House Appropriations Releases Report On Bill To Fund SSA

     The full House Appropriations Committee has approved its version of the appropriations bill covering the Social Security Administration. There were no amendments affecting Social Security. The report that accompanies such bills has been released. These reports typically contain precatory language that agencies generally try to follow even if they are not legally required to do so. Here's some excerpts that affect Social Security (beginning at page 310):

• ... Within the total recommended increase, the Committee expects SSA to direct not less than $630,000,000 for field offices, teleservice centers, and program service centers, and $190,000,000 to replace losses and build capacity at the State Disability Determination Services (DDS) agencies that make disability determinations for SSA.
• In addition, within the recommended funding level, the Committee provides $89,500,000 for SSA to mail paper statements to all contributors aged 25 and older not yet receiving benefits ...
• Hearings.—The Committee continues to consider the Final Rule ‘‘Hearings Held by Administrative Appeals Judges of the Appeals Council’’ (85 Fed. Reg. 73138, December 16, 2020) to be an unjustified erosion of due process for individuals who are appealing a denial of Social Security or SSI benefits. As part of a beneficiary’s right to an impartial appeal process, an on the record hearing, conducted by an impartial judge with decisional independence, must be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to ensure due process, without agency interference, or political bias. Replacing this appeals step and the role of independent administrative law judges (ALJs) with SSA employees jeopardizes the independence of the process. In light of the harm that would be caused by this policy change, the Committee strongly urges SSA not to exercise this authority. ...
• The Committee requests SSA submit to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this Act a plan for reducing the initial and reconsideration claims backlogs, and continue to submit to the Committee quarterly reports on disability hearings backlogs until SSA has eliminated the hearings backlog and achieved its monthly average processing time goal. The Committee urges the Commissioner to prioritize the hiring of additional staff at the DDS agencies to determine initial claims and reconsideration appeals, as well as ALJs and requisite staff to adjudicate backlogged hearings claims. ...
• The Committee remains concerned about the time it takes SSA to effectuate favorable SSI and/or SSDI disability determinations and requests a briefing on the issue withing 30 days of receiving the report on Disability Determinations as requested in House Report 117–96. ...
• The Committee directs SSA to submit a report to the Committee within 180 days of enactment of this Act exploring the feasibility of using employee incentives, including an agency student loan repayment program, to improve recruitment and retention for qualified candidates across the agency. ...
• The Committee recognizes the essential role that field offices play in the public’s ability to access SSA benefits and services and strongly encourages the Commissioner to take every action possible to maintain operations at existing field offices. ...
• The Committee understands that the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) relies on legal assistants to conduct a broad range of work supporting hearings and reviewing work of its administrative law judges, and urges SSA to examine the position descriptions of legal assistants, pay and actual work conducted, to ensure that job classifications and compensation are commensurate with current duties. ...
• The Committee believes that quality representation in matters with SSA assists claimants and beneficiaries, and can also help SSA work more accurately and efficiently. The Committee appreciates that the Commissioner is raising the cap on fees payable via fee agreement, and encourages the Commissioner to index the cap to account for inflation in future years. ...
• The Committee reiterates its support for well-managed telework programs in the Federal workplace and understands that SSA is in the process of evaluating how telework affects service delivery during the reentry evaluation period of March 30 through September 30, 2022. Within 90 days of enactment of this Act, the Committee requests a briefing on how the results of that evaluation will be used to measure and monitor the impact of telework on customer satisfaction, service availability including continuity of operations, workloads management, employee experience, stewardship, and environmental considerations. ...

    Note that we are a long, long way from having a final bill. The Senate has to act. The filibuster in the Senate gives the minority a veto over appropriations bills. The House of Representatives may be in Republican hands by the time there is final action.

Offical Announcement Of Increase In Fee Cap

     The Social Security Administration is today publishing in the Federal Register the increase in the fee cap under the fee agreement process from $6,000 to $7,200 effective November 30.

Proposed New Cardiac Listings

    The Social Security Administration has published proposed new Cardiovascular Listings in the Federal Register today. This is only a proposal. Comments may be made until August 29, 2022.

Ways And Means Republicans To Hold Roundtable

      The top Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee and its Social Security Subcommittee have scheduled a roundtable at noon on Wednesday, Eastern Time, on  “Democrats’ Social Security Expansion Fails Generations of Working and Retired Americans.” Charles Blahouse and Holly Wade, both of whom are reliably hostile to Social Security, will testify.

     I don’t know why they would bother with this with Congress in recess or even if it were back in session. Do they really think the Democrats might advance a bill? Maybe it’s a sign that they really don’t want to have to vote on a bill that increases Social Security benefits while raising taxes only on the wealthiest Americans.

     I’m sure this roundtable will get “tens and tens of views” to quote a recent commercial.

What Do You Think?

    It's the week before the 4th of July and nothing much is happening in Social Security world so let me throw out a question. What does the Social Security Administration need? My feeling is that if the agency stays on its current trajectory, Social Security disability benefits and SSI will rapidly become unimplementable. They'll mostly disappear because it will have been made too difficult to apply for benefits or get claims adjudicated once filed. Even if you don't have such a dire view of the situation, if you're reading this blog, you're probably aware that the agency has major problems implementing these programs. So, what should be done? Please be specific. Don't simply say give the agency more operating funds. Say how you would like the extra money spent both short term and long term. Don't simply say to manage the agency better. Say exactly how the agency should be managed better. Which parts of the agency need the most help and what sort of help should they get? Don't simply say simplify. What should be simplified and how should it be simplified. Don't just say to improve information technology. What should be improved and how?

    To give you my opinion, there are four main components of the Social Security Administration with major problems -- field offices, teleservice centers, payment centers and disability determination services, which, of course, is most of the agency. In the short run, all of these components need a lot of money for overtime. In the medium run, they need a lot of hiring. This is necessary to handle the workloads but also to improve employee job satisfaction. Huge backlogs and incredible workload pressures have made these jobs unattractive to existing employees much less new employees. There's no way to significantly improve employee job satisfaction without addressing workload issues. Continued high employee turnover will make my dire predictions come true. That has to be the major focus in the medium and long term.

It Gets Hot In Albuquerque

     From KRQE in Albequerque:

Anyone who drives by the Lead Ave. Social Security office every day, sees long lines that wrap around the building. KRQE News 13 spoke to people in line today who told us they wait in line for hours and sometimes never get seen. 

“I got here 15 minutes after it opened and the line was wrapped around the building and thankfully it’s a little bit cooler today but I can imagine that when the temperatures are warmer, the elderly and people who are disabled are having some problems in the heat,” said Callie Rizzo, a woman waiting in line. 

When KRQE News 13 first got to the office this morning people in line were positive and said the line was moving quickly. However, after 2 hours, the line barely moved and only a few people could be seen leaving the building after being helped.

A woman told KRQE News 13 she was in line yesterday for 4 hours and went home with a sunburn and dehydration. Some of those in line said they tried making an appointment but never reached anyone.

“I made an appointment but then they called me back and said that they had to cancel my appointment that I needed just to come in,” said Carol Johnson, another woman waiting in line. …

Full House Committee Schedules Markup Of Appropriations Bill

     The full House Committee markup of the appropriations bill covering the Social Security Administration has been scheduled for June 30 at 10:00 a.m. 

    Remember that this is just one step in a long process.

House Appropriations Committee Releases Chairman's Mark Of Bill Covering SSA

    The Chairman's mark of the FY 2023 Labor-HHS appropriations bill provides $14.4 billion for Social Security operating expenses, an increase of $1.1 billion, or 8%, above the FY 2022 enacted level. This is about $600 million below the President's budget proposal and more than a billion dollars below the Acting Commissioner's proposal. 

    This is only a Democratic proposal. Senate Republicans have a veto over what goes into the budget even though they're in the minority. This is only the start of a process that is almost certain to continue until at least December and more likely to go into the new year.

    Subcommittee markup of this bill is scheduled for 5:30 today.