Benefits Card Problems

     From KING-TV:

Washingtonians who are among the roughly 5 million Americans relying on a special debit card offered by the federal government for Social Security recently had trouble accessing their cash.

Direct Express promises safety and convenience. However, multiple users complained they couldn't find an ATM in Western Washington that would accept the card without a $3 penalty.

"To direct deposit, you need to have a bank account for the money to come into the bank, which I didn't have. So, it really was my only choice," said Larry Woods, a recipient of Social Security, explaining why he chose Direct Express.
The trouble started when Woods visited his nearest ATM and was blocked from obtaining cash without paying a surcharge.

Woods lives on just over $800 a month. So for him, $3 makes a big difference. As he put it, "It's lunch." ...

Technically, Woods shouldn't have to pay. On the website, Direct Express claims to have an extended network of surcharge-free ATMs.

However, when KING 5 accessed the website,  most of the links weren't working or identified zero participating ATMs west of the Rockies.

While Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service regulates the program, it's facilitated through a contract with Comerica. A Comerica spokesperson said the Direct Express website was experiencing temporary technical issues. ...

After roughly two weeks, the website ATM search tool was functioning again.
Direct Express Card Holders can visit BECU branch ATM's without a penalty, according to other area banks. ...

For Most People Disability Isn't Something That Happens All At Once

     Jackson Costa has done a study, published in the Social Security Bulletin, on the decline in earnings prior to claims for Disability Insurance Benefits. Below is a chart from the study.

     The study demonstrates something that's obvious at ground level -- for most disabled people, disability isn't something that happens all at once. It comes on over the course of years. 

     This is important because those in Congress and the higher reaches of Social Security tend to visualize disability as mostly associated with trauma but that's wrong. Trauma is actually a relatively minor source of disability. It's illnesses that accumulate and worsen over time. Often it's more than one thing that disables a person. People try hard to fight off disability. Often they wait a considerable period of time after stopping work altogether before filing a claim. People don't like to have to concede that they're disabled.

"Not Sustainable"

     This comes from a trusted source but I can't verify it otherwise:

1. The ODAR [Office of Disability Adjudication and Review] leadership had a call with all of ODAR management and a separate call with the decision writers. They were told the state of the current way of doing business is not sustainable model. So as part of this, the decision writers were told they had to increase their productivity as there is a backlog of about 52,000 cases that continues to grow. In addition management has to start writing up decisions. This applies to management in ODAR offices that have some training on writing up decisions. It is my understanding the most group supervisors have this training so they have started writing up decisions. 

2. SSA [Social Security Administration] slapped a freeze yesterday on all competitive promotions after 1/22/17. This applies to all promotions except career ladder promotions. An example is that you can’t promote someone into a group supervisor position or Hearings Office Director. This also applies to Field Offices. It is Agency wide. This comes from interpreting President Trump’s decision to put a freeze on hiring. That freeze also applies to promotions.

When Will A New Commissioner Be Nominated?

     The Baltimore Sun asks how long it will be before the new President nominates someone to become Commissioner of Social Security. Their answer, which is certainly true, is God only knows. My guess, which may be proven wrong any day now, is that it will be months and months before there's a nomination. Commissioners of Social Security have precious little discretion. It's not likely to be a priority to nominate someone.

The Old Way Of Searching Wage Information

No Bait And Switch Allowed

     The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals isn't buying Social Security's "bait-and-switch." By the way, this is the first judicial decision I've seen with Nancy Berryhill as the named defendant.

Why Deny A Man His Right To Self-Defense Just Because He Hears Voices Telling Him To Kill People?

     The House of Representatives approved  on Thursday a resolution that would undo regulations adopted during the Obama Administration that would prevent many Social Security recipients from buying firearms if they need the help of a representative payee handling money. I am uncertain whether Democrats can or will filibuster this in the Senate.

Report On Social Insurance For The New Administration

     The National Academy of Social Insurance has issued a Report to the New Leadership and the American People on Social Insurance and Inequality. It might be helpful if some of those in the new administration would read this but I'm not expecting that.