Barnhart Statement to Social Security Subcommittee

Commissioner Barnhart's written statement to the Social Security Subcommittee has been posted. The Subcommittee's website indicates that it is possible to watch the hearing live over the internet, but this may be in error. Every time I have checked, there was nothing to watch.

Watch Barnhart's Testimony Live

Jo Anne Barnhart, Commissioner of Social Security, will be testifying before the House Social Security Subcommittee today (May 11) at 10:00 on "Service Delivery Challenges." The Subcommittee's website has a link allowing anyone to watch and listen to the proceedings live.

Ticket to Work Meeting

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel has scheduled a meeting in Arlington, VA from June 7 through June 9. No agenda is available at this time.

Senate Votes $38 Million Extra for SSA

The Senate has approved $38 million in additional funding for the Social Security Administration as part of the Hurricane Katrina supplemental appropriation bill.

Inconsistency Between ALJs

Houston TV Station KHOU has recently run a story on inconsistency between ALJs at the Downtown Houston Social Security hearing office. The percentage of favorable decisions issued by ALJs in that office ranged between 68.11% and 7.19%. Registration is required to watch a video of the story (and even then there may be technical problems.) However, the statistics on ALJ allowance rates in the Downtown Houston office are available as a PDF and the ALJs names are listed. Also there are statistics that show the ALJ allowance rate by state, figures that I have never seen before. It is hard to understand how the reporter obtained the statistics on ALJ allowance rates that list ALJs by name. Social Security has released these numbers previously in response to Freedom of Information Act requests, but not with the ALJs' names listed.

Veterans Disability Benefits Commission Studies Offsetting Social Security Disability Benefits

There have been allegations from outside parties that the Veterans Disability Compensation Commission recently set up by Congress was studying the question of whether veterans disability compensation should be reduced by Social Security disability benefits. There is no doubt now. The Commission has now confirmed this with a press release. No final decision has been made, but it seems clear from the press release that recommending an offset is under very serious consideration.

A Question About Part D

Many Social Security disability claimants are approved for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). It is taking so long to get an ALJ hearing that most of these claimants are now entitled to retroactive Medicare benefits, despite what amounts to a two and a half year waiting period for Medicare coverage. The mechanics of retroactive entitlement to Part A and Part B of Medicare are well established -- Part A coverage automatically goes back to the date of first eligibility and Part B goes back if the claimant asks that it go back and is willing to pay the back premiums. But what about Part D, the prescription drug benefit? Is there any way to get retroactive Part D Medicare coverage?

Social Security Financing Problem Disputed

David Francis reports in his Christian Science Monitor column that the annual report of the Social Security trustees may seriously overstate Social Security's funding problems. He relies upon David Langer, a New York actuary, who claims that there is actually no problem. The issue is how one predicts future economic growth. Very slow economic growth was assumed in the prediction that the Social Security trust funds will run out of money in 2040. According to the column, the slow growth assumptions were choosen deliberately to portray Social Security's situation in a bad light. Actually, no one can accurately predict economic growth in the 75 year period over which Social Security trust fund predictions are made. In the past, the economic growth projections used by Social Security's actuaries were too low. Assume more vigorous growth and there is little or no problem.