From the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare:
There’s been an uncanny amount of re-shuffling of workers and resources at the Social Security Administration lately – in a feeble attempt to paper over Trump’s reckless cuts in staffing. The latest example of this game of whack-a-mole unfolded last week.
Commissioner Frank Bisignano announced a shiny, new plan to “centralize” medical reviews for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits — which could impact nearly 9 million Americans. (Disabled workers can lose their benefits if they do not pass these periodic reviews.)
This shift yanks the review process away from experienced state Disability Determination Services (DDS) offices, supposedly to boost “accountability.” These medical reviews will now fall under the purview of SSA’s federal Disability Case Review (DCR) team.
We suspect that this move has nothing to do with “accountability,” and really is about “re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic,” as our senior Social Security expert, Maria Freese, puts it. She points out that Trump’s SSA, after recklessly cutting more than 7,000 jobs when the agency already was understaffed, now finds itself falling short in key areas — and is furiously trying to plug holes.
“The agency has way too much work, with too few people. So they shift around the workload (in this case, SSDI reviews), so that overburdened staff in other areas have to do that work. That ultimately leaves SSA with a deficit somewhere else.” Freese explains. “Eventually, everyone who is reliant on the agency suffers.” …
10 comments:
Hmm, what possible reason could Trump's SSA have to federalize the kill button on a large number of government beneficiaries' financial lifeline?
This is a GREAT area for AI to screen cases for further review
I just had a vision of more disabled people on the streets. I don't see this helping that problem if indeed it is done incorrectly or with workers with little, if any experience in disability law. Fingers crossed on this one.
Ya, seems a little sinister considering living outside is now illegal. Involuntary commitments will be on the rise. Gotta fill up those asylums again from the 1950's.
Totally agree with the article's observation. The agency limped along with 350k CDRs to focus on initial claims. Now Congress is shifting focus to cutting benefits basing SSA's budget partially on clearing 600k CDRs. The big question is which Federal unit will perform the pre- and disability hearings. States cannot process appeals on federal medical cessation decisions.
Possibly sent back to the state level DDS in that instance? Seems pretty complicated for them to implement this safely without creating mass chaos.
I hope the unit centralizes the entire workload. Including mailing the packet. No need for the local FO to be stuffing envelopes when we could be answering the 800#. Oh wait…
Memories of the early 80s when Reagan's folks ordered a purge of the disability rolls...and the news reported on people committing suicide when their benefits were terminated...
Federal cessations must be reviewed by federal employees by law. OHO is tasked with PH & DH on DCR cessations.
The current execs kiss the ring and appease Frank. None of the new Execs hired in 2025 have no clue about federal procedures, procurement, the mission of SSA. Anyone over the age of 65 - wants to meet face to face and hates using a phone or computer.
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