Number Drawing Disability Benefits Continues To Decline

     The number of people drawing Social Security disability benefits declined in August. This number has declined in ten of the last eleven months.

Setting The Table?

     Dylan Scott, writes in the National Journal that the Social Security disability "reform" under consideration as the Republican "price" for extending the life of the Disability Trust Fund is some change in work incentives. The problem is that such a change probably won't save money and may end up costing money. Maybe more important, changes under consideration could work as a disincentive to return to work. Still, if work incentives are the only thing on the table, agreement should be possible. Are work incentives the only thing that Republicans intend to put on the table or merely the first thing? Will the controversial changes be revealed only after the 2016 election?

ALJ Removed For Low Productivity

     Mark Shapiro was hired by the Social Security Administration as an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in 1997. Throughout his career as an ALJ Shapiro failed to meet agency productivity standards. He averaged about 10-12 decisions a month while the agency was expecting around 50 a month. Shapiro was given additional training and many warnings but his productivity remained low. Finally, the agency asked the federal Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to remove Shapiro from his position as an ALJ. The MSPB agreed to remove Shapiro from his job. Shapiro appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. That Court has affirmed the MSRP decision.

     My view is that the agency standard of 50 or more decisions a month is somewhat too high. However, 10-12 decisions a month is way too low. I don't know what Shapiro's problem was but he had no business being an ALJ. My advice for any ALJ struggling to get out, let's say, 35 decisions a month, is to find something else to do. ALJ positions aren't some calling from God. They're jobs. It's not a job for everybody. Life is too short to spend years working at a job you aren't cut out for.

Off Topic: Spooky

     I got a call from a telemarketer yesterday. Nothing unusual about that other than it was Sunday, but, still, that's not all that unusual these days. The "do not call" registry is a joke. The unusual thing was that the caller asked for my mother, by name. My mother doesn't live with me. She died in 1979.

Happy Labor Day

Patent Applied For

     From United States Patent Application 20150242818:

A computerized system and method for determining eligibility for social security disability insurance benefits (SSDI) through a computer network. The network provides access to State databases containing information relating to persons receiving treatment for developmental disabilities and/or mental illness from a State licensed care facility and Federal Social Security records containing information relating to person's status of SSDI benefits and parental/marital information relating to person's eligibility of SSDI benefits. The system and method is programmed to automatically determine who is potentially eligible for SSDI benefits and determine those who are eligible for SSDI benefits based on the information identified within the State and Federal databases. Moreover, the computerized system and method may also automatically identify lump sum payments paid out on behalf of at least one person who is/are receiving treatment for disabilities and/or mental illness from a State licensed care facility.

Social Security Disability Insurance at Age 60: Does It Still Reflect Congress' Original Intent?

     Paul O'Leary, Elisa Walker, and Emily Roessel of Social Security's Office of Retirement and Disability Policy have written an article titled Social Security Disability Insurance at Age 60: Does It Still Reflect Congress' Original Intent? I won't hold you in suspense. Their answer is "Yes." 

     Having looked at the legislative history of Disability Insurance Benefits, I'd have to say that it's impossible to answer the question. The program now is dramatically different than when it started but those differences have to do with amendments to the Social Security Act rather than anything to do with its administration. Sixty years ago there weren't even any cash benefits, for goodness sake! Of course, it's changed.

Friday News Dump

     Social Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued a progress report on Social Security's national computer center. This is a very expensive project to replace Social Security's current data processing center. There has been a controversy over whether it's really needed.

     OIG has labeled the report as "Limited Distribution" and has issued only a very brief summary to the public. They're keeping most of it secret. The report, such as it is, has been released on the Friday before Labor Day. Why?
     Let me just mention that a Republican was Commissioner of Social Security when the national computer center was being planned and when construction started. Republicans on Capitol Hill were the biggest proponents of a national computer center. I don't think Social Security's Inspector General, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, has ever raised any question about the wisdom of creating a national computer center even though OIG has done many studies of the national computer center over the years. I don't think this is a partisan problem but if it is, it's a problem primarily created by Republicans.