Below is an e-mail that I have received that I am posting here with the writer's permission. One detail that might help identify the writer is omitted. The ellipses are in the original. I think there are others who feel the same as this writer.
Greetings,
Having been a follower of your blog for some long while, I've often thought of writing you.
By way of introduction, I am a Ph.D. psychologist in private practice...I've worked at least part-time since 1994 in the SSA [Social Security Administration] system, first at DDS [Disability Determination Services] as a consultant, and now doing ME work for ODAR [Office of Disability Adjudication and Review]. Unlike many MEs [Medical Expert witness at Social Security disability hearing], I am not an elderly retiree, doing this work as supplementary income. I consider it very important work, and I try to bring my varied clinical experiences to bear on the disability cases I read. I work for 7 different ODAR offices in __________, when they call.
What 'pushed me over the edge' to write to you now was a recent case I was asked to review in an interrogatory form. The case involved well over 1200 pages of records relevant to mental health issues, as well as Appeals Council and District Court opinions. I don't mean to sound self-righteous, but I read every page of the case...all the while processing other thoughts....For one, no ME had ever been involved before in this case, though years of back and forth had occurred. For another, I could not do anything but despair about the time I had to invest in it...11 hours including the reading and then writing of an opinion. I could have spent even more time. For this, I will be paid $130. If my forensic colleagues were to take on a case such as this, their fees would approach $2000!
I have very little interaction with other MEs (partly because of the way the ME system is arranged). I have many other concerns..especially the capricious nature of how the case work comes to me...how different judges work so very differently, ..and on. Do other MEs correspond with you? Is there a "lobby" for us? How could I impact the fee structure (unchanged in the time I have worked for OHA [Office of Hearings and Appeals, the former name for ODAR]/ODAR)? So, I am curious about your thoughts...
I look forward to hearing from you...
thanks much,
5 comments:
The COSS gave the VEs a raise, the attorneys 2 raises recently, & the AC members a few years ago. The MEs need to feel the love. It is the same rate as it was in 1968.
If the rates were too low, wouldn't MEs refuse to participate?
Sounds like the market is right if MEs will take these cases.
If this Ph.D. thinks he is worth more than $10/hour he should refuse the case. If all MEs did this, either the COSS would have no MEs or he would have to authorize a higher rate.
By the way, the work as this person describes it is something that should rightfully have been done by a DDS shrink.
I have two statements.
One,as i have never seen a post on this,and considering the ph.d spoke alittle on it,i would like to know or see a post about dds subsequent claims review process.
Secondly,i think outrageous salaries are part to blame for the government deficits.
Is it realy logical to pay an alj over $100,000 yearly. In the absence of each new hire:
1 new alj salary = 10 new claimants that can be paid.
ALJs are overpaid and underworked.
An ODAR ALJ's salary should be capped at $100,000 pa. Even that is probably too generous for the small amount of work they deign to perform.
ALJ work (play) at home should be abolished. Most ALJs do nothing on flexiplace, except, say, work at other jobs, go to the beach, etc.
A HOCALJ once told me a story about calling an ALJ who was supposedly working at home and hearing the waves break in the background. The very idea of giving the HOCALJ a cell phone number when the ALJ was susposed to be at home working was fishy.
The occasional labor-intensive claim is part of an ME's work. There are many cases that require little time at all -- those "no medically determinable impairment" cases are paid at the same rate. Most cases fall in between and the ME is likely making at least $25 - $50/hour on those.
I commend the original ME on doing the right thing with the monster claim he had. Many MEs would just do a cursory review and justify it based on the low rate of pay.
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