Buttigieg Social Security Disability Proposals

     Pete Buttigieg is the first Presidential candidate to issue detailed proposals to help disabled Americans. Here’s the section of his plan dealing with Social Security:

• Eliminate the “benefit cliff” for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) so benefits gradually phase out until recipients reach nearly $45,000 in annual earnings.
• Eliminate SSDI’s ineffective current work incentives.
• Reduce excessive wait times for SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) appeals cases.
• Enable SSDI participants to start receiving income benefits as soon as they are admitted to the program.
• Eliminate SSDI’s 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage.
• Update critical SSI thresholds to allow people to receive greater assistance as costs of living rise.

Schaeffer To Be Honored

     Steven L. Schaeffer, of Social Security's Office of Inspector General, is one 141 federal executives to receive the Presidential Rank Award this year. A large bonus comes along with the honor.

A Plan To Appear To Be Doing Something

     From CNBC:

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, is taking the lead on a new proposal aimed at fixing funding shortfalls for Social Security, Medicare and the nation’s crumbling highways. ...

Romney, together with a group of senators from both sides of the aisle, introduced a bill this week to look at government trust funds that are expected to be depleted in the next 13 years.

The affected trusts are the Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare Hospital Insurance and Highway Trust Fund. ...

The Romney-led proposal, called the Time to Rescue United States’ Trusts, or TRUST, Act, would create congressional committees to evaluate how to bolster solvency or make other changes to improve the programs.

It is supported by Sens. Doug Jones, D-Ala.; Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.; and Todd Young, R-Ind.

Companion legislation has also been introduced in the House by Reps. Ed Case, D-Hawaii; Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.; Ben McAdams, D-Utah; and William Timmons, R-S.C. ...

Once the TRUST Act is passed, Treasury would have 30 days to deliver a report to Congress on the status of the funds.

Congressional leaders would form a rescue committee for each trust fund. Those committees would be tasked with coming up with legislation to repair those funds’ solvency and identify other improvements the programs may need.

At least two members of each party would be required to work on the legislation.

The proposal also says that any qualifying bills that emerge from the process get expedited consideration in both the House and Senate. ...

      This bill, of course, is going nowhere in this Congress. Even if passed, it solves nothing. It would merely provide a process by which the problem could be solved if there was some consensus, which there isn't. If this bill has a meaning, it's that it's a sign that there are at least three Senate Democrats, Jones, Manchin and Sinema, who aren't interested in the Social Security 2100 Act pending in the House of Representatives that would solve Social Security's long term financial problems with tax increases. It's hard to imagine Social Security 2100 passing in the Senate even after the 2020 election without those Senate Democrats on board. Romney's bill makes it look like you're doing something even when you're furiously backpedaling away from doing anything.

OMB Approval Sought For Final Regs To Remove Inability To Communicate In English As A Factor In Disability Determination

     The Social Security Administration has sent a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve final regulations to remove inability to communicate in English as a factor in determining disability.

     In a semi-related issue, when is the House Social Security Subcommittee going to hold an oversight hearing featuring the new Commissioner as the star witness? I know that there are weighty matters before Congress but reminding a new Commissioner that there will be consequences if he does things deeply unpopular with the majority party in the House of Representatives is basic.

Happy Halloween

Telework Ending

Sent: Monday, October 28, 2019 1:59 PM

Subject: Telework Pilot in Operations

A Message to All DCO Employees   

Subject:  Telework Pilot in Operations

Every day, we, the employees of SSA, directly serve the American public in a variety of ways.  Whether that is assisting visitors to our Field Offices or Card Centers, callers to our 800#, processing benefit claims in the Workload Support Units (WSUs) or complex post-entitlement actions in our Program Service Centers (PSCs), or providing essential support and guidance to our public facing components. The customer service you provide every day is critical to accomplishing SSA’s mission.

In recent years, Operations has faced a number of significant service challenges, including increases in wait times for customers on the 800# and in field offices, processing times for program workloads, and PSC backlogs.  Our Commissioner Andrew Saul is committed to improving customer service and this is his highest priority for the Agency. The Commissioner has already directed additional staff and other resources to Operations to help us improve our service to the public, particularly our field office wait times, 800# service, and reduction of backlogs in our PSCs.  As Operations employees and public servants, we share the Commissioner’s commitment and must ensure we do everything we can to improve service to our customers.  That includes continually evaluating the way in which we accomplish our work.

Since 2013, Operations has piloted telework in some of our offices.  Approximately, 25% of DCO employees participate in the pilot.  Operations implemented this Telework Pilot under the now expired 2012 SSA/AFGE National Agreement.  Yesterday, on October 27, the new SSA/AFGE National Agreement went into effect.  

In order to focus all of our resources on providing service to our customers, I have decided to end the Telework Pilot in Operations at this time.  Therefore, November 8, 2019, will be the last day of telework for employees in every Operations component: Teleservice Centers, Field Offices, WSUs, PSCs, Area Director’s Offices, Regional Offices, Office of Central Operations, and Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support Staff (DCOSS).  I have designated November 8 as the last day of telework to allow time for an orderly wind down of the Telework Pilot.  Managers in the Telework Pilot sites will meet with employees to discuss the next steps. 

We must have the ability and flexibility to address our shifting workloads and the daily, and oftentimes emergent, needs of our frontline components. To improve our service delivery, we need to utilize every valuable resource we have in Operations and the talents that each of you bring to this Agency.  I ask for your support and your ongoing commitment as we work together to effect change and truly improve our service to our customers.  

Grace M. Kim

Deputy Commissioner for Operations

Representation Rate Up At Initial Level But Down At Hearing Level

     From the Social Security Administration (click on each image to view full size):

Field Office Closing?

     Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer is trying to get information on rumors that the local Social Security Field Office in Decorah, IA is closing. I thought the agency promised to give advance notice about that sort of thing. Is Social Security already backsliding?

     By the way, note the weather forecast for this corner of Iowa shown on the webpage. Brrr!