Folks waiting almost two years for a hearing, with a million clam backlog, and the geniuses in the Senate want to cut the operating budget by 16.2%. That's kind of like throwing an anvil to a man who fell overboard.
The GOP way of making a program look bad. Underfund it, spread rumors about it, keep it up in the air so that it is impossible to figure out what is going on. Makes people distrust the program and makes it easier to push for privatization. Been doing it in force for the ACA, and with SSA for the last several years. The thing is that this approach works with the support of a few "news" stories here and there.
To be fair (and I hate to be fair to the Republicans), the graph gives the budget change (inflation-adjusted) relative to 2010. So the change from last year is a drop of about 6%, not 16%.
Republicans like to starve government programs, put them under arbitrary and meaningless restrictions, saddle them with ancillary duties that sap their budget and focus, and then point to the inevitable poor results as an example of how government can never do anything right, and the private sector should just handle it.
16 percent cuts would gut our office, which is slightly undermanned and extremely high-traffic but also high-producing. FO wait times would be back to 3 hours plus. 800 number service? Pffftttt.
It's already a nightmare expecting anything from the payment centers, especially PC7. That'll get worse.
Put it this way- look around your workplace and mentally eliminate every 6th worker. Still think you guys can get it done?
SSA should just take a different approach the operations cutbacks. When in doubt, approve all cases. This would save so much in operations while reducing the backlog. Think I am being sarcastic? No. Congress has not rewarded them by denying as many as they can justify... So, punish Congress for reducing your budget.
Congress wants money spent on disability to go down, while cutting SSA's operating budgets. So, they haven't rewarded SSA for lower and lower approval rates, especially at the ALJ level (see today's post). It would "punish" the Republicans by getting who ever the money behind it upset at them. Plus it would make ALJs, reps and claimants lives better. Look at the stats of those DENIED at the hearing level. There are clearly far more wrongly denied than the alleged "fraud." Plus, it would reduce the stress of ALJs just to crank out approvals. This is especially true if given a decent brief. ALJs: make everyones life easier! Make Congress figure out how to pay for it!
Folks waiting almost two years for a hearing, with a million clam backlog, and the geniuses in the Senate want to cut the operating budget by 16.2%. That's kind of like throwing an anvil to a man who fell overboard.
ReplyDeleteThe GOP way of making a program look bad. Underfund it, spread rumors about it, keep it up in the air so that it is impossible to figure out what is going on. Makes people distrust the program and makes it easier to push for privatization. Been doing it in force for the ACA, and with SSA for the last several years. The thing is that this approach works with the support of a few "news" stories here and there.
ReplyDeleteJust like they do the ACA
DeleteTo be fair (and I hate to be fair to the Republicans), the graph gives the budget change (inflation-adjusted) relative to 2010. So the change from last year is a drop of about 6%, not 16%.
ReplyDeleteSSA's employee count has decreased since 2010.
ReplyDeleteRIF less likely to happen?
Republicans like to starve government programs, put them under arbitrary and meaningless restrictions, saddle them with ancillary duties that sap their budget and focus, and then point to the inevitable poor results as an example of how government can never do anything right, and the private sector should just handle it.
ReplyDelete16 percent cuts would gut our office, which is slightly undermanned and extremely high-traffic but also high-producing. FO wait times would be back to 3 hours plus. 800 number service? Pffftttt.
It's already a nightmare expecting anything from the payment centers, especially PC7. That'll get worse.
Put it this way- look around your workplace and mentally eliminate every 6th worker. Still think you guys can get it done?
SSA should just take a different approach the operations cutbacks. When in doubt, approve all cases. This would save so much in operations while reducing the backlog. Think I am being sarcastic? No. Congress has not rewarded them by denying as many as they can justify... So, punish Congress for reducing your budget.
ReplyDeleteSeriously?
ReplyDeleteIn what way does this "punish" Congress?
Actually, with that influx wouldn't punish those already on benefits by making the payout from the trust fund deplete even faster?
Congress wants money spent on disability to go down, while cutting SSA's operating budgets. So, they haven't rewarded SSA for lower and lower approval rates, especially at the ALJ level (see today's post). It would "punish" the Republicans by getting who ever the money behind it upset at them. Plus it would make ALJs, reps and claimants lives better. Look at the stats of those DENIED at the hearing level. There are clearly far more wrongly denied than the alleged "fraud." Plus, it would reduce the stress of ALJs just to crank out approvals. This is especially true if given a decent brief. ALJs: make everyones life easier! Make Congress figure out how to pay for it!
ReplyDelete