From National Public Radio:
... During the pandemic, the number of monthly SSI applications and new benefit awardees has declined sharply. New data show that the number of new SSI awards given in January was the lowest on record — but it wasn't because there were fewer people in need of the benefits. ...
"The agency has a crisis on its hands," said David Weaver, who is now retired but worked for the SSA for over 20 years. Most recently, he led the SSA's Office of Research, Demonstration and Employment Support, which conducts research on the SSI program.
"The people who are missing out are among the most vulnerable," said Jonathan Stein, an advocate for those in poverty and, formerly, a legal aid lawyer at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, which helps individuals apply for SSI benefits. "They are at enormous risk of eviction, utilities being shut off, homelessness, being deprived of food and necessities of life." ...
In 2019, 43 million people across the country visited an SSA field office. That's where many people found out about the SSI program and got help applying.
"Those were very busy places. Sometimes it would be hard to find a parking spot in the lot," said James Winston, a lawyer in western Massachusetts, who helps people who have been denied disability benefits appeal the decision. "You would go in there, and it would be packed." ...
Kathleen Romig, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, says the explanation for the sharp decline is simply and solely the closed field offices. She says a lot of people used to go there and get help with their SSI applications.
"It's much more complicated to apply for a disability benefit than it is to apply for retirement or survivor's benefit," said Romig.
She points out that, unlike SSI benefits, applications for retirement benefits – which can be done online – have not seen a major drop during the pandemic. ...
In a statement to NPR, SSA spokesperson Mark Hinkle said, "We know vulnerable populations, especially the SSI population, rely on in-person service. We stepped up our outreach with advocates and third-party organizations to get their perspective about how things are going and to ask them for ideas on how we could improve our service during the pandemic."
He said the SSA is developing a training so caseworkers in the community can help with applications. The agency is also in the process of producing radio, TV and social media ads to raise awareness. ...
Instead of doing its job in taking SSI applications, SSA is looking for ways to other organizations to do their work for them. With the significant decline in SSI applications, one would assume there are CRs with lots of time on their hands that they previously would spend taking the apps.
ReplyDelete10:41 : There is the issue of Post-Eligibility Changes which effect SSI entitlement. In the remote work environment this is much more cumbersome. Some streamlined policies due to Covid have lessened the need for "hard evidence" , but some documentation must still be obtained. Evidence is Faxed , Sorted Assigned and then acted upon if complete. BTW you would be surprised how many people send documents w/out identifying information ( SSN or BNC). This all takes "time".
ReplyDeleteAlways go after the most vulnerable. In Social Security disability world, it is SSI. Just ridiculous SSI apps cannot be done via online especially during a pandemic. They need it the most.
ReplyDeleteClosing the field offices was the right call and they should stay closed until at least summer. The last thing we need are packed field offices like the bad old days of 2019, every day would be a mass spreader event for covid.
ReplyDeleteEven when the FO are reopened there should be appointments required, masks required, and continued SSA employee telework of at least two days per week. To reduce the risks. . More of the interviews can be done by telephone and we should work towards that end.
@1019 SSI disability can be filed online the first time. Also, if someone who is only eligible for SSI files disability online it will produce a SSA disability claim but will ask if the person wants to file for SSI. If they check yes, someone will call them to take that claim. It's more work than going to an office but no more work than can be expected without face to face interviews.
ReplyDelete@9:20PM Your comment presupposes at least two things:
ReplyDelete1. People know what SSI means and that they need to click the appropriate box on the DIB application.
2. SSA will actually call to take the SSI application. There is no requirement that they do so. I do not even believe that a close out letter is required anymore because the information with the DIB app tells the claimant they need to call to make the appointment to file for SSI by X date. Sure, some reps will take the time to call and do the SI app but that has not been our experience as a routine matter.
@1001 If the claimant gets a letter saying they have to file by a date 60+ days off, then the claimant clicked the box saying they didn't want SSI. If they check the one saying they want SSI, they should get a phone call to take a claim but if they don't get that they will get an L991 closeout letter.
ReplyDeletePeople may not know what SSI is but are those people going to be coming into offices if they were open vs clicking a box on an internet claim?
People wanting SSI can also call and have a phone appointment made for them to file.
To 9:20, no, people DO NOT know what SSI means and they DO NOT KNOW to click the appropriate box on the DIB application.
ReplyDeletePeople who have never filed for any benefits from SSA before, do not know what boxes to click on.
@1210 PM
ReplyDelete"People who have never filed for any benefits from SSA before, do not know what boxes to click on."
You do realize more than half of Social Security disability claims and retirement/medicare claims are filed online, and the majority of those have never filed before.