congress has consistently cut the SSA's budget requests since 2001, leaving the agency's overall staffing at its lowest level in 34 years.