I think I'll just follow up from time to time with stories about the delays in implementing SSI benefits as cases arise in my practice.
Today's story is about a claimant who was found disabled and eligible for SSI on October 19, almost two months ago. The claimant hasn't received any money yet nor has she been contacted by the field office for a PERC interview. When we call to ask what the holdup is, we're told that they need to do an evaluation to determine whether the claimant can handle her own money or needs a representative payee to handle the money for her. When we ask when this might be done, we're told that the matter hasn't been assigned to a field office employee yet. The claimant, like all SSI claimants, has an urgent need for the money. I guess you've also noticed that it's the Christmas season. Are the field office employees mean Scrooges? No, they're just overwhelmed with work.
Don't get it. I am guessing that DDS either indicated incapable or unresolved. There is no reason not to initiate the PERC ,initiate capability development or at the very least make a Lay Determination. I put this on office management to have yet assign for PERC. At least put claimant in Recurring pay and hold retro. Kinda lazy on the part of DDS as well not to make a call on capability.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't the ALJ usually decide whether a payee is necessary. At least they do out here in Cali.
ReplyDeleteDDS seems to often have capability unresolved remarks for little reason. 90% or better didn't need a payee. I'd say half that they thought needed a payee didn't. They'd be getting a large worker's comp check or 100%
ReplyDeleteVA with no problem. I always tried to error on the side of the claimant being their own payee. Especially so if a parent, spouse, sibling or child that wasn't already showing strong concern. Institutional payees were a waste.
I am going with Scrooge. Often it takes a lot of prompting, begging, etc. for the Agency to do the right thing. Too many times it takes bad PR... Too many take too long. Covid is just the latest excuse. What was their excuse 5 years ago? Oh, yes, money spent on failed computer systems. From some alleged ALJs on this blog and some alleged claims reps... the only people being denied are people with "broken arms, etc." I can assure you, that isn't true. Sso, yes, definitely Scrooge!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Tim!!! You sound like you need it, or maybe a hug, or something.
DeleteNewer staff probably doesn't even know they could issue monthly checks till it's resolved.
ReplyDeleteI am going with Fezziwig from A Christmas Carol, well meaning but out of date and out numbered.
ReplyDeleteWhen benefits went from being something to help people to becoming a business and income stream, the program was doomed to this type of failure.
I think a call to the local media is in order. A magic check will show up in no time, if history is any indication.
ReplyDeleteThe Washington Post is working on a series of articles covering the problems at SSA. Claimant attorneys and NOSSCR are working with them. Nice to get local media attention to assist with individual claims, but there needs to be more national coverage from heavily resourced media outlets to expose the systemic problems and lack of political attention.
ReplyDelete@2:01 - Agreed. Local media is good too, but the mass amounts of these cases certainly warrant national media attention.
ReplyDeleteI would welcome all the local media attention and congressionals!! As many as possible. When those come in, they pull us from all other work to get those done ASAP. Otherwise, I never leave the front desk.
ReplyDeleteSame as 326. I wish I could do my capability decisions, perc, evidence for claims, etc. Too busy doing SS5s and benefit verifications. Lately also RZs. Which are important, but not as important as people waiting for benefits to START. We are not allowed to work high priority cases. Period. I guess when we were ‘closed’ all the uproar about SS5s worked a little too well.
ReplyDelete3:26 here…we can’t even do RZ’s. We don’t have anyone to do them!!! It’s insane. Been at SSA for almost 20 years. I’ve never been this overwhelmed and ready to throw in the towel.
DeleteIt’s a sad state. Everyone at the local level is exhausted including management (many of whom chip in with production work when they can). My office just list our best employee and who is one of the few who can actually do SSI work correctly. We need help immediately.
ReplyDeleteSsa should charge for social security card replacement. The dmv/ state dept/ immigration have fees to replace documents. The fee will result in less replacements of social security cards and provide the agency money to hire employees and pay more overtime to complete workloads.
ReplyDeleteThis. I’ve been advocating they charge for cards for years.
ReplyDeleteYes, we should charge citizens for the ONE and only piece of identity that they HAVE to have to work and pay taxes. That makes total sense.
ReplyDeleteEasier
Outsource it.
What if in bigger cities/metro areas one field office got turned into the mySSA center and that's where you had to go for things you can do through mySSA (replacement cards, benefit verification letters, address changes) and for help getting a mySSA account if you can't get through the process yourself?
ReplyDeleteThis wouldn't work in rural areas. And it doesn't solve the issue of there just not being enough staff--SSA still needs the money to hire more people, and needs to train and manage them better. But it would free up staff in the other offices to do the harder tasks. The mySSA center staff could be trained in identity verification and the specific tasks they need to do (and showing people how to use mySSA to do stuff), but they wouldn't have to go through the full CR training. Practically speaking, it would also become a dumping ground for lower-performing staff but I'm kind of ok with that...at least they won't mess up the harder work that takes longer to untangle. If some people had to travel a little further to get a replacement card or benefit verification letter, it might encourage a few more of them to try to make mySSA themselves, and some would be successful. And if SSA just did this in densely populated areas with decent public transit it wouldn't be that much harder for people to get there.