Social Security's Own TV Network

From an presolicitation notice by the Social Security Administration:

The Social Security Administration (SSA) intends to negotiate solely with Comcast Cablevision of Maryland ... for system relocations and replacement of minor equipment items to support an existing order with Comcast to maintain the CATV Port Distribution System for the SSA headquarters campus and outlying buildings. ... The CATV network provides real-time news and information for the entire SSA headquarters campus.

Feedback Button Not Working

The Feedback button to the right of this post is not working. I have not changed anything about it, so it must be a problem with "Get Gear", the company that provides the service. I will leave the button there for now in hopes that eventually they will get the problem solved. You can e-mail me at:

charles[at]charleshallfirm.com

Bernoski Letter Quoted In Baltimore Sun

From Melissa Harris' "Federal Worker" column in the Baltimore Sun:

Mailbag
Ronald G. Bernoski, president of the Association of Administrative Law Judges, was among those who responded to last week's column on the government's new roster of more than 600 administrative law judge candidates.

The Social Security Administration "indicated it had funding to hire 150 new administrative law judges and 92 support staff members to begin clearing the backlog of disability cases," Bernoski wrote. "This is an unjustifiable management decision.

"Each judge needs four to five staff members to prepare cases for the judge to review and to draft the judge's decisions. The 1,150 judges in SSA are already severely short of staff members. In many offices judges are unable to get enough prepared cases to fill their schedules.

"To hire 150 judges and only 92 staff members is a hollow gesture and another example of poor management decisions at the Social Security Administration."

Veteran's Day

A Direct Approach To Writing A Newspaper Article

Here is the complete text of an item at the Kansas City Star's website:

Have you applied for Social Security disability payments? Tell us about your experience

 Many applicants for Social Security disability payments must wait between 18 months and three years to learn if they qualify, and much longer if they must appeal a first rejection, AARP reports.

We want to know how you or someone you know fared when applying for benefits. If you would like to share your experience, and perhaps be included in future story about the situation, call Gene Meyer at The Star at 816-234-4883 or send e-mail to gmeyer@kcstar.com.

New AARP Article

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Bulletin for November contains another article about Social Security's backlogs. Here is an excerpt:

Maria Leal of Portland, Ore., tells her story slowly because her tongue is sutured, making it difficult for her to speak clearly. She has grand mal seizures, and during the last one she bit down on her tongue so violently it needed stitches. ...

But three years after she applied for disability benefits, Leal is living in a residence for the homeless, sharing a bathroom with 54 other women and eating baloney sandwiches. She's still waiting for her claim to be processed. ...

"People have died waiting for a hearing," Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue concedes. "This is America, and it is simply not acceptable for Americans to wait years for a final decision on a claim."

Disability claims, officials say, have doubled since 2001 as millions of boomers in their 50s—the years when working men and women are most prone to illness and disabilities—have applied to collect the insurance. Despite a growing aging population and caseload, the agency hasn't been able to afford to add workers. Congress has consistently cut the SSA's budget requests since 2001, leaving the agency's overall staffing at its lowest level in 34 years.

National Public Radio Report On ALJ Shortage

You can listen to a report on National Public Radio on backlogs in holding hearings on Social Security disability claims. Here are some excerpts from the text:

ALEX COHEN, host:

Americans, who become disabled before they reach retirement age, often rely on the financial support of Social Security disability benefits. More than half a million people have been waiting now as long as three years to see if they’ll actually get these benefits. The Social Security Administration says it’s made some progress in chipping away at its staggering backlog of cases, but there’s still problems with money to support the program. ...

Mr. MICHAEL ASTRUE (Commissioner of Social Security): Last time I checked, which was about a month ago, we were at 1,041 administrative judges, which is really unacceptable. The minimum that we think we need to start driving the backlogs down in a significant way would be about 1250. ...

Mr. ASTRUE: Congress has had other funding priorities in the domestic area and the administrative budget for the Social Security Administration has been losing out consistently for a long period of time and it is starting to show up in the quality of performance.

KNXV-TV Phoenix On Backlogs

From KNXV-TV in Phoenix:

Imagine being diagnosed with a devastating illness, losing your job, going through your savings, then your retirement and finally losing your home.

That is exactly what happened to Suzanne Beveridge.

About 14 years ago, she shattered her elbow and broke her arm in three places. Even with two surgeries, her severe osteoporosis won't let her heal.

Beveridge struggled for years before she finally filed for disability. By that time, she had multiple illnesses.

That was more than five years ago. As of today, even though the government says she's eligible, she hasn't seen a dime. ...

And she is not alone. According to a report issued by the American Association of People with Disabilities, Arizona has more than forty six hundred people backlogged and waiting for disability. And almost twice that if you count those waiting to get assigned.

Sherry Whitener is the head of Advocates for the Disabled here in Phoenix. By the time the disabled go see her, they have lost everything.

A process the Social Security Administration says it's trying to change. Changes include reorganizing the administration, hiring more law judges and filling their dockets, and triaging cases electronically with Quick Disability Determination.

It's what they call Compassionate Allowances--to help keep people in their homes.

Are compassionate allowances the new Disability Service Improvement, a plan that Michael Astrue can tout as the solution that lies just around the corner, even though "compassionate allowance" is nothing more than empty words?