One Man's Fight

     A Norfolk, VA television station reports on one person's fight for Social Security disability benefits. Over a million people are in the same boat. And don't make the stupid assumption that because he has liver cirrhosis that he's an alcoholic. He's a diabetic. Diabetes can cause liver disease.

LOL

     Sam Johnson, the Chairman of the House Social Security Subcommittee, is now trying to blame the hearing backlog on President Trump's failure to nominate a new Commissioner for Social Security.

     A confirmed Commissioner would be nice but it's absurd to think that any Commissioner could possibly do anything of consequence about the backlog without more money to spend to hire the personnel needed to get the work done. That one is on you and your Republican colleagues in Congress, Mr. Johnson.

Hearing Backlog Soaring

     The Orange County Register article on Social Security's hearing backlog included a number of very interesting charts. Here's one.

Cases awaiting a Social Security disability hearing

Why Is There So Much Regional Variation? Part II

     Another visual from the Orange County Register:

Why Is There So Much Regional Variation? Part I

     The Orange County Register article on Social Security's hearing backlog included a number of very interesting visuals. Here's one.

Looks Like Someone Goofed

     From a Social Security press release:

In October of each year, the Social Security Administration announces adjustments that take effect the following January that are based on the increase in average wages. Based on the wage data Social Security had at the time of the October 13, 2017, announcement, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) was to increase to $128,700 in 2018, from $127,200 in 2017. The new amount for 2018, based on updated wage data reported to Social Security, is $128,400. ...

     This is odd. Why wouldn't Social Security have had the correct data as of October 13, 2017? It looks like someone goofed but the goof may have happened outside the Social Security Administration. In fact, it sounds like they're saying that someone else, perhaps Treasury, gave them incorrect information.
    I hope this doesn't cause problems. Programs used to compute payroll have to have the correct FICA wage cap. There will be problems if those programs aren't corrected.

Cut It Until It Bleeds And Then Complain About The Bloodstains

     The Orange County Register has a report on Social Security's horrendous hearing backlog. As the story says, Republican ideology plays a part. Even though Republican voters in general support Social Security, the Republican donor class hates Social Security so Republican officeholders underfund Social Security so that service deteriorates. Then they use the poor service as proof that government programs can't work.

A Narrow Win For Social Security

     The First Circuit Court of Appeals has issued an opinion in Justinano v. Social Security holding that the federal court have no jurisdiction, prior to a final administrative decision, to review Social Security's termination of disability benefits due to allegedly fraudulent medical evidence. These cases arose in Puerto Rico but this is essentially the same as the situation when the first civil actions were filed in the cases of claimants who had been represented by Eric Conn. 

     Note that no one is denying that there is jurisdiction to review a final administrative determination in these cases. Presumably, by now there are final administrative determinations to review.