Jun 10, 2020

Another Useless Study Coming

     From a Request For Information (RFI) recently posted by the Social Security Administration:

The purpose of this study is to collect information about the service, medical, and employment needs of individuals exiting Social Security disability programs because of medical improvement.  It also serves to produce testable policy recommendations that help the study population become self-sufficient.  This study will involve conducting qualitative and quantitative data activities, including focus groups and a survey, to gather information about the needs of Exiters and Possible Exiters from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability programs after a determination of medical improvement.  Furthermore, this effort will involve small-scale use of Motivational Interviewing (MI) to gain more insight about their needs and what motivation is necessary to promote work activity among this population.  The ultimate goal of this information gathering is to identify potential interventions and to inform policy recommendations that are likely to help Exiters and Possible Exiters achieve sustainable, substantial employment leading to self-sufficiency. 

SSA expects to make public all study data, subject to legal and privacy considerations.  Any offeror delivering services under this contract will not be barred from providing services for any subsequent Exits demonstration.

The purpose of this RFI is to obtain information, for planning purposes, regarding (1) the availability and capability of potential sources that can provide the required services described in the attached draft Statement of Work (SOW) and (2) to seek industry comments regarding the noted SOW.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

If this study is done fairly, we will see if there is really medical 'improvement' or if people getting cut off are really able to re-enter the work force.

Anonymous said...

It won't be fair. In fact, they'll plan it out to be as unfair as possible to everybody involved except the agenda of the agency. One thing you can be sure of is that they specifically won't question the finding of "medical improvement" at any time.

And, it'll be a complete waste of money in the long run that otherwise could have been used for something actually productive. Why? Well, you think those beneficiaries whose benefits they are terminating will have any type of incentive whatsoever to cooperate with an agency study (especially one whose intention is to justify their termination)? Yeah, sure they will.

Anonymous said...

Looks like a smoke screen to hide the effects of the proposal that they published late last year and were swamped with negative comments. Clearly the people who put it forth have had an agenda of reducing those qualified by making the system harder and harder. This sounds like the cover to tell the public that they are concerned by possible "unintended consequences" when in fact the consequences are predictable already. Instead why don't we study the effectiveness of helping people who are starving when they are cut off and can't find a job?