Updated Fee Payment Numbers

Social Security has issued updated numbers on payments of fees to attorneys and others for representation of Social Security claimants:

Fee Payments
Month/Year	Volume	Amount
Jan-11	34,467	$113,459,847.04
Feb-11	33,305	$107,796,771.38
Mar-11	34,885	$112,463,768.46
Apr-11	48,033	$153,893,755.37
May-11	36,479	$115,159012.77

This shows a 2% reduction from the same period last year, a reduction this is certainly due not to fewer claims being approved but to more claims being paid much slower. It is taking claimants longer to get paid after a favorable decision on a disability claim.