Astrue Interview

Michael Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, gave a lengthy interview to the Business Of Government Hour, a service of the IBM Center for the Business of Government, on December 6. I assume this is a non-profit. The interview is available online.

I found the interviewers' frequent reference to the Commissioner by his first name to be surprising and inappropriate. It is not like being a high government official pays that well. At least you ought to be addressed by your title.

Here are a few highlights of what he said:

• Astrue described the Commissioner of Social Security as reporting directly to the President of the United States.
• "I'm staying" in the new Administration.
• Social Security has not had a true strategic plan in the past, but the agency now has a "terrific" strategic plan.
• "We need to make sure our employee base does not keep shrinking."
• "We give the highest priority to the oldest [disability] cases." In the past, for political reasons, it was otherwise.
• Astrue feels it is important for Social Security to encourage retirement saving.
• Some simplification of the SSI program would help Social Security in achieving accuracy in administering the program.
• Social Security now has a notice improvement office.
• Social Security is reaching out effectively to military veterans.
• He wants the National Institutes for Health to run clinical trials on biomarkers to test for disability for various impairments.
• Social Security is providing technical advice for the Department of Veterans Affairs
• Patty Duke will be an unpaid celebrity spokesperson for Social Security. She is 62. She is also a spokesperson for those suffering from bipolar disorder. [Does she know how badly Social Security treats those suffering from bipolar disorder who apply for Social Security disability benefits?]
  

Update: When I originally listened to this, there was a problem with the last segment of the interview. I e-mailed the IBM Center and they e-mailed me the last segment. I thought they must have corrected it on the website, but I should have checked. They have not yet done so. E-mail them and I am sure they will send you a copy.