Wouldn't it be great, if while the people were waiting their 16 minutes, a message could be played informing the callers that this wait is brought to you by the U.S. Congress, which has underfunded agency operations for years and is proposing to do it again this coming year. Then start reading the names of the ranking members of the relevant congressional committees, etc. Now that would be government accountability.
Or do something productive in those 16 minutes? I don't mean to make light of this but there are way worse metrics to focus on like average wait time to get a hearing.
It's not the statistic of hold time getting worse. Its the fact that people's dire needs are being frivolously disregarded. Its like a suicide hotline that goes straight to voicemail. Its just one of MANY indicators of how people are dying waiting on a savings account that they have been working their whole life to pay into that the administration refuses to answer their phone calls.Like let it ring....or don't answer that because we all know what they want.
I would like to know the number of people and how long their case was in the system that were put on hold who eventually died? They have the information but we will never know that ! A haunting statistic!
3:07, nice over the top hyperbole, but lets see some facts. I want some stats on who is dying because the answer time to the 800 number is up 13 minutes. The 800 number does not do one thing to aid in payment but provides some basic services and information. How in the world is that killing anyone?
Agreed the 800 number wait is likely not killing people. On the other hand enforcing the five day evidence rule will kill people...There's plenty disabled people with no support network out there. When their evidence proving disability gets excluded causing them to lose their claim they are left in an impossible situation. Can't work. Can't get disability benefits. No money to meet basic needs. Result? Become homeless. Suffer. Get sicker. Die. Suffering and a death sentence for the claimant because an ALJ didn't want to read something that came in two days before the hearing instead of five.
12:03 if you had evidence, that conclusively showed disability that came in two days before the Hearing, you would find a way to present it or get it on the record. Who are you kidding?
Also, if all those who were denied benefits became homeless, wouldn't we see a huge number of homeless, even more than we have now? Not everyone that applies and is denied becomes homeless, curls into a ball and dies. Get real.
I'm not kidding. Look at the program uniformity rules and SSR 17-4p. ALJs have enormous discretion to exclude such evidence now. The fact of whether it clearly proves disability, or that the claimant or a rep wants it in the record is irrelevant to the inquiry. Even if ALJs clearly abuse their discretion in excluding evidence, the Appeals Council likely won't look at it for over a year which is a very long time for a person with a serious illness and little to no resources to live on.
True, not everyone becomes homeless and dies after being denied benefits. Some just do a lot of suffering. Plenty face severe poverty, and some become homeless. Yes, and some will die if they are sick and put under that much duress.
Wouldn't it be great, if while the people were waiting their 16 minutes, a message could be played informing the callers that this wait is brought to you by the U.S. Congress, which has underfunded agency operations for years and is proposing to do it again this coming year. Then start reading the names of the ranking members of the relevant congressional committees, etc. Now that would be government accountability.
ReplyDeleteOr do something productive in those 16 minutes? I don't mean to make light of this but there are way worse metrics to focus on like average wait time to get a hearing.
DeleteIt's not the statistic of hold time getting worse. Its the fact that people's dire needs are being frivolously disregarded. Its like a suicide hotline that goes straight to voicemail. Its just one of MANY indicators of how people are dying waiting on a savings account that they have been working their whole life to pay into that the administration refuses to answer their phone calls.Like let it ring....or don't answer that because we all know what they want.
DeleteI would like to know the number of people and how long their case was in the system that were put on hold who eventually died? They have the information but we will never know that ! A haunting statistic!
ReplyDeleteI only call the 800 number if I feel my blood pressure is too low and needs to rise.
ReplyDelete3:07, nice over the top hyperbole, but lets see some facts. I want some stats on who is dying because the answer time to the 800 number is up 13 minutes. The 800 number does not do one thing to aid in payment but provides some basic services and information. How in the world is that killing anyone?
ReplyDeleteYour indignation is directed in the wrong place.
12:03
ReplyDeleteAgreed the 800 number wait is likely not killing people. On the other hand enforcing the five day evidence rule will kill people...There's plenty disabled people with no support network out there. When their evidence proving disability gets excluded causing them to lose their claim they are left in an impossible situation. Can't work. Can't get disability benefits. No money to meet basic needs. Result? Become homeless. Suffer. Get sicker. Die. Suffering and a death sentence for the claimant because an ALJ didn't want to read something that came in two days before the hearing instead of five.
12:03 if you had evidence, that conclusively showed disability that came in two days before the Hearing, you would find a way to present it or get it on the record. Who are you kidding?
ReplyDeleteAlso, if all those who were denied benefits became homeless, wouldn't we see a huge number of homeless, even more than we have now? Not everyone that applies and is denied becomes homeless, curls into a ball and dies. Get real.
@4:37
ReplyDeleteI'm not kidding. Look at the program uniformity rules and SSR 17-4p. ALJs have enormous discretion to exclude such evidence now. The fact of whether it clearly proves disability, or that the claimant or a rep wants it in the record is irrelevant to the inquiry. Even if ALJs clearly abuse their discretion in excluding evidence, the Appeals Council likely won't look at it for over a year which is a very long time for a person with a serious illness and little to no resources to live on.
True, not everyone becomes homeless and dies after being denied benefits. Some just do a lot of suffering. Plenty face severe poverty, and some become homeless. Yes, and some will die if they are sick and put under that much duress.