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Apr 8, 2015

Number Drawing Disability Benefits Drops For Sixth Straight Month

     New figures released by the Social Security Administration show that the number of people drawing Social Security disability benefits has dropped for the sixth straight month.
     By the way, when I have posted about these numbers in the past, a few people have tried to make points about increases or decreases in the number of claims filed or approved from month to month. Don't bother. Here's what the fine print at the bottom of the table says:
Because the application data are tabulated on a weekly basis, some months include 5 weeks of data while others include only 4 weeks. This weekly method of tabulation accounts for much of the month-to-month variation in the monthly application data. This method also occasionally causes quarterly data to have either 12 or 14 weeks of data instead of 13 weeks, annual data may include an extra week of data.
     This doesn't reduce the validity of the bottom line of the number of people drawing benefits since there is an equal effect upon the number going on and coming off benefits.

16 comments:

  1. I have seen a lot more adult cessation cases in the past year. Previously, I used to see a lot of terminations from age-18 redeterminations, but it seems to me that there are a lot more adult cessations going through now.

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  2. Agree with the above. Also seeing many many more denials.

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  3. Agree with 9:17 and 9:47.
    Some of the denials we're seeing (including ALJ decisions) are mind-boggling.

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  4. Must agree with 11:19AM. I had two recent denials which when I received them thought they had to be a complete mistake.

    Seems pretty clear that Judges are sensing the watchful eye of big brother and worrying more about their jobs than making fair and reasoned decisions.

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  5. People are healthier with Obamacare.

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  6. In part, you guys can thank Eric Conn and ALJ Daughtery for your denials. In the wake of this, the senior attorney program has been dismantled and high payers are viewed with suspicion. Also, given the economic upturn, I think a lot of people previously looking for disability are now looking for/finding jobs, complicating their cases. I wouldn't say ALJs are worried about their job security, just being able to do their job without constant badgering. Also can't discount that greater access to health care has resulted in better outcomes, and less favorable disability cases. That sounds like rhetoric, but I have seen such cases, and they appear to be growing in number.

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  7. Its about agree rate not pay rate. Can anyone name a judge who has been fired for paying cases? kthxbye

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  8. "Also, given the economic upturn"

    Did you watch last friday's job report?

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  9. Interesting points above. The uptick in cessations is not a surprise, as the agency geared up to do a lot more continuing disability reviews recently. Some of the people doing them may be noobs prone to make mistakes.

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  10. Approvals have declined due to Political pressure. Decisions should be based on Medical evidence & facts.

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  11. If by "political pressure" you mean cracking down on ALJs with pay rates greater than 90% who heard 1.5x+ as many cases as the average ALJ (and less egregious high payers taking note and tightening up) and issued one or two paragraph FF decisions, then yeah, this is largely due to political pressure.

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  12. I find it hilarious that there is always someone blaming Eric Conn for their denials. I was at local ODAR just the other day and one of his associates had a full docket. Odd, considering Eric Conn has allegedly brought about the downfall of the Social Security empire.

    A little personal accountability for your own successes and failures is never a bad thing.

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  13. @ 9:14 AM. Eric Conn and ALJ Daugherty are to blame for the recent downturn in approvals. New and old ALJs are now being indoctrinated by SSA that fraud is rampant and all claimants are lazy no good cheats and if you pay more cases than we think you should you, you better watch your back.

    Conn's firm is still processing cases as the mill it has always been. I just had a conversation with a claimant represented by that firm early this week. The claimant just left a hearing and the onset date was amended after less than a minute discussion with the attorney they just met. The claimant called me after calling the attorney in an attempt to get a better understanding of issues. Conn's firm had told the claimant that they were done with the case since the hearing was over. Meanwhile the claimant has no clue what just occurred.

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  14. Fraud is NOT rampant. This is more GOP BS. Where is the scrutiny of the low allowance ALJs?

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  15. The Government Accountability Office has repeatedly found that fraud accounts for approximately one percent of all disability payments.

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  16. Medical-related fraud is rare. Non-medical fraud is rampant, especially in the SSI program.

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