Wayne Gilchrest, who represents Delaware in the House of Representatives, has been complaining about service at Social Security's hearing office in Dover, specifically: requests for excessive and redundant medical evidence, unwarranted dismissals, improper handling of terminal illness, medically critical, and dire need claims and inappropriate comments at hearings.
Social Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) was asked to investigate. OIG's report has been posted. They really did not investigate the Dover hearing office, instead concentrating upon Social Security's handling of the Congressman's complaints and agreed that the agency could handle the complaints better.
I am not familiar with the situation in Dover. I do know that the Social Security Administration has difficulty handling rogue (to use a term in the news) Administrative Law Judges (ALJs). They want to insure good public service but they do not want to interfere with ALJ independence.
1 comment:
Just a small correction. Wayne Gilchrest represents Maryland's First District. The hearing office in Dover, DE also handles claims from Maryland's Eastern Shore which is in his district. Also, he lost the Republican primary and come January 2009 he will not be representing anybody.
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