Jan 14, 2014

Appropriation Coming Soon -- Expect Service To Get Worse

     You may have heard that there was a "budget deal" in December and thought that it took care of the Social Security Administration. If so, like the vast majority of Americans, you don't understand the way Washington works. A "budget" just sets the top line numbers, that is the total amount to be appropriated and the share going to broad categories of spending. It's the appropriations bills that actually give agencies money to spend. The federal fiscal year began on October 1, 2013. Since the government shutdown ended, agencies have only been permitted to spend money under a "Continuing Resolution", knows as a "CR.". Under the CR, agencies can only spend at the rate they were spending in the prior fiscal year.
     It looks like we'll get something called the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 passed by Congress and signed by the President by the weekend. Here's the House Appropriations Committee's summary of the Social Security Administration provisions of this bill:
Social Security Administration (SSA) – The bill includes $11. 7 billion to administer SSA activities, which is a $265 million increase above the fiscal year 2013 enacted level. This level is sufficient to allow the SSA to continue prompt processing of Social Security checks and claims , and will help ensure that all eligible recipients get their benefits on time and in the proper amount. Within the total, the bill devotes $1. 2 billion to program integrity activities to ensure that disability and other benefits are properly paid.
     Social Security had asked for $12.3 billion. The $1.2 billion for program integrity is the same amount that Social Security had asked for. Even the amount in the President's recommended budget, which was somewhat less than what Social Security had asked for, assumes continued deterioration of service at Social Security. Here's some data from the President's budget proposal:
Key Performance Targets:
  • Initial Disability Claims Completed (thousands) FY 2012 3,207, FY 2013 2,970, FY 2014 2,851;
  • Reconsiderations Completed (thousands) FY 2012 809, FY 2013 803, FY 2014 725;
  • SSA Hearings Completed (thousands) FY 2012 820, FY 2013 836, FY 2014 807;
  • Average Speed of Answer (ASA) [on Social Security's 800 number] (seconds) FY 2012 294, FY 2013 455, FY 2014 482
     Since the amount in the appropriation bill to be passed is significantly less than the President's proposal, we should expect a significantly greater degradation in service.
     I find it frustrating that so little attention is paid to Social Security's appropriation while enormous attention is paid to the chained CPI debate, if you can call it that. I wish the President had never talked about chained CPI but there isn't now nor was there ever the slightest chance that chained CPI would come to pass. However, a dramatic decline in public service at Social Security that is actually happening draws almost no national attention. Appropriations must seem so abstract if you don't personally deal with Social Security's operating components.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

The $265M increase is nice, but will be eaten up by increased costs. Such as increases in rents on leased space, increased security costs, employee salary increases (remember, although the 1% across the board increase goes into effect now, there have been individual employee salary increases (within grade (WIGI)increases based on length of service in grade) even when there was no across the board increase, and even some promotions), and the like.

I know the ALJ wannabe board is all aflutter about the increase hoping that there are 180 new ALJs hired this year. I doubt there will be anywhere near that many unless there is a large scale departure of sitting ALJs, and that simply hasn't happened. At least not yet.

Anonymous said...

Will ODAR finally hire new attorney advisers. I have been waiting for almost a year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Anonymous said...

Maybe, as you say, Chained CPI has no chance of happening. Should it appear in Obama's 2014 budget proposal, against the wishes of Senate Dems, it will be used against Dems come this fall. The loss of the Senate then becomes a real possibility. If that happens, it's lights out for S.S.

Anonymous said...

Decreased public service, leading to the errosion of satisfaction with services provided by SSA, is part of "the plan" of the financial sector to drum up support for privatization. As long as the public is predominantly satisfied, privatization has no chance. When your widowed aunt Mary can get better and quicker service from the broker down the street, she won't mind so much paying extra for it, in the form of fees, while the broker collects investment income on the account Mary gave control over.

Anonymous said...

The SSA brass in Baltimore is ecstatic about the budget. They fearmongered themselves into believing it would be much worse. OT is being worked. Hiring being considered...

Anonymous said...

Don't the ALJs alone cost the agency over 300 million dollars a year?

The increase maybe will cover the 1% raise for employees.

Anonymous said...

It's a $651 million increase. The $265 million is compared to the enacted level, which does not include sequestration.

Anonymous said...

@ 9:19

Yep, OT started last weekend we were told it will continue going forward.