Obama Makes Social Security A Campaign Issue

From the Associated Press:

Democrat Barack Obama told seniors Sunday that Republican John McCain would threaten the Social Security that they and millions like them depend on because he supports privatizing the program. ...

"Let me be clear, privatizing Social Security was a bad idea when George W. Bush proposed it, it's a bad idea today," Obama said. "That's why I stood up against this plan in the Senate and that's why I won't stand for it as president." ...

Obama said McCain would push to raise the retirement age for collecting Social Security benefits or trim annual cost-of-living increases. Obama has rejected both ideas as solutions to the funding crisis projected for Social Security in favor of making higher-income workers pay more into the system.

"We have to protect Social Security for future generations without pushing the burden onto seniors who have earned the right to retire in dignity," he said.

No Stamped Signatures -- And An Interesting Coincidence

A new HALLEX release:

HALLEX Chapter I-2-8-1 General has been revised to only permit an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to sign a decision and all official copies with his/her "wet" signature or verified electronic signature, unless a "wet" signature or verified electronic signature entered by another person is authorized. A rubber stamp or other mechanical signature is not authorized under any circumstances.

But another new HALLEX release says "that Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge (HOCALJ) [may be authorized] to sign a decision or order for the ALJ if the ALJ is temporarily unavailable to sign the decision."

By the way, last year I commented upon the lack of HALLEX updating in a long time. Shortly thereafter there was a minor HALLEX updating. Almost a year later, I again commented upon the lack of HALLEX updating in almost a year. Again, shortly thereafter this minor updating of HALLEX. I am not claiming to be responsible for anything, but this is an interesting coincidence.

By the way, would you not think that HALLEX should be updated for all the changes affecting the way Social Security disability files are being set up -- without exhibits being numbered and on the eDIB system? I do not see modifications for HALLEX for all these changes.

Fraud Alleged In Johnstown

From the Tribune-Democrat:

JOHNSTOWN — A Somerset County woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown on a charge of illegally converting Social Security benefit checks.

In the one-count indictment, Tammy J. Kearns, 47, of the 600 block of Sipesville Road, Sipesville, is accused of cashing checks issued to her on her son’s behalf after he was no longer eligible to receive the benefits.

Fraud Alleged On Long Island

From the Associated Press:

A Long Island man with a six-figure salary is charged with collecting nearly $300,000 in disability and Social Security benefits he didn't deserve. ...

Chathapuram Kumar ... faces up to 15 years in prison after filing claims in 2004 that he was suffering from "Post-Polio" syndrome, which he said prevented him from working.

Prosecutors say he was seen going to work as a consultant at an information-technology firm in 2006, where he earned $168,000 a year.

I wish they would not put "post-polio syndrome" in quotes. It is a very real malady.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editorial On E-Verify

From an editorial in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Social Security's troubled E-Verify system for verifying that names and Social Security numbers match:

Rather than spend the money to create a new database that works, the states browbeat the federal government to force the Social Security Administration to do something it was never meant to do —- become an immigration enforcement agency. And as it has scrambled to make quick fixes to E-Verify, Social Security has fallen behind on its real job, determining whether elderly and disabled Americans qualify for social services and benefits they have spent years supporting through payroll taxes.

The backlog for appeals in disability cases is now more than 500 days. If the administration is forced to spend $40 billion over the next 10 years to make E-Verify work, the basic services of

VA Facility Tried To Avoid PTSD Diagnosis

This was primarily about VA benefits, but the effects would certainly spill over to Social Security disability benefits. From the Washington Post:

A psychologist who helps lead the post-traumatic stress disorder program at a medical facility for veterans in Texas told staff members to refrain from diagnosing PTSD because so many veterans were seeking government disability payments for the condition.

"Given that we are having more and more compensation seeking veterans, I'd like to suggest that you refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight out," Norma Perez wrote in a March 20 e-mail to mental-health specialists and social workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs' Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center in Temple, Tex. Instead, she recommended that they "consider a diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder." ...

Veterans Affairs Secretary James B. Peake said in a statement that Perez's e-mail was "inappropriate" and does not reflect VA policy. It has been "repudiated at the highest level of our health care organization," he said.

New Hearing Loss Listing Coming

All federal agencies must have the approval of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which is part of the White House, before publishing new regulations. Social Security just filed the following with OMB:

AGENCY: SSA	RIN: 0960-AG20
TITLE: Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Hearing Loss (2862P)
STAGE: Proposed Rule	ECONOMICALLY SIGNIFICANT: No
** RECEIVED DATE: 05/15/2008	LEGAL DEADLINE: None

Women Worry More About Social Security

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Women are more worried about the government potentially cutting their Social Security (56 percent vs. 41 percent), according to a new survey by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Then again, half of retired women responding to the survey count on Social Security as a major source of income, while only 38 percent of retired men do.

Federal Register Items

Acquiescence Ruling 99-1(2) is being withdrawn because of the adoption of new rules providing that Social Security will "no longer will consider the income and resources of a stepparent when an eligible child resides in the household with a stepparent, but that child's natural or adoptive parent has permanently left the household." The new rules are consistent with the court decision to which Social Security had acquiesced.

Fraud Alleged In Pennsylvania

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

A Fayette County man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of committing Social Security fraud.

U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said Shawn R. Johnson, 27, of 280 Ringer Road, Uniontown is accused of failing to disclose employment and earned income ... to the Social Security Administration while still receiving benefits.