Social Security News

Aug 3, 2010

Pomeroy's Plan Plays Well At Home

Congressman Earl Pomeroy's plan to give Social Security recipients a one time $250 payment if there is no cost of living adjustment in Social Security this year is playing well in his district in North Dakota. Pomeroy, the chairman of the House Social Security Subcommittee, is in tough re-election battle.

Social Security's Chief Actuary Questions Raising Normal Retirement Age

Stephen Goss, Social Security's Chief Actuary, has written an article for an issue of the Social Security Bulletin. Goss' article is worth reading in whole. Indeed most of this issue of the Social Security Bulletin, which is devoted to Social Security's impending 75th anniversary, is worth reading. Goss' most important point is that the primary cause of Social Security's long term funding problem is the decreased rate of fertility, that is, the average number of children born to the average American woman, rather than increased life expectancy. Goss throws in this paragraph towards the end of the article:

Because the large shift in the cost of the OASDI [Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance] program over the next 20 years is not due to increasing life expectancy, it is not clear that increasing the NRA [Normal Retirement Age] should be the principal approach for restoring long-term solvency. Increasing the unreduced retirement age beyond 67 is one option that may be considered, given that the population may be healthier in the future and able to work to an older average age. However, this raises the question of the adequacy of monthly benefit levels. After the NRA reaches 67, those persons claiming benefits at age 62 will receive only 70 percent of the unreduced benefit level. Further increase in the NRA would decrease the adequacy of monthly benefits at age 62, and at all other ages, even further.

Raising the normal retirement age has been the favorite plan of many on the right for "fixing" Social Security. My opinion is that increasing the normal retirement age to 67 was a bad idea and that increasing it to 70 is a horrible idea. Raising the normal retirement age to 70 would be terrific way to decrease public support for Social Security, which is exactly why those on the right promote the idea.

Types Of Illnesses That Are Approved For Social Security Disability

From the Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2009
Disabled-worker awards, by selected diagnostic group, 2009

Aug 2, 2010

National Hearing Center In St. Louis

From a press release:

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today opened in St. Louis, Missouri the agency’s fifth National Hearing Center (NHC). The St. Louis NHC is the largest in the nation and is co-located with two other new Social Security facilities -- the National Case Assistance Center (NCAC) and the Midwest Training Center. Together these three facilities will bring over 200 new federal jobs to St. Louis. The project, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was completed in just ten months and is the fastest the General Services Administration has ever delivered a project of this size, quality, and type.

“The St. Louis NHC will help us reduce the backlog of disability cases in those areas of the country where citizens with disabilities are currently waiting far too long for a hearing decision,” Commissioner Astrue said. “For the City of St. Louis and the State of Missouri, these facilities will bring new permanent federal jobs.”

The St. Louis NHC will be staffed by 100 people -- 18 Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) and 82 support staff. The NHC uses state-of-the-art electronic video technology to hold disability hearings remotely throughout the country to reduce backlogs. St. Louis initially will hear disability cases for Cleveland, Ohio and Minneapolis, Minnesota – cities with two of the most backlogged hearing offices in the nation. Social Security has additional NHCs in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Baltimore, Maryland, Falls Church, Virginia, and Chicago, Illinois.

The NCAC and Midwest Training Center will employ 102 people. The NCAC will provide decision-writing assistance to backlogged hearing offices throughout the U.S. The Midwest Training Center will enable the agency to train Midwest and western employees closer to home – saving taxpayers money by reducing the travel costs associated with employee training.

“The new Social Security facilities in St. Louis are prime examples of Recovery Act dollars at work,” said Commissioner Astrue. “I applaud the General Services Administration and the Social Security staff who worked tirelessly to open these new facilities in record time. The result will be better service for disabled Americans and increased job opportunities for residents of the St. Louis area.”

$250 Payment Bill Gathering Co-Sponsors

The bill that Earl Pomeroy, the Chairman of the House Social Security Subcommittee, just introduced, which would give Social Security recipients a special $250 payment in the likely event that there is no cost of living adjustment to Social Security this year, has already garnered the following 84 co-sponsors:

Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] - 7/30/2010
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] - 7/30/2010
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Boren, Dan [OK-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Bright, Bobby [AL-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] - 7/30/2010
Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-11] - 7/30/2010
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 7/30/2010
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Costa, Jim [CA-20] - 7/30/2010
Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] - 7/30/2010
Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Critz, Mark S. [PA-12] - 7/30/2010
Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7] - 7/30/2010
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 7/30/2010
Rep Dahlkemper, Kathleen A. [PA-3] - 7/30/2010
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] - 7/30/2010
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] - 7/30/2010
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] - 7/30/2010
Rep Deutch, Theodore E. [FL-19] - 7/30/2010
Rep Driehaus, Steve [OH-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] - 7/30/2010
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] - 7/30/2010
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 7/30/2010
Rep Fudge, Marcia L. [OH-11] - 7/30/2010
Rep Garamendi, John [CA-10] - 7/30/2010
Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] - 7/30/2010
Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6] - 7/30/2010
Rep Grayson, Alan [FL-8] - 7/30/2010
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 7/30/2010
Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] - 7/30/2010
Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] - 7/30/2010
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 7/30/2010
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 7/30/2010
Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Kagen, Steve [WI-8] - 7/30/2010
Rep Kaptur, Marcy [OH-9] - 7/30/2010
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] - 7/30/2010
Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Kissell, Larry [NC-8] - 7/30/2010
Rep Klein, Ron [FL-22] - 7/30/2010
Rep Kosmas, Suzanne M. [FL-24] - 7/30/2010
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 7/30/2010
Rep Levin, Sander M. [MI-12] - 7/30/2010
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 7/30/2010
Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 7/30/2010
Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9] - 7/30/2010
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 7/30/2010
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] - 7/30/2010
Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] - 7/30/2010
Rep Meek, Kendrick B. [FL-17] - 7/30/2010
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 7/30/2010
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 7/30/2010
Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2] - 7/30/2010
Rep Oberstar, James L. [MN-8] - 7/30/2010
Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] - 7/30/2010
Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] - 7/30/2010
Rep Peters, Gary C. [MI-9] - 7/30/2010
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3] - 7/30/2010
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] - 7/30/2010
Rep Richardson, Laura [CA-37] - 7/30/2010
Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] - 7/30/2010
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 7/30/2010
Rep Sablan, Gregorio Kilili Camacho [MP] - 7/30/2010
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 7/30/2010
Rep Schauer, Mark H. [MI-7] - 7/30/2010
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13] - 7/30/2010
Rep Scott, David [GA-13] - 7/30/2010
Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] - 7/30/2010
Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] - 7/30/2010
Rep Titus, Dina [NV-3] - 7/30/2010
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 7/30/2010
Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] - 7/30/2010
Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] - 7/30/2010
Rep Wilson, Charles A. [OH-6] - 7/30/2010
Rep Yarmuth, John A. [KY-3] - 7/30/2010