Skwierczynski Speaks

From an AFGE press release:

Witold Skwierczynski, the American Federation of Government Employees' (AFGE) National Council of Social Security Field Operations Locals President, will appear on AFGE’s new radio program on Friday, July 14 at 10 a.m. EDT on www.federalnewsradio.com and 1050 AM in the Washington, D.C., area.

“Inside Government” is a one-hour weekly nationwide radio/Internet program dedicated to issues that impact all federal employees.

Skwierczynski is a keen observer of developments within the Social Security Administration, who speaks bluntly. The possibility of furloughs of SSA personnel is certain to come up during this show.

36 Applicants to Take NC Social Security Specialization Exam

The NC State Bar is the first in the nation to offer an examination process by which attorneys may become board certified specialists in Social Security Disability Law. (Tennessee accepts the certification of the National Board of Trial Advocacy which has just started offering a similar certification on a national basis -- a certification that most state bars do not accept.) The deadline to apply to take the NC exam was June 30. Thirty-six NC attorneys have applied to take the exam this year. This high degree of interest is likely to spur other states to offer this specialty.

Fugitive Felon

The Baxter Bulletin has a story on Albert Roy, who found himself in desperate staits after he was discovered to be a "fugitive felon" and suffered a cutoff of Social Security disability benefits. Fortunately, Roy's neighbors helped him over a difficult time until the State of Texas dismissed an old charge, that apparently was never a felony to begin with.

SSA Not The Only Agency With Disability Adjudication Backlogs

The Army Times reports on growing backlogs at the Court of Veterans Appeals, which deals primarily with Veterans Disability Benefits appeals. The backlog has more than doubled in the last two years to 5,800. It is now taking a year for a case to go through the Court.

Monthly Social Security Stats

Social Security has released its monthly statistical packages for Title II and Title XVI of the Social Security Act.

Fee Payments Up in June

Payments of fees to attorneys and others for representing claimants before SSA were up 19% in June over May 2006 and up 46% over June 2005, according to a report on a Social Security website. Below are the numbers for 2006.

Fee Payments
Month/Year	Volume	Amount
Jan-06	18,752	$64,848,326.02
Feb-06	20,426	$70,312.586.15
Mar-06	26,227	$91,045,934.83
Apr-06	23,042	$79,714,961.76
May-06	23,581	$82,015,869.29
June-06	27,771	$97,085,724.60

SSA May Require Attorneys To Use On-Line Filing

According to a letter from the National Council of Social Security Management Associations (NCSSMA), an association of Social Security management personnel, Social Security is considering a proposal to require what is described as "large, for-profit third party filers", which would be lawyers representing Social Security claimants, to use Social Security's electronic form 3368, a lengthy form required for disability benefits claims. Social Security is having trouble persuading lawyers or claimants to use the on-line form voluntarily, largely because the form is not considered user-friendly. NCSSMA strongly supports making the online form mandatory.

SSAB Meeting Agenda

The Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB) has released the following agenda for its meeting on July 12, 2006:

1:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. SSA e-gov initiatives; Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Communications,

Phil Gambino;Associate Commissioner for Electronic Services, Jo Armstrong