Pomeroy Not Wasting Time

Early Pomeroy, the new Chairman of the House Social Security Subcommittee is not wasting time. He has scheduled a joint hearing for April 27 at 2:00 with the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, which has jurisdiction over Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is administered by the Social Security Administration. Here is an excerpt from the press release on the hearing:

... [A] new backlog in unprocessed initial disability applications has now emerged, and has already reached unprecedented levels. SSA estimates that by the end of FY 2010, more than one million Americans will be awaiting an initial decision on their application for disability benefits, up from about 567,000 at the end of FY 2008. SSA projects the initial claims backlog will remain at essentially this level through FY 2011.

In addition to causing longer waiting times, the increase in claims also affects SSA’s capacity to process reconsideration appeals – the first appeals step, which occurs prior to a request for a hearing before an ALJ – and to conduct continuing disability reviews, which are important to program integrity. The increase in initial claims also will result in more appeals to the hearing level, which may strain the capacity of SSA’s hearing offices in coming years.

Under the President’s budget for FY 2011, SSA states it will be able to stay on track to eliminate the hearings backlog by the end of FY 2013. However, this funding will not allow SSA to make significant progress in reducing the initial claims backlog. In addition, service delivery in other parts of the agency will continue to be challenged.