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Oct 13, 2009

OIG Report On Effects Of Backlogs

About a year ago the Chairman of the House Social Security Subcommittee asked someone at Social Security, apparently the Inspector General, about the effects of delay upon disability claimants. Social Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has finally produced a report in response to this inquiry. Here are some excerpts:
Of the 424 disability beneficiaries who participated in our review,
  • 340 said the wait for benefits impacted their finances,
  • 51 said the wait did not impact their finances, and
  • 33 did not mention the wait’s impact on their finances....
Measures Taken by Beneficiaries While Waiting for Benefits -- Number of Beneficiaries
  • Obtained assistance from friends, family, and charities 231
  • Accrued debt 141
  • Used savings 65
  • Continued or returned to work 13
  • Sold personal belongings (such as a car or boat) 11 ...
Difficult Experiences by Beneficiaries While Waiting for Benefits -- Number of Beneficiaries
  • Could no longer afford home or apartment 50
  • Lived in someone else’s household for free 36
  • Became homeless 8
  • Filed for bankruptcy 6
  • Had utilities turned off 4 ...

Of the 424 disability beneficiaries who participated in our review,

  • 127 said the wait for benefits impacted their access to medical care;
  • 282 said the wait did not impact their access to medical care; and
  • 15 did not mention the wait’s impact on their access to medical care....
A significant number of the beneficiaries we spoke with went out of their way to tell us the SSA staff provided good customer service. Specifically, 67 (16 percent) of the 424 beneficiaries we spoke with told us they had a good experience with SSA staff. ...

A portion of the beneficiaries we spoke with also mentioned that their wait for Medicare insurance had a significant impact on their lives. Specifically, 27 (6 percent) of the 424 beneficiaries told us they thought their wait for Medicare insurance was too long.

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