Interesting Statements At Confirmation Hearing

     From the statement of Orrin Hatch, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, at today's hearing on the nomination of Andrew Lamont Eanes to become Deputy Commissioner of Social Security:

... Today we will also consider the nomination of Andrew LaMont Eanes to be the Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration . Currently, Mr. Eanes serves as Senior Advisor in the Office of the Acting Commissioner and has a vast background in management, technology, and a demonstrated history of simply getting things done. We can always use more of that in our government. ...

 Even with these fiscal challenges [of the Social Security trust funds], operationally speaking, the Social Security Administration, or SSA, has fared better than most agencies in terms of budget allocations. Of course, we generally don’t hear that from them. Instead, we tend hear persistent claims from many SSA officials that any and all problems at the agency are caused by Congress’s supposed refusal to provide adequate funding. 

Fortunately, however, there are also those at SSA who work hard, day in and day out, to ensure that taxpayer funds are used as efficiently as possible for the sake of beneficiaries. And, everything that I’ve see n thus far indicates that Mr. Eanes is one of these diligent officials working to protect taxpayer resources and to make sure the benefit programs can be run as efficiently and effectively as possible. 

That is precisely what hardworking taxpayers and beneficiaries of these important programs deserve. ...

     Senator Hatch, it's just a fact that because of inadequate administrative appropriations the Social Security Administration was forced to reduce its workforce dramatically at a time when its workload was increasing dramatically because of the aging of the baby boom generation.

     From the statement of Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Committee: 

Some have raised questions about this nomination because Mr. Eanes background is not in social insurance or public management. But sometimes, a fresh perspective may be valuable in helping tackle challenges in federal agencies. Mr. Eanes brings significant management and technology expertise from his time in the private sector, which could be highly beneficial to Social Security in delivering the best possible customer service.

Finally, I want to remind the committee that Social Security has not had a confirmed commissioner in place since February 2013. This committee should consider whether or not it is wise to confirm a deputy before a commissioner is confirmed. SSA runs best when its uppermost leadership positions are filled by strong leaders who’ve been approved by the Senate, but legitimate questions have been raised about the best way to proceed.

So I look forward to discussing that issue with my colleagues, and my hope is the administration puts forward a nominee to be commissioner for the committee to process as soon as possible.

NCSSMA Newsletter

     The National Council of Social Security Management Associations (NCSSMA), an organization of Social Security management personnel, has issued its January 2016 newsletter, which they now characterize as a blog.

Hearing On Eanes Nomination

William Lamont Eanes

     The Senate Finance Committee will be holding a hearing on February 4 on the nomination of Andrew Lamont Eanes to become Deputy Commissioner of Social Security. The hearing will not just be on Eanes' nomination. The nominations of a Deputy Secretary of HHS and two Tax Court judges will be on the table. This suggests that the hearing is little more than a formality.
     If Eanes is confirmed, he will immediately replace Carolyn Colvin as Acting Commissioner of Social Security. Colvin's term as Deputy Commissioner expired quite some time ago. The Senate never acted on her nomination to become Commissioner. I don't believe he renominated her after the last midterm election. Eanes had been nominated on July 31, 2014.

     Here's what I can find out about Eanes from a Cleveland Plain Dealer article

• From Cleveland and still roots for the Browns (poor man)
• Goes by Lamont
• About 59 years old
• Has a wife and two grown sons
• He worked for an Ohio state senator and later coordinated his run for mayor of Cleveland
• Has an undergraduate degree from Northern Ohio University and an MBA from Baldwin Wallace University
• Has worked in Kansas City, Baltimore, Hong Kong and Sydney
• Has been chief operating office of two telecommunications companies. In 2012 he and his wife started Agile Government Services, a software consulting business that mostly serves the Department of Defense.
• "Eanes said he heard about the job opening at Social Security's headquarters in Baltimore and applied with no special connections. 'I was an Obama enthusiast but not particularly involved.'"

     When I posted about Eanes' nomination in 2014 almost all the comments had to do directly or indirectly with Eanes' race. Most commentators simply assumed he is incompetent and got the nomination merely because of his race. That's disgusting. Eanes has held positions of significant responsibility in the past. He lacks Social Security experience. It would be nice if he did but that's usually not the case with high level appointments at Social Security no matter who the President is and regardless of the race of the person being nominated. 

     I have no idea why this nomination is moving forward at this time but I'd have to guess the Carolyn Colvin, the Acting Commissioner of Social Security, wants to retire now.

Final 2015 Disability Insurance Trust Fund Numbers

     The Social Security Administration has released the final numbers for last year on the performance of the Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Because of a temporary change the Disability Insurance Trust Fund's revenues will increase in 2016. The fund's balance should be higher at the end of 2016 than it is today. Please note however that the annual deficits in the Disability Insurance Trust Fund have gone down each of the last two years. Continuation of this trend would slowly move the Disability Trust fund towards balance.

Disability Insurance
(Amounts in millions)

Calendar year	Total income	Total outgo	Net increase in asset reserves	Asset reserves at end of calendar year
2011	$106,276	$132,332	$-26,056	$153,850
2012	109,115	140,299	-31,184	122,666
2013	111,228	143,450	-32,221	90,445
2014	114,858	145,060	-30,201	60,244
2015	118,595	146,581	-27,985	32,259

Obama To Visit Social Security Headquarters -- Apparently Only Its Parking Lot

Social Security Headquarters, October 12, 1966

     I looks like President Obama will be visiting Social Security headquarters on Wednesday -- but apparently only its parking lot which will be used as a staging area for a visit to a nearby mosque.
     It's been almost 50 years since the last Presidential visit to Social Security headquarters. That doesn't seem right to me.

VIP To Visit Social Security Headquarters

     Social Security is warning its central office employees of extraordinary security measures that will be in effect Wednesday morning at its Security West property due to a "VIP-related security event." Parking will be significantly reduced, some entrances will be blocked off and blinds or shades will have to be closed in some offices. Vehicles will be inspected by K-9 units. 

     I hope someone can enlighten us but I'm having trouble imagining anyone whose visit would justify such preparations other than the President or the head of state of some foreign nation and I don't think any foreign leader is visiting Social Security headquarters.

At Least Somebody Is Hiring

     From a job posting:

Binder & Binder Disability caseworker
Quikaid, Inc. - Saint Petersburg, FL
$35,000 a year

Our firm is seeking 1-2 disability caseworkers with experience working in the disability field, particularly with a firm such as Binder & Binder. Binder & Binder is in bankruptcy, and our firm has made an offer to purchase Binder & Binder's assets from the bankruptcy estate. While that offer is being reviewed, we continue to grow aggressively and are seeking to build our staff. ...

Man Convicted Of Stealing More Than $1.5 Million From Social Security and VA

     From a press release issued by Social Security's Office of Inspector General:

United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Dennis Paulsen, age 45, of Blythewood, was convicted of stealing more than $1.5 million from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration following a seven-day jury trial in federal court in Columbia [SC].  ...

After being diagnosed [with Multiple Sclerosis] and discharged from the Navy in the early 1990s, Paulsen began receiving a monthly VA benefit as a result of his diagnosis.  Unsatisfied with the amount he was receiving, Paulsen began a pattern of malingering by claiming his MS rendered him unable to use his hands or feet in any respect.  Still unhappy with the money he was awarded, Paulsen ramped up his claims, lying to his doctors, presenting himself as house- and wheelchair-bound, and making false claims that he required daily professional medical care to live until his benefits were increased to the maximum disability payments available to a Veteran.  At the same time, Paulsen used the same feigned impairments to convince the Social Security Administration that he was entitled to Social Security disability benefits.  Despite his feigned claims of impairments and presenting himself in a wheelchair to his doctors, Paulsen lived in a non-handicap accessible residence and was able to ride his motorcycle and jet skis plus play baseball and golf on a regular basis. ...

The extensive investigation by the VA and SSA included undercover agents, surveillance, and photographs and video footage from banks, stores, and the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Family photographs kept by Paulsen’s ex-wife were also obtained showing Paulsen’s many activities with his family, playing baseball, and participating in a Marine Mud Run. Paulsen testified, in a wheelchair, for four hours and called three doctors as expert witnesses in an attempt to support his claim that he was and had been totally disabled. The guilty verdict reflects that the jury did not find this testimony credible.

     MS is a strange disease. A person with relapsing and remitting MS can have dramatic fluctuations in their functional abilities. They can legitimately go from having few symptoms to being in a wheelchair to again having few symptoms over the course of a few weeks. A jury convicted this man so I assume the evidence against him was strong but an MS patient who tells a story of severe symptoms that come and go may well be telling the truth. If you deal with MS patients at all, you really get struck by how strange MS is.