The Senate Appropriations Committee has issued a press release about the highlights of the draft Senate version of the economic stimulus package. There is no mention in this press release of the $902 million for Social Security in the equivalent bill pending in the House of Representatives. Perhaps, the money is in the actual bill, but not mentioned in the press release, but I would not bet on that.
Jan 23, 2009
Hiring At OGC
I am hearing a report that Social Security's Office of General Counsel (OGC) will be hiring dozens of new attorneys in the near future with little advance notice. These jobs are not showing up on USAJobs, although that site does show more job openings at Social Security of other types than I have seen in a few months. It probably ought to show more job openings since Social Security will be hiring lots of people once it has the money and that is coming within a month or so.
If you are interested in one of these OGC jobs, I suggest checking the USAJobs website daily and, perhaps, calling OGC to ask what is going on, if you can find their phone number. If you already work at Social Security, I expect that you can find that number. If you do not work at Social Security, I hope some kind person will post it. If you wonder why I cannot supply the phone number, well, Social Security's attitude for some years has been that its telephone numbers, apart from its 800 number, are close to being a secret, but I imagine that most people reading this far already knew that. Social Security's website shows a telephone number for its main headquarters personnel office, (410) 965-4506, but I would not bet on that office knowing anything yet.
If you are interested in one of these OGC jobs, I suggest checking the USAJobs website daily and, perhaps, calling OGC to ask what is going on, if you can find their phone number. If you already work at Social Security, I expect that you can find that number. If you do not work at Social Security, I hope some kind person will post it. If you wonder why I cannot supply the phone number, well, Social Security's attitude for some years has been that its telephone numbers, apart from its 800 number, are close to being a secret, but I imagine that most people reading this far already knew that. Social Security's website shows a telephone number for its main headquarters personnel office, (410) 965-4506, but I would not bet on that office knowing anything yet.
Senate Economic Stimulus Proposal Would Give $300 Bonus To Everyone On Social Security And SSI
From the Senate Finance Committee description of its Chairman's version of a draft economic stimulus bill:
I do not see any provision in the Senate proposal for extending Medicaid to those who are involuntarily unemployed.
The provision directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide a onetime economic recovery payment of $300 to adults who were eligible for Social Security benefits, Railroad Retirement benefits, or veterans compensation or pension benefits;132 or individuals133 who were eligible for Supplement Security Income (SSI) benefits (excluding individuals who receive SSI while in a Medicaid institution). Only individuals who were eligible for one of the four programs for any of the three months prior to the month of enactment shall receive an economic recovery payment.The bill pending in the House of Representatives would give a bonus of one month of benefits to SSI recipients -- which would be more for most SSI recipients -- but no bonus for recipients of Title II Social Security benefits.
I do not see any provision in the Senate proposal for extending Medicaid to those who are involuntarily unemployed.
Open Government?
I noted earlier that Social Security's Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel will have its first meeting on February 23, but, apart from the Chairman, I had been unable to find any of the names of the members. I am told that there is a good reason why I had been unable to find the names of the members. Social Security does not intend to release the names of the members until the first meeting begins. I have no idea whether this is just pointless secrecy or whether they are still trying to assemble the panel, but it makes Social Security look foolish in my eyes. This meshes poorly with President Obama's goal of more open government.
First Meeting Of Occupational Information Advisory Panel
The Social Security Administration has announced that the first meeting of its Occupational Information Advisory Panel will be on February 23 and 24 in Arlington, VA. As best I can tell, there has been no public announcement of the names of the members of the panel.
Jan 22, 2009
New Medicaid Resource For Those Waiting?
This is from the summary of one of the economic recovery bills being considered in the House Ways and Means Committee today (emphasis added):
MEDICAID: Provides states the option of offering coverage to unemployed workers through their Medicaid programs, with the federal government matching 100 percent of the costs of benefits and administration. States could offer coverage to individuals who are unemployed and uninsured and fall into one or more of the following three categories:
(1) individuals (and their dependents) who receive unemployment insurance benefits or who have exhausted unemployment insurance benefits;
(2) individuals (and their dependents) who have income below 200 percent FPL [Federal Poverty Level] ($42,400 for a family of 4 and are not otherwise eligible for Medicaid or CHIP[Child Health Insurance Program];
(3) individuals (and their dependents) receiving food stamps who are not otherwise eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
In all cases, the individual must be involuntarily separated from employment between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010 and remain unemployed.
I have a question. Does the term "involuntarily separated" include individuals who are forced to leave employment due to illness? If so, this would quickly become an important resource for people who are waiting and waiting for Social Security to act upon their disability claims.
Update: The text of the bill is now available. Take a look at the bill, particularly §3003, and see if you can find an answer to my question. I cannot. This seems to be something the Congress needs to address.
Update: The text of the bill is now available. Take a look at the bill, particularly §3003, and see if you can find an answer to my question. I cannot. This seems to be something the Congress needs to address.
Ways And Means Markup On SSI Bonus
The Ways and Means Committee will be marking up the bill to give Supplemental Security Income (SSI) an extra month of benefits at some point today. The date, but not the time ,for the markup is shown on the Ways and Means website. This is technically a separate bill from the appropriations bill that will give Social Security an extra $902 million. The appropriations bill was marked up yesterday by the House Appropriations Committee.
Update: The bill has now been reported out of the Ways and Means Committee.
Update: The bill has now been reported out of the Ways and Means Committee.
Social Security Subcommittee Membership Announced
The House Ways and Means Committee has finally published a list of the entire membership of its Ways and Means Subcommittee.
Democrats
JOHN S. TANNER, Tennessee, Chairman
EARL POMEROY, North Dakota
ALLYSON Y. SCHWARTZ, Pennsylvania
XAVIER BECERRA, California
LLOYD DOGGETT, Texas
RON KIND, Wisconsin
JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York
LINDA T. SANCHEZ, California
JOHN A. YARMUTH, Kentucky
Republicans
SAM JOHNSON, Texas, Ranking Member
KEVIN BRADY, Texas
PATRICK J. TIBERI, Ohio
GINNY BROWN-WAITE, Florida
DAVID G. REICHERT, Washington
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)