From WIS-TV:
A new state audit is raising questions about South Carolina’s ability to address delays in the disability benefits process, highlighting the complicated relationship between state and federal agencies that share responsibility for reviewing disability claims. …
According to a report released by the Legislative Audit Council, the agency responsible for reviewing disability claims has lost more than a third of its disability examiners since 2021. Auditors found a 35% reduction in examiner staffing between January 2021 and June 2026, with workforce shortages likely contributing to processing delays. The report also cites employee turnover, pay concerns and the loss of telework opportunities as factors making recruitment and retention more difficult. …
The audit was commissioned after state lawmakers sought answers about lengthy disability claim delays and growing backlogs. However, auditors say they were unable to fully determine how long applicants are waiting or identify the primary causes of delays because the Social Security Administration denied access to key claims-processing data requested during the review. …
3 comments:
To create a national system, you need to destroy the Nixonian federalist structure. You do that by intentionally not hiring DDS employees. The result is poor service, and a manufactured excuse to automate and handle all claims nationally.
Good. States don’t have jurisdiction over federal agencies. SSA constantly tries to offer DDS hires and funding, even for increasing DDS employee salaries but many states don’t follow through due to bureaucratic nonsense. Frequently, they indicate they don’t want DDS employees to get raises because other state workers will get jealous and complain. Absurd.
Federal agencies are not completely free of state orders. There was a probate case a decade or two ago where the one year limit for filing claims against an estate had expired. The IRS filed a claim anyway, if not a lawsuit. The state probate court told them no, but the IRS pushed anyway. So the state probate court not only dismissed the claim, the court also fined the IRS. The IRS did not appeal and the case went away.
My solution is to find the appropriate court, even if it is a state court, to file an order to SSA to comply. If they don't, hold SSA in contempt and fine them.
Post a Comment