Shutdown News Roundup

     A roundup of shutdown related news:

• From The Hill: "Everybody's tried to envision [an endgame], but nobody has it yet," said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), an ally of [House Speaker] Boehner. "Honestly, I don't know what we're going to do.”
• North Carolina Disability Determination Services (DDS), which does disability determinations for Social Security, is cancelling consultative examinations because of the shutdowns. Also, a few North Carolina DDS employees are being furloughed, even though Social Security is encouraging DDS's to stay open. If the states aren't getting money from Social Security, how long can they keep the DDS's open? Can they not pay a state employee when other state employees are being paid?
• At ground level, it's obvious that Social Security employees still on the job have received confusing instructions on what they can and cannot do during the shutdown. I'm not going to go into detail but it's a problem. You can see evidence of this in the responses to my blog post on the implementation of ALJ decisions. And, on that subject, despite what ALJs have been told, no one who implements decisions has been furloughed. Employees at ODAR offices who perform tasks associated with issuing decisions have been furloughed but not the people who actually implement those decisions.
• KPCC has a piece on one of Social Security's furloughed attorneys. She's upset for herself. She's upset for the claimants whose lives are being affected. The letter pictured above is one that Social Security has told her to give to creditors.
• The President warned yesterday that if we crash into the debt ceiling that Social Security payments will not go out on time. However, House Speaker Boehner says he's willing to buck his party to increase the debt ceiling.
• Republicans aren't sure whether they want to give back pay to federal workers who have been furloughed. {Keep digging, guys. The hole you're in can get still get deeper.)
• Liberals are worried about a grand bargain to settle this mess might include chained CPI.

60 Minutes Piece On Social Security Disability Coming On Sunday

     From the newsletter of the Association of Administrative Law Judges (AALJ):

This Sunday evening, October 6, the television news show “60 minutes” will air a story regarding the SSA disability adjudication system. AALJ Vice-President, Marilyn Zahm and I were interviewed for over 2 ½ hours by Steve Kroft of “60 minutes”. The interview covered many of the problems judges have experienced with the disability adjudication system at SSA. Some of the subjects discussed include the need for government representation, procedural rules, closing the record and quotas. Senator Tom Coburn was also interviewed for the program. 

We believe the segment will run for approximately 15 minutes but could be longer. Hopefully, this type of exposure will benefit our continuous efforts to improve our system of justice

     Note that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Operations will hold a hearing Monday on Social Security Disability Benefits: Did a Group of Judges, Doctors, and Lawyers Abuse Programs for the Country's Most Vulnerable?

ALJ Decisions Will Be Implemented During Shutdown

     I am seeing comments saying that no Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) decisions are going to be implemented during the government shutdown. That may be what people are hearing but I don't see how it would be true. Everyone at Social Security's payment centers is working during the shutdown. I don't know what these folks would be doing other than implementing decisions.

     This matters. If ALJs think that there's no reason to get out decisions because no one will implement them, they're not going to make the effort to issue those decisions. But those decisions are going to be implemented so there's every reason to get them out the door.

Senate Committee Schedules Hearing

     A hearing has been scheduled for October 7 at 3:00 before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Social Security Disability Benefits: Did a Group of Judges, Doctors, and Lawyers Abuse Programs for the Country's Most Vulnerable?

ALJs Still Issuing Decisions For Pipeline Cases -- Also, ALJs May Be Able To Issue Bench Decisions Without Staff

     I'm hearing that Social Security Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) may be issuing a fair number of decisions this week but almost all of these are decisions that had been drafted before the government shutdown but not yet been finalized. Of course, that pipeline will soon run dry.

     I'm also hearing that even without staff, ALJs may be able to get out bench decisions. This could be a big help for claimants whose favorable decisions might be delayed because of the government shutdown.

That October 17 Deadline You're Hearing Isn't Exactly Accurate

     In the media coverage of the government shutdown-debt ceiling crisis one thing keeps bothering me. Reporters keep saying that the government may remain shutdown until we reach the debt ceiling on October 17 and Armageddon will follow. Armageddon will follow if we ever get to the debt ceiling but that's not going to happen while the government is shutdown or at least not on October 17. Because the government is shutdown, far less money is going out of the Treasury. This keeps pushing the debt ceiling deadline into the future. The Treasury Secretary's message to Congress that included the October 17 date is accurate "unless [a government shutdown] continues for an extended period of time."

Chained CPI Becomes Part Of Shutdown Discussions

     Some Republicans think they can get chained CPI which would cut the Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients as part of a grand bargain to settle the government shutdown and the debt ceiling. I'll believe there is some real chance of this happening when I hear Republicans talking about tax increases.

ESPN Hometown Takes A Hit

     Social Security's field office in Bristol, CT is to be closed in January. Local politicians will try to get the decision reversed. ESPN is headquartered in Bristol.