Dispute Over Social Security Trustees

The NY Times reports that a disagreement over the appointment of Social Security trustees is delaying issuance of a report by Social Security's trustees on the financial health of Social Security required by statute. President Bush wants to reappoint two public trustees, but the Senate is resisting, saying that the tradition is that public trustees only serve one term.

Organizational Changes At SSA

JOA posts on the Connect Board that he and other SSA employees received an e-mail today from the Commissioner of Social Security containing the following news, of uncertain importance:

I am pleased to announce the establishment of the new Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. The current Office of Hearings and Appeals will move from the Office of Disability and Income Security Programs to form the nucleus of this new organization.

Lisa de Soto, currently our General Counsel, will lead the new organization as the Deputy Commissioner for Disability Adjudication and Review. Jacy Thurmond, currently the Associate Commissioner for Hearings and Appeals, will move to the new organization as the Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Disability Adjudication and Review. Tom Crawley will serve as the Acting General Counsel.

Please join me in congratulating Lisa , Jacy and Tom on their new roles. I am sure they can count on your continued support.

Criticism of Constitutionality of Budget Reconciliation From The Right

Norman Ornstein at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) is now describing the passage of the budget reconciliation bill as unconstitutional. AEI is generally labeled as a conservative or right wing think tank. The budget reconciliation bill affects many interests, but the effect on Social Security is primarily on the payment of back SSI benefits.

Too Much Asbestos at SSA?

Social Security's Office of Inspector General is critical of efforts to control asbestos in SSA buildings.

Upcoming Meetings and CLE

• April 2-5, 2006 National Association of Disability Representatives Educational, Boston, MA
  
• April 5-8, 2006 National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) CLE, Boston, MA
• April 27, 2006 National Business Institute CLE, Milwaukee, WI
• April 27, 2006 Social Security Advisory Board, Washington, DC
  
• May 5, 2006 Cincinnati Bar Social Security Committee CLE, Cincinnati, OH
  
• May 16-19, 2006 National Association of Disability Examiners Meeting, Virginia Beach, VA
• May 16-19, 2006 National Association of Disability Examiners (NADE) Meeting, Jackson, MS
• May 17, 2006 Indiana CLE Forum, Indianapolis, IN
  
• May 19-20, 2006 Stetson University CLE, Tampa, FL
• August 10-11, 2006 Retirement Research Consortium, Washington, DC
• August 11, 2006 8th Circuit Social Security CLE, Omaha, NE
  
• September 16-21, 2006 National Association of Disability Examiners, San Diego, CA
  
• October 11-14, 2006 National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) CLE, Phoenix, AZ
• October 16-19, 2006 National Council of Social Security Management Association Meeting, Milwaukee, WI
• May 20-23, 2007, National Association of Disability Examiners Meeting, Stowe, VE
  

If you know of others, please e-mail me.

Disability Plan Published

Final regulations for Commissioner Barnhart's plan to alter Social Security's processes for adjudicating disability claims have been officially published in the Federal Register.

New GAO Report

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report on Social Security's efforts to safeguard Social Security numbers and Social Security cards. The report discusses further efforts that might be taken, such as including the number holder's photograph and fingerprint on the card. The report acknowledges that such steps could have a significant effect on SSA's workload.

What Has To Be Done To Implement Commissioner's Plan

There are many steps that SSA must take before it implements Commissioner Barnhart's new plan for the Social Security disability process. Consider this punch list:

1. Hire an overall director for the plan -- this job was just advertised;
2. Write POMS;
3. Write training manuals;
4. Figure out what the new quality review process is supposed to operate and how it is different from current practice;
5. Figure out how the Federal Expert Unit is supposed to operate;
   
6. Adapt computer systems;
7. Designate some current Appeals Council employees to work for Decision Review Board (DRB);
   
8. Find office space for Reviewing Officers (ROs);
9. Obtain office furniture and equipment for ROs;
10. Write position description for RO supervisors;
11. Advertise RO supervisor positions;
12. Interview RO supervisors;
13. Hire RO supervisors;
14. Train RO supervisors;
15. Write position description for ROs;
16. Advertise RO positions;
17. Interview RO candidates;
18. Hire ROs;
19. Train ROs;
20. Train DDS, DO and OHA personnel.

We know that SSA has just advertised the position of overall director for this project. The job announcement may be just a formality since the Commissioner may already know whom she will select. There may already be ongoing work on some other items on the list. Most of the items on the list may be undertaken concurrently. Still, this is a long list. It will be a huge achievement to have all or even most of this accomplished by the time these regulations are supposed to go into effect in the Boston region and one has to wonder how well it can be accomplished in such a short time. Chaotic early implementation can discredit any new plan.

Nancy Shor on New Rules

Nancy Shor, executive director of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR), is quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer on the new Social Security procedural rules announced yesterday:

With the exception of the Decision Review Board's replacing the Appeals Council, much of the rest of it is workable from our perspective. ... The final rules are more claimaint-friendly than the proposed rules were.

Barnhart on C-SPAN

Commissioner Barnhart appeared on C-SPAN today to talk about her new disability adjudication plan, among other things. A video is available online at the C-SPAN site. The video is lengthy. Barnhart's appearance came during the last hour of a show that dealt with varied topics.