Could anyone provide me with a list of the recent trainers of new Administrative Law Judges? I wonder who they are. Note the "Feedback" button to the right.
Jun 29, 2011
NADE Newsletter
The National Association of Disability Examiners (NADE), an organization of the personnel who make initial and reconsideration determinations on Social Security disability claims, has issued its Summer 2011 newsletter. Here are a few excerpt from NADE's summary of Commissioner Astrue's remarks at a NADE regional training conference in April:
The DDS accuracy rate has increased from 94% to 98% over the last decade. ...
SSA continues to try to make the work process easier, such as eliminating step 4 ...
Commissioner Astrue acknowledged the mounting concerns regarding the disability process and, in particular, fraud involving treating physicians, abuse of the childhood disability program, and issues involving Medical Improvement process for CDRs. [Continuing Disability Reviews] Due to the differences in rules at the DDS [Disability Determination Services, where NADE members work] level and those at the hearing level, it is often impossible to remove some beneficiaries from the rolls when they are reviewed for medical improvement. These are all issues to hopefully be addressed in the future of this program.
By the way, as a survivor of the 60s, I love their ad for their training conference coming up in Los Angeles. I think I had something like this on the wall of my dorm room 40 or so years ago.
Social Security's IT Changes Run Counter To General Trend
From Information Week Government:
While a number of federal agencies are moving toward more centralized lines of IT [Information Technology] authority under the CIO [Chief Information Officer], the Social Security Administration appears to be headed in the other direction. Last Friday it broke up much of the CIO organization and scattered its authority across several offices. ...
While Social Security CIO Frank Baitman and the CIO's organization will remain, they will do so with a significantly trimmed role, and without a series of key deputies who have moved to other organizations or have left the agency....
While Social Security has just moved much of the CIO's authority elsewhere, to the Office of Systems, numerous agencies are headed in the other direction. Several agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of the Interior, have consolidated CIO authority in recent years.
Interesting
Binder and Binder, the largest entity representing Social Security claimants, is now owned, at least in part, by a private equity company, HIG, headquartered in Miami. They were acquired in a leveraged buyout last August.
Jun 28, 2011
The Koch Brothers Echo Chamber
I am told this video is blocked for those on Social Security's network. This is the first time I have heard of this happening. Are they blocking all videos or just this one?
By the way, notice that octopus image. Anybody know who that image was used for many decades ago?
Media Picks Up On Social Security Reorganization And Personnel Changes
Federal Computer Week, Federal News Radio and Executive Government have picked up on the Social Security reorganization and personnel changes reported here yesterday.
Jun 27, 2011
Former Social Security Commissioner Hardy Still Active
From a press release:
Dorcas R. Hardy, former Commissioner of Social Security, has been named Chair of the National Advisory Board for Early Bird Alert Inc. (EBA), the company dedicated to improving health and connectivity for seniors and the chronically ill, it was announced today.
Ms. Hardy, who served under President Ronald Reagan and is president of DRHardy & Associates, a public policy firm in Washington, D.C., will lead experts in the fields of aging and disability services to advise EBA in the development and implementation of EasyConnect™, its new in-home communications device and service designed to help seniors and patients with chronic medical conditions take better care of their health.
Major Reorganization And Personnel Changes
Social Security
Memorandum
Date: June 24, 2011
To: Senior Staff
From: Michael J. Astrue /s/
Commissioner
Subject: Organizational Realignments and Executive Personnel Assignments - INFORMATION
To maximize our efficiency during these lean budget times, I am implementing several functional and organizational realignments now and in the coming weeks. Below is a high-level overview of some of those changes along with some executive personnel announcements.
Effective immediately, the Offices of Innovation and Investment Management will move from the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) to the Office of Systems (OS). Karen Palm and Lester Diamond will move to OS with their respective functions. Deputy Commissioner Carolyn Colvin will take the lead for the Future Systems Technology Advisory Panel. Functional responsibility for Health IT will also move to OS.
Ephraim Feig, former Associate CIO for Vision and Strategy, is no longer with the agency. From the Office of Vision and Strategy, the Division of Strategic Services will move to the Office of Quality Performance (OQP), and the Division of IT Strategy will move to OS.
From the Office of Open Government, the Notice Improvement Staff and the Transparency and Citizen Engagement Staff will move to the Office of Communications under the continuing leadership of Alan Lane, and the Division of Authentication will move to the Office of Electronic Services in Operations.
Greg Pace, Deputy CIO, has accepted a Senior Advisor position with Deputy Commissioner Colvin.
I am taking the first steps to reorganize functions in the Office of Budget, Finance and Management. The security and emergency preparedness functions currently in the Office of Facilities Management (OFM) will move to the newly created Associate Commissioner-level Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness. Jim Bentley, currently Associate Commissioner (AC) for Budget, Facilities and Security (OBFS) in the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR), will be Associate Commissioner and Mike Kramer, currently Deputy AC for Facilities Management, will be Deputy AC for this new Office.
I am eliminating the Office of Publications and Logistics Management to consolidate the logistics functions in a new Office titled the Office of Facilities and Supply Management (OFSM). OPLM’s publications programs will transfer to the Office of Communications (OCOMM).
Gary Arnold will be the AC for OFSM and Lydia Marshall will be the Deputy AC.
I am moving responsibility for White House and congressional correspondence from OCOMM’s Office of Public Inquiries (OPI) to the Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs.
Betsy Bake, currently the AC for the Office of Facilities Management, will become the AC for Public Inquiries in the OCOMM.
Joanne Gasparini, currently the Deputy AC in the Office of Financial Policy and Operations, will move to OQP along with the program integrity/improper payments function. Chris Molander will be Deputy AC, OFPO. Teresa Rojas (SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) Class IV) will be Acting Senior Advisor for Audits.
In the Office of Budget (OB), Deputy AC Don Hartline will move to ODAR as Deputy AC for OBFS and Eric Jones, the current Deputy AC for OBFS, will move to Deputy AC, OB.
In ODAR, Frank Biro (SES CDP Class IV) will be the Acting AC for OBFS.
Debra Bice is Chief Administrative Law Judge. Judge Bice has been Acting in this position since January 2011.
In OS, Steve Kautsch, AC for Enterprise Support, Architecture and Engineering (OESAE), announced his retirement effective July 2. Ron Burdinski, currently AC for Applications and Supplemental Security Income Systems (OASSIS) will be AC for OESAE when Steve retires. Debby Ellis, currently Deputy AC for Disability Systems (ODS), will be AC for OASSIS. Sonia Miles (SES CDP Class V) will be Acting Deputy AC for ODS.
In the Office of Operations, Michelle King, currently AC for Public Service and Operations Support (OPSOS), will be the AC for Income Security Programs. Marianna LaCanfora, currently Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Retirement and Disability Policy (ORDP), will be the AC, OPSOS. LaTina Greene, currently Deputy AC for Central Operations, will be the Assistant Deputy Commissioner, ORDP.
Ruth Lacey, Deputy AC for Disability Determinations (ODD), announced her retirement July 29. Linda Kerr-Davis (SES CDP Class V) will be Acting Deputy AC, ODD when Ruth retires.
In the Office of the Commissioner, Robin Kaplan, currently the Executive Secretary, will be the Executive Counselor to the Commissioner. Tiffany Flick, currently the Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff (CoS), is Acting Executive Secretary. Aviva Sufian, currently AC for External Affairs (OEA) in the Office of Communications, will be Senior Advisor to the CoS. Kojuan Almond (SES CDP Class V) will be Acting AC, OEA.
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