From a press release:
House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Sam Johnson (R-TX ) announced today that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “Examining Changes to Social Security’s Disability Appeals Process.” The hearing will focus on recent and planned changes affecting the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) disability appeals process, the metrics the SSA uses to evaluate process changes, and the progress the SSA has made to address the appeals backlog. The hearing will take place on Wednesday, July 25, 2018, in 2020 Rayburn House Office Building, beginning at 10:00 AM.Uh, what changes apart from the downturn in claims and appeals? I'm sure Lucia issues will be raised but that's not really a change in the "process."
So appears to only address processes in claims and appeals and not the actual disability evaluation. I know there was talk about adjusting up the Grid Rules, which would further hurt. There was talk, according to NOSSCR, about reinstituting the reconsideration step in the 10 prototype states. I wonder if that will be addressed. I can't imagine any other changes to be discussed.
ReplyDeleteElimination of recon at dds level. More detail in this version of hearing advisory: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/chairman-johnson-announces-hearing-on-examining-changes-to-social-securitys-disability-appeals-process/
ReplyDelete11:57 wouldn't the elimination of recon add to overall pay rates? I believe the amount of people who drop out at the recon level more than offset the small percentage who are paid at the level, thus making recon a cost saver. Given the current climate, why would they get rid of recon. It was my understanding they were considering putting recon back in for all 50 states.
ReplyDeleteThe only changes have been ramped up overtime. While the overtime allows for more processing of claims it does not mean folks are being more productive or efficient. I look forward to substantive changes being made one day, like making ALJ's do the job they are paid to do. Hopefully, the recent EO will help with that.
ReplyDelete@3:54
ReplyDeleteI believe the logic behind eliminating the recon level is the award rate is in the low single digits at this level, and when you look at the eventual award rate (hearing, AC, and at the court level) the majority of denials made at reconsideration are overturned. Conversely, the fraction of claims which were initially denied and are ultimately denied, were not denied at recon but rather were denied at the initial level. Therefore, the recon level does practically nothing more than waste administrative resources.
More people may or may not drop out at recon than are paid (and that is likely since last I checked, recon was awarding in the very low single digits), but that ignores the significant administrative costs of sustaining a second, unnecessary level of review, in addition to the fact that it is not unreasonable to conclude many who drop out at recon, just immediately file a new claim.
In sum, recon adds nothing and any cost savings is offset by the significant administrative costs of maintaining it.
They are bringing back recon at the now former prototype states on 10/1/20. This announcement will be made soon.
ReplyDeleteSounds to me like this hearing is not about *eliminating* recon, it's about *reinstating* recon in the 10 prototype states where it was previously eliminated. Sounds like SSA either has already reinstated it or is in the process of doing so (hard to tell from the W&M advisory linked in one of the comments above), and Rep. Johnson doesn't like that and wants to delay the change. Note the reference to needing to wait for a Senate-confirmed appointee to make a change like this ...
ReplyDelete@8:48 no doubt it's about reinstating recon.
ReplyDeleteSincerely, the only former Alabama DDS disability specialist actively practicing law in the state of Alabama who had the Ala DDS Director in his B'ham office addressing twenty (20) B'ham area disability attorneys two weeks ago specifically about the return of reconsideration and other issues.