We are issuing these final rules to adopt without change the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published on August 16, 2007 at 72 FR 45991. These final rules amend the regulation at 20 CFR 422.527, which requires a person, institution, or organization (person) to obtain the Social Security Administration's (SSA's) approval prior to reproducing, duplicating, or privately printing any SSA prescribed application or other form whether or not the person intended to charge a fee. Section 1140(a)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (the Act) prohibits a person from charging a fee to reproduce, reprint, or distribute any SSA application, form, or publication unless he/she obtains the authorization of the Commissioner of Social Security in accordance with such regulations as he may prescribe.
Dec 27, 2007
Saving The Juicy Stuff For The Week Of Christmas
From today's Federal Register:
Dec 26, 2007
Dec 25, 2007
Dec 24, 2007
Nebraska Supreme Court On Effect Of Social Security Child's Benefits On Child Support
The Nebraska Supreme Court has held in Gress v. Gress that a father's child support obligation is not reduced by Social Security children's benefits received by the child. The child involved has Down Syndrome. It is not clear from the decision, but the benefits appear to be Supplemental Security Income disabled child benefits, rather than benefits on the father's account. Previously, the court had held in Ward v. Ward that a father was entitled to an offset for a child's Social Security benefits, even when those benefits were not on the father's account.
Group Home Fraud
From the Gainesville Sun:
Kehua Hu owned and operated Hu Group Homes, 1259 NW 60th St., from 2000 to 2004, providing long-term care for adults and children identified as retarded, psychiatric, self-injurious or physically challenged.
Hu admitted that during those four years, she was depositing her residents' Social Security checks into her checking account at Campus USA Credit Union, stealing a total of $215,500 for her personal use. ...
Now Hu faces 18 charges of payee fraud. Each charge carries up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Dec 23, 2007
Fraud Allegation In South Carolina
From the Times and Democrat of Orangeburg, SC:
Latoya Shantell Green, 23, of Orangeburg has been charged in a one-count indictment alleging that between June 2003 and May 2007 she stole approximately $23,731 from the government by forging and cashing 47 Social Security checks that were payable to her deceased aunt, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
Dec 22, 2007
Cert Denied In Public Citizen Case
The Supreme Court has refused to hear Public Citizen v. United States District Court, a case having to do with the validity of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which contained a number of items affecting the Social Security Administration.
Don't Blame Us!
A letter to the editor published in the New York Times:
Re “Disabled Need Help Now, Not Later” (letters, Dec. 17):
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance takes great pride in our expeditious review of federal disability claims.
Our work force has the tools and the training to decide initial claims in a timely manner. We review extensive medical documentation, consult with medical professionals and render a decision in less than three months on average.
The backlogs identified by The New York Times in its earlier coverage occur at the appeals stage, which is directly administered by the Social Security Administration.
As a result of our ability to manage our own caseload, our office has taken on and completed approximately 4,500 cases that would otherwise have been handled by the Social Security Administration, to assist in reducing the backlog of cases on appeal.
David A. Hansell
Albany, Dec. 17, 2007
The writer is the commissioner of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
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