Another day, another story about Social Security trying to collect on an ancient overpayment. The claimant involved says he was told years ago that it had been taken care of but the computer says he owes $14,000 so Social Security is planning to just seize his benefits for the next year and a half to make it up. It's up to a very sick claimant to sort it out.
Yes, I know he can ask for waiver -- possibly for the second time since the first waiver may have been lost -- but the claimant involved doesn't know which way to turn. Shouldn't there be a statute of limitations on overpayment collections? How long is too long for the agency to wait to try to collect? And why do we have this run of stories about very old overpayments? Is Social Security using some new computer program to dredge up these old overpayments out of its records in order to please Congressional Republicans? Does this really please Congressional Republicans?
3 comments:
we'll think about it, but not until the days comes where every claimant immediately reports all earned income after their onset date.
signed,
SSA
To please Congressional Republicans? What are you talking about? SSA is an executive branch agency. Obama is still President, or had you forgotten? Really, Charles.
This comment is for all of you who work in S.S. overpayments.
There are real people taking advantage of the program. However,
you are going after the wrong people most of the time. Once you
have decided a person was overpaid
that's it, they have to pay it back, no matter what you say. Even
if the overpayment was Social Securities fault. Even if the person getting benefits is right,
they are still wrong and must pay
back large sums of money. You also
prey on the mentally ill. Because they can not fight back. I am happy there are these programs that keep people not only alive,
but thriving as many are able to
work again. But their must be a
middle ground with these overpayments that make no sense and make matters for the truly disabled, worse. You are not always right about these overpayments and
people are coerced into paying money back that they do not owe. And people pay back the amounts
just so they can receive a basic
needs check every month.
How can you do this to good, honest people who are in need of this money. Go after the true scammers. I see them driving nice
cars and they once broke their toe
3 years ago. The mentally ill population work hard and do not want to go over there work limit.
They bag your groceries, wash your
dishes, clean your house, all the things you do not want to do yourself. Much of your data is flawed or skewed to make it look like a recipient is not only at fault but also a bad person. You can say all your doing is your job, yet these are lives of people who you want to jeopardize ? You are right every time there is an overpayment if a person has no idea what to do when they get one of your letters. If you want to truly get the "bad guys" change the system. One, have an online back to work system. Two, change the infrastructure of the system for reporting and give people a chance to come into the office before you threaten them with an overpayment. One that is more than likely not there fault to begin with. Because I have read one of your letters and what a terrible feeling it must be to be belittled by a 15 year ongoing overpayment. Yes, 15 years ! Social Security is an excellent program but the overpayment system needs an upgrade. Badly.
Post a Comment