The Social Security Administration has released its Performance and Accountability Report for fiscal year 2008. The report measures the agency against various criteria it has set for itself.
In a sense, it is hard to argue with the criteria used. These are reasonable criteria for Social Security given the budget the agency is working with. In another sense, the criteria are a glaring example of "defining deviancy downwards." Major problem areas such as telephone service and field office waiting time are avoided altogether. The criteria for judging success in holding hearings on Social Security disability claims are far, far below what anyone would judge to be acceptable.
By the way, hidden on page 104 is an admission that the Social Security Administration owes claimants over $2 billion as part of the SDW (Special Disability Workload), which is accumulated mistakes in paying benefits made over a long period of time that were discovered by analysis of Social Security's databases. The SDW backlog is being worked down over a long period of time -- many years. It is a labor intensive business that deserves public attention. It should have been done quicker, but the resources have not been available.
In a sense, it is hard to argue with the criteria used. These are reasonable criteria for Social Security given the budget the agency is working with. In another sense, the criteria are a glaring example of "defining deviancy downwards." Major problem areas such as telephone service and field office waiting time are avoided altogether. The criteria for judging success in holding hearings on Social Security disability claims are far, far below what anyone would judge to be acceptable.
By the way, hidden on page 104 is an admission that the Social Security Administration owes claimants over $2 billion as part of the SDW (Special Disability Workload), which is accumulated mistakes in paying benefits made over a long period of time that were discovered by analysis of Social Security's databases. The SDW backlog is being worked down over a long period of time -- many years. It is a labor intensive business that deserves public attention. It should have been done quicker, but the resources have not been available.
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