From WSAZ:
Information released Tuesday reveals a clearer picture on the number of people in Eastern Kentucky and the surrounding area fighting to keep their social security benefits, who are actually winning their cases.
Rep. Hal Rogers released the numbers to our sister-station, WYMT. The data shows about half of the disability recipients who have gone through a hearing to re-determine their eligibility have lost their benefits.
In May 2015, 1,770 people received letters stating their benefits were suspended. 246 of those individuals were able to provide sufficient medical evidence to avoid the hearing process altogether.
The remaining 1,484 people must have a hearing before an administrative law judge.
Hearings have be held for 356 of those people. 173, received a favorable judgment. 107 of those individuals were represented by an attorney during the hearing .
The other half, 183, received an unfavorable judgment. 83 of those people were represented by an attorney.
SSA officials were not able to tell Rogers how many of these people "defaulted" by not responding in any meaningful way or show up to their scheduled hearing.
That's actually a higher percentage of approvals, including the ones who didn't need a hearing, than I would have suspected. I had reviewed a couple of the Conn cases and in those there wasn't much info other than Conn's doctors forms. Glad to see a good chunk of folks are able to keep their benefits thus far.
ReplyDeleteHow many were denied at a hearing with competent representation? And how many of those denials won't be remanded?
ReplyDeleteThose figures would get in the way of the fraud is rampant narrative.