Speed Up For 100% Disabled Vets

     From the Baltimore Sun:

The Social Security Administration plans to streamline its review of disability claims for veterans starting next month, shaving weeks off the process by which it determines benefits, officials are set to announce Wednesday. ...

Under the new policy, applicants who have been deemed 100 percent disabled by the VA are to be put on a "fast track" at virtually every step of the process. ...

The change won't make it any more likely veterans will receive benefits, officials say — just that they'll get a decision more quickly. ...

     Update: And, here's the announcement but it's brief and a bit vague. If there are staff instructions, they haven't been released to the public yet.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

     Last June, the American Psychiatric Association issued the 5th Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This included the new diagnostic category of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. This was primarily aimed at children and adolescents. It is a type of mood disorder. It fits poorly into Social Security's childhood listing for mood disorders.

     I'm guessing that Social Security must have given some guidance to the Disability Determination Services (DDS) on how to handle diagnoses of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder but I haven't seen any. Does anyone have a copy they can shoot my way? You can send feedback to Social Security News, anonymously if you wish. You have to enter valid domain name but the rest can be bogus if you wish. However, you can't send attachments.

"Paper Options" And Social Security

     From the Washington Post:

As the Obama administration pushes to do more business over the Internet, finally seeking to close the technology gap with the private sector, the digital makeover is running into a dogged opponent called Consumers for Paper Options.

The group is working the halls of Congress in closed-door meetings, underwriting research favorable to its position and mounting a news media campaign in an effort to preserve Washington as the capital of paper — and slow the move away from printed checks, forms and other paper communication.

The lobbying group has had some recent victories, including language tucked into last month’s budget deal that requires the government to plan for resuming paper delivery of annual Social Security earnings statements to some of the nation’s 150 million future retirees. And it’s been claiming these wins in the name of the elderly and low-income Americans the Internet has left behind.

Except Consumers for Paper Options is a creation of the paper industry.

A Poll

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Central Offices Opening Four Hours Late Today -- No, Not Opening At All

     Social Security's central offices in the Baltimore area are opening four hour late today due to snow.

    Update: Other federal offices in the Baltimore-Washington area are opening two hours late instead of four.
     Further update: On second thought, Social Security has decided to just close its central offices for the day instead of opening late.

Why Many Field Offices In The South Are Closed Today

 

This is a photo taken (not by me) in the Raleigh area yesterday afternoon.

Central Offices Closed But Who Knows About Field And Hearing Office Closings

     Social Security's central offices in the Baltimore-Washington area are closed today because of weather conditions. Many field and hearing offices along the East coast are also closed. Social Security has a website where these closings are supposed to be listed but this system has almost completely broken down. As an example, no office closings are shown in North Carolina, where I am, but I'm pretty sure that all field offices and hearing offices in the state are closed. It's obvious to me that there must be dozens of office closings in other states  that are also unlisted. Somebody needs to get this system working properly.

A Cluster In Birmingham?

     Alex Flowers, who had been a Claims Representative at Social Security's Birmingham field office, has been indicted on several federal charges alleging that he used his access to Social Security's databases to cause the issuance of several payments to accounts which he controlled. A different Birmingham Social Security employee had been indicted on similar charges late last year.