New Hires

Here is the text of a Social Security press release:

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced the appointment of three new members of his executive team at Social Security.

Dr. David B. Gray is appointed Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs. Dr. Gray will play a key role in helping Commissioner Astrue implement his plan for reducing the backlog of disability cases. “I look forward to working closely with Dr. Gray to improve Social Security’s outdated medical listings and poorly defined categories of disabilities and advance our vision for more compassionate allowances.”

Prior to his appointment, Dr. Gray was concurrently the Associate Professor of Neurology and Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He holds a doctorate from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Psychology from Western Michigan University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lawrence University in Wisconsin. His extensive work in the field of paralysis and mobility impairments, rehabilitation and human behavior has earned him respect in the research and academic communities both abroad and in the United States.

Margaret A. Hostetler is appointed Deputy Commissioner for Policy and Dr. Jason J. Fichtner is appointed Associate Commissioner for Retirement Policy. “Ms. Hostetler and Dr. Fichtner both bring strong backgrounds in policy analysis and research that will help us continue to study the effects of possible changes to the Social Security program on individuals, the economy and program solvency. I look forward to their wise advice and counsel.”

Ms. Hostetler has a wealth of experience in federal policy-making, having spent more than 20 years in senior Congressional committee staff positions. Her assignments included the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee and the House Budget Committee. Most recently, she was the Senior Legislative Representative with the AARP Economic Affairs Federal Division. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Fichtner has extensive experience in economic policy and analysis. Prior to his appointment, he was a senior economist with the Joint Economic Committee in the U.S. Congress. In addition, Dr. Fichtner has served as an adjunct assistant professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University. He also has worked for the Internal Revenue Service and as an economic analysis consultant in the private sector. He holds a doctorate in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan.

I cannot comprehend how Dr. Gray is going to help reduce backlogs at Social Security. No matter how smart he is, he knows essentially nothing about Social Security's disability programs. I fear this appointment proceeds from the widely held belief among the naive that since the Social Security disability programs are a mess, those with experience in these programs must be incompetent and that the best thing to do is to bring in someone from the outside who has new ideas. However, there are no new ideas for Social Security's disability programs other than foolish unworkable ones such as former Commissioner Barnhart brought in. Gray is likely to resurrect old bad ideas or invent new bad ideas of his own. Social Security's disability programs are not badly run. Disability determination is inherently a messy business. Neither Gray nor anyone else can change this. No new ideas are needed; just enough personnel to make the current systems work. By the time Gray figures this out, if he ever does, Michael Astrue will be leaving office.

Stephen Goss Testifies On Capitol Hill

Stephen Goss, Social Security's Chief Actuary, testified on July 17 before the House Budget Committee on the desirability of funding for continuing disability reviews and SSI redeterminations. You can read his prepared remarks online. I do not understand why Goss would have been testifying. He does has more credibility with Congress than any other senior Social Security official. Goss has been around for many years and is well respected by both Democrats and Republicans. While funding this part of Social Security's operations is certainly desirable, one has to contrast this effort to make sure there is funding to cut off benefits, with the half-hearted efforts to get enough funding to put disabled people on benefits. Of course, Goss may have testified because everyone else was on vacation.

Social Security Perspectives Blog

I have established a separate Social Security Perspectives blog as a group blog for those who want to post about Social Security topics. So far, only one person has signed up as a blogger and there are only a few posts. If you are interested in posting on this group blog, please use the feedback button on the right side of the page to e-mail me. I can tell you that there are some people who are already checking Social Security Perspectives on a daily basis. Probably a few hundred readers will check out Social Security Perspectives as a result of this post.

Use Of This Blog On Attorney Website

I have been contacted by an attorney who wishes to pay to use an RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feed from this blog on his firm's website. He was wise to ask. It would be a copyright violation to use an RSS feed on a commercial site without authorization.

I am not sure what to do with the request. It will depend upon whether there are other law firms or other commercial entities who wish to use an RSS feed from this blog on their website or otherwise pay royalties to use items from this blog, either on their website or in some form of newsletter. If you are interested in this, please use the feedback button on the right hand side of this page to e-mail me.

By the way, there is certainly no charge to simply link to this blog. I am delighted if you do so. You need not ask for permission to just link.

An Image From 1939

NADE Newsletter

The National Association of Disability Examiners (NADE) has published its Summer 2007 newsletter. It may just be me, but I find the ads from NADE's corporate members to be interesting. The ads themselves are mostly just "tombstones." There is nothing about the ads that reflects badly upon NADE or those advertising, but I keep trying to figure out what makes each corporate member willing to pay money to NADE.

Government Executive.com On Social Security Budget

Government Executive.com has an article up on effort by the Federal Managers Association (FMA) to get an adequate operating budget for the Social Security Administration. Here is an excerpt:

In a summary of the bill, the House Appropriations Committee said the $100 million it added to the president's proposal should improve the agency's ability to handle claims. ...

Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the managers association, disagreed that the $100 million would reduce the backlog. "It's going to slow the growth of the backlog, but it will by no means allow them to work on [it]," she said.

The funds will allow the SSA to replace only 1,000 of the 4,000 employees lost in the last three years, she said. ...

Klement said FMA would like an amendment offered on the House floor to increase SSA funding, but acknowledged that was a long shot.

SSI For Elderly And Disabled Refugees

From Social Security's Legislative Bulletin:

On July 11, 2007 the House passed H.R. 2608, the SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act by voice vote. The bill was sent to the Senate where it awaits action. The House-passed bill would amend section 402 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. SSI-related provisions of H.R. 2608 would:

• Extend temporarily the 7-year eligibility period for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants to 9 years for the period that begins October 1, 2008 and ends September 30, 2010;

• Exempt those refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants with pending naturalization applications from the time-limited eligibility period. This exemption would also be effective only during the 3-year period the provision would be effective;

• Apply retroactively to those non-citizens whose SSI benefits had previously ceased solely due to the expiration of the 7-year period as well as to eligible individuals whose 7-year period would expire before October 1, 2010;

• Provide for prospective monthly payment of additional SSI benefits over the duration of extended eligibility;

• Revert to the 7-year SSI eligibility period for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants for months after September 30, 2010; and

• Be effective October 1, 2008.