“I have 5 herniated disks,“ said disability insurance applicant Debi Lovell.
Lovell said she has so much pain from degenerative disk disease she has to use a walker to take the pressure off her back.
“My spinal cord is being strangled,“ she said.
Debi says in 2007 her doctor declared her disabled and it’s taken since then to get a final answer from the Social Security Administration about her disability claim. ...
On December 14th 7 On Your Side asked the Social Security Administration in an e-mail why Debi hadn’t received a decision about her hearing. The next day a judge sent a letter to Lovell saying she had been approved.
Dec 30, 2009
Seven On Your Side Gets It Done!
From "News Channel 7" in Spartanburg, SC:
Astrue v. Ratliff Wiki
The SCOTUS Blog has started a Wiki for each case to be argued before the Supreme Court this term. One of these cases is Astrue v. Ratliff which is on the issue of whether attorney fees payable under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) belong to the Plaintiff or the Plaintiff's attorney.
The government is ordered to pay EAJA fees far more often in Social Security cases than in any other type of case. If the EAJA fee belongs to the Plaintiff, it is subject to offset for debts that the Plaintiff owes the federal government.
The case is set for oral argument on February 22, 2010. The certiorari stage briefs are available through the Wiki. The government's brief on the merits is also available. The opposing brief should be available in the near future.
The government is ordered to pay EAJA fees far more often in Social Security cases than in any other type of case. If the EAJA fee belongs to the Plaintiff, it is subject to offset for debts that the Plaintiff owes the federal government.
The case is set for oral argument on February 22, 2010. The certiorari stage briefs are available through the Wiki. The government's brief on the merits is also available. The opposing brief should be available in the near future.
Dec 29, 2009
Pay Up
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security has 1,913 employees who owe federal taxes totaling $16,426,239. Social Security's delinquency rate, that is the percentage of its employees who owe federal taxes, is 2.99%.
Dec 28, 2009
Attorney User Fee To Remain At 6.3% In 2010
Attorneys and others who receive direct payment from the Social Security Administration of fees for representing claimants must pay a user fee. The user fee has been 6.3% for years but Social Security must determine on a yearly basis whether this percent should be reduced. Social Security will publish a notice in the Federal Register tomorrow saying that the user fee will stay at 6.3% in 2010.
Retirement Of A District Manager
From the Chattanooga Times Free Press:
Eleanor Jones has always thought Social Security workers get a bad rap.
And she hopes she has changed some people's minds after serving as district manager of the area's Social Security office for the past decade.
"Sometimes people think of the government as uncaring, but we are caring," said Ms. Jones, who plans to retire at the end of December. "I tell everyone to treat everyone as if they are your grandmother and leave them with their dignity." ...
C.C. Kennedy, assistant director of the district Social Security office, said Ms. Jones' retirement feels like the end of an era.
"It's been the golden years," she said. "She is kind, compassionate and caring. She cares about the employees and public service. I have looked forward to coming in to work every day working for her."
Dec 27, 2009
Social Security's Top Ten Contractors
Courtesy of FedSpending.org here are the top contractors at Social Security for fiscal year 2009, which ended on September 30, 2009:
| IBM CORP. | $44,762,855 |
| CA INC | $31,033,053 |
| VION CORP | $20,268,560 |
| DELL COMPUTER CORPORATION | $18,671,233 |
| NANA REGIONAL CORPORATION INC | $12,341,548 |
| PC MALL, INC. | $12,338,011 |
| KONIAG INC | $10,131,412 |
| COMPUWARE | $6,778,885 |
| YORK TELECOM CORPORATION | $5,484,667 |
| I. LEVY AND ASSOCIATES, INC. | $5,202,386 |
NANA is an Alaska native owned business. There have been questions asked about the appropriateness of contracting preferences given NANA.
Dec 26, 2009
Social Security Working On 75th Anniversary Plans
From the Social Security Update, a newsletter put out by the Social Security Administration:
Social Security’s 75th Anniversary
As we ring in 2010, we also will be ringing in the 75th anniversary of Social Security. On August 14, 1935, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law. Since then, for 75 years, Social Security has been a cornerstone of our nation, touching the lives of almost every American at one time or another. We’re hoping that Congress will help us celebrate our anniversary by enacting legislation we proposed to name the Operations Building at our headquarters complex after former Commissioner Robert Ball.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)