The Press Republican of Northeastern New York is running a story on the backlogs at Social Security that is obviously based upon a press release from Allsup.
Jun 22, 2008
SSNs Off Medicare Cards?
From the New York Times news service, although curiously I cannot seem to find it in the New York Times website itself:
Social Security officials, concerned about the risk of identity theft, are calling for immediate action to remove Social Security numbers from the Medicare cards used by millions of Americans.
But Medicare officials have resisted the proposal, saying it would be costly and impractical.
In a new report, the inspector general of Social Security, Patrick P. O'Carroll Jr., says "immediate action is needed."
"Displaying such information on Medicare cards unnecessarily places millions of individuals at risk for identity theft," O'Carroll said. "We do not believe a federal agency should place more value on convenience than the security of its beneficiaries' personal information."
Jun 21, 2008
SSI Newsletter
The Disability Benefits Project of Massachusetts Legal Services has released its 31 page SSI Coalition Newsletter for May-June 2008.
Jun 20, 2008
ALJ Loses Fight For Job
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
For three years, Kelly S. Jennings ruled on disability claims for the Social Security Administration while simultaneously serving as an active-duty lawyer for the Army.This week, a ruling determined the Atlanta administrative law judge can be removed from his civilian job for double-dipping. Social Security has also filed papers to recover more than $309,000 in back pay and interest from Jennings.
By dividing his time between jobs, Jennings could not give Social Security his full attention, which in turn contributed to the nation's mountainous backlog of disability claims, wrote William N. Cates, the administrative law judge who heard the case.
Jennings worked in Social Security's Atlanta North office, known as the agency's "backlog capital" of the country. With an average wait of 838 days, the office in May ranked as the slowest in the nation in resolving the appeals of people who say they are too sick or injured to work.
Jennings, who said he made more than $300,000 a year working for both Social Security and the Army, acted "purely for personal gain," Cates wrote. "Judge Jennings' dual employment and the ramifications thereof warrant his removal." ...
"We are pleased by the decision," Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue wrote in an e-mail. "The irresponsible conduct of this employee shouldn't tarnish the reputations of our ALJs, who have helped reduce the disability backlog by increasing their productivity by about 10 percent in the past year."
Employee Satisfaction At Social Security
From the National Council Digest, put out by Council 220 of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents a good part of Social Security's workforce:
A poll recently conducted by Council 220 shows that nearly half of the respondents are either “dissatisfied” or “extremely dissatisfied” with their work experience at Social Security. An overwhelming number (79%) also believe that most employees share those same feelings. ...
When asked “do you feel that you have enough time to devote to a quality work product?” a staggering 82 per cent answered “no.” ...
A large number (59%) believe quantity of work is considered more important than quality. ...
Big Fraud Investigation?
From Dominican Today:
SANTO DOMINGO.- Three United States federal prosecutors, FBI agents and investigators from other agencies are in the country to probe the whereabouts of dozens of millions of dollars bilked from its Social Security System, allegedly laundered in the Dominican Republic.
Justice minister Radhamés Jiménez yesterday said there are leads in the case agaisnt those implicated, but refused give details ...Jiménez said the U.S. investigators are working with local prosecutors on money laundering in the country, as part of the collaboration in important cases. "In fact, those prosecutors are behind an investigation of an embezzlement committed in the United States and it’s assumes that fruit of that money, of that fiscal fraud against the United States, a large part of all that money was laundered in the Dominican Republic."
The official, who said there could be more information on the case “in a relatively short time,” doesn’t know how long they’ll remain in the country. He stressed that there’s no extradition request.
"There’s information that isn’t public knowledge," he said, but noted that neither politicians nor military have been implicated no far.
Many, Many Plaques
From FedBizOpps.Gov:
The Social Security Administration (SSA) intends to negotiate a sole-source acquisition with Lamb Awards and Engraving, 129 E. Main St., Westminster, MD 21157 to provide 7,500 wood plaques constructed per attached specifications. The proposed contract action is for supplies for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1).
Fantasy Meets Reality
At the recent conference of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives Marianna LaCanfora, Social Security's Assistant Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Retirement and Disability Programs, spoke of a plan to to introduce an automated system by which medical records are obtained automatically by Social Security before claims files ever reach Disability Determination agencies for adjudication. That was the fantasy she was talking about.
Meet the reality. Even in theory, this plan can only work if medical records are stored electronically. However, the New York Times reports on a New England Journal of Medicine study that shows that fewer than one in five doctors in this country has started using electronic records systems. Only 9% of doctors in small offices have such systems. Those who are experts in electronic records believe that smaller medical practices have little incentive to switch to electronic records and that government incentives will be required to make it happen. An upcoming experiment by Medicare will cost $150 million just to convert 1,200 small practices! The cost of converting all medical practices in this country would be astronomical.
Even if all medical practices in the country could be converted to electronic medical records, developing a fully interchangeable system such that medical records could be obtained with almost no effort would still be a long way off.
Please, no more moonbeams, Social Security. Let us talk about what can be done in the here and now about the current problems.
Meet the reality. Even in theory, this plan can only work if medical records are stored electronically. However, the New York Times reports on a New England Journal of Medicine study that shows that fewer than one in five doctors in this country has started using electronic records systems. Only 9% of doctors in small offices have such systems. Those who are experts in electronic records believe that smaller medical practices have little incentive to switch to electronic records and that government incentives will be required to make it happen. An upcoming experiment by Medicare will cost $150 million just to convert 1,200 small practices! The cost of converting all medical practices in this country would be astronomical.
Even if all medical practices in the country could be converted to electronic medical records, developing a fully interchangeable system such that medical records could be obtained with almost no effort would still be a long way off.
Please, no more moonbeams, Social Security. Let us talk about what can be done in the here and now about the current problems.
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