GAO Report On Backlogs

From a report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO):

Substantial growth in the numbers of disability claims, staff losses and turnover, and management weaknesses have contributed to the backlog problem. Initial applications for benefits grew more than 20 percent over the period while SSA experienced losses in key personnel: claims examiners in the state determination offices and administrative law judges and support staff in the hearings offices. In addition, management weaknesses evidenced in a number of initiatives to address the backlogs have failed to remedy and sometimes contributed to the problem.

The GAO report does not mention that GAO itself was a cheerleader for several failed initiatives at Social Security: Re-engineering, Hearing Process Improvement (HPI) and Disability Service Improvement (DSI). These initiatives have wasted hundreds of millions of dollars and have only made the backlogs worse. GAO's harping over the years on the theme of "management weakness" has been a major factor in bringing about all those failed initiatives.

Far from recognizing its own culpability, GAO seemingly questions the decision to end DSI. GAO recommends that Social Security "conduct a thorough evaluation of DSI before finalizing the agency's decision on implementation." To its credit Social Security's response to this GAO report "expressed concern that the draft report did not sufficiently emphasize SSA’s need for additional funding and noted that the success of future efforts to reduce the disability claims backlog will depend on adequate and timely agency funding."

I think it is time to paraphrase Ronald Reagan: The GAO's advice is not the solution to Social Security's problems. The GAO's advice is a major part of Social Security's problem. I recommend that the Social Security Administration quit listening to GAO, because GAO does not know what it is talking about. GAO is the one in need of a thorough evaluation of its own "management weakness."

Dirty Old Men?

From Justin Fox's blog at Time Magazine:

Here's something interesting I just learned from the Social Security Administration's website: There are 70 women aged 25 or younger in this country who are earning Social Security benefits as the spouses of retired workers.

Biggs Leaving

An e-mail from the Commissioner of Social Security:

From: ^Commissioner Broadcast
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 4:00 PM
Subject: COMMISSIONER'S BROADCAST--01/08/08

A Message To All SSA And DDS Employees

Subject: Dr. Andrew Biggs

I want to let you know that our Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, Dr. Andrew Biggs, has informed me he soon will be leaving the agency to pursue an exciting job opportunity.

Dr. Biggs will become Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI), a prominent Washington think tank, where he will continue his research work on Social Security.

Before his appointment as the Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Biggs served as Associate Commissioner for Retirement Policy as well as Deputy Commissioner for Policy. During his nearly five years at SSA, he has done much to improve the public's understanding of the complexities of the programs we administer. In particular, he has led the Office of Policy's research agenda, which covers all areas of the Social Security program and how it interacts with the economy and affects the well-being of the people we serve.

In addition to being the Secretary to the Social Security Board of Trustees, Dr. Biggs was a member of the Trustees Working Group, which undertakes the staff-level preparation of the annual Trustees Report. Dr. Biggs also has been an important advisor to the President on retirement policy.

On a personal level, let me say what a pleasure it has been to work with Andrew during my time here. Not only is he an intelligent and thoughtful public servant, Andrew is also an extremely nice guy who handles the many challenges of his job with professionalism, grace and humor.

Andrew plans to leave SSA in early February and start at AEI in March. Please join me in wishing him all the best in the future.

Michael J. Astrue

Commissioner

Congress did not defund Biggs' job, but he leaves voluntarily shortly after the appropriations bill passes. Interesting.

Alert At Michigan Office

From the National Terror Alert Response Center (a blog):

A security guard notified authorities after he came across a suspicious package left at the new Social Security office on S. Telegraph Rd. this afternoon.

The area was cordoned off and the public was not allowed to enter the building, which is south of Seventh St. Officials have cleared the scene and the area has since been reopened after a police dog determined the package did not contain explosives, said Monroe County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Angerer.

Homeland Security officials were notified since a government building was involved and have reportedly taken away the package and will continue any investigation.

Sgt. Angerer said the parcel was delivered by the post office and reportedly left near or outside the office door. The security guard then became suspicious either based on the way it was left behind or because of the writing on the package.

CBS Item On Social Security Backlogs Coming

The rumor is that the long anticipated CBS story on Social Security backlogs will be appearing on the Evening News next week, perhaps Monday and Tuesday evenings, although the timing could still change.

From The Appropriations Bill

From P.L. 110-161:

Sec. 526. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be used by the Commissioner of Social Security or the Social Security Administration to pay the compensation of employees of the Social Security Administration to administer Social Security benefit payments, under any agreement between the United States and Mexico establishing totalization arrangements between the social security system established by title II of the Social Security Act and the social security system of Mexico, which would not otherwise be payable but for such agreement. [What is the point? There is no totalization arrangement with Mexico!]

Sec. 527. None of the funds appropriated in this Act shall be expended or obligated by the Commissioner of Social Security, for purposes of administering Social Security benefit payments under title II of the Social Security Act, to process claims for credit for quarters of coverage based on work performed under a social security account number that was not the claimant's number which is an offense prohibited under section 208 of the Social Security Act.

I hope that the provision prohibiting processing claims for credit for quarters of coverage obtained under a fraudulent Social Security number will not cause problems for people who have innocently fouled up their Social Security earnings record by giving an employer a mistaken Social Security number.

I have been unable to find a provision prohibiting payment of a salary to Andrew Biggs, the Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, who is serving under a recess appointment. A provision that would have prevented payment of a salary to Biggs had been in earlier versions of the bill.

Astrue After Bush Leaves Office -- Still Commissioner?

Yes, I know his term runs until January 2013, but he does not have to stay Commissioner if he does not want to. That is the question. Will he want to?

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

More Comments On Proposed Procedural Regulations

Again, this is my idiosyncratic choice from the 551 comments posted so far on the proposed regulations online. The comment period has closed, but the Social Security Administration may still be processing faxes and snail mail.

National Association Of Disability Representatives (NADR)
David Traver
Rudolph Patterson
Paul Eaglin
Lyle Lieberman