The following is taken from a March 16, 2011
press release by Democrats Ways and Means Committee:
WASHINGTON, DC—Today 125 members of the House Democratic Caucus sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) urging him to restore reasonable funding levels to the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the House Republican 2011 budget to avoid shutting down the agency for the equivalent of a month this year. The letter was spearheaded by Reps. Sander M. Levin (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee, Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
Ranking Member DeLauro: “Social Security ties generations together, providing economic security to millions of American seniors who otherwise might not be able to afford their daily expenses. And yet, it will be one of the first casualties of the Republican’s spending bill. The $1.7 billion drop in funding to the Social Security Administration could cause a shutdown of four weeks; leaving current beneficiaries without help should they need it, new retirees without benefits, our current workforce without the knowledge that their wages are being accounted for, and even newborn children without Social Security numbers. Americans of all ages depend on Social Security, and we must stand up to defend it against these reckless Republican cuts.”
In a letter to employees last month, SSA cautioned that it may have to furlough workers if cuts to its budget are enacted into law. In their Continuing Resolution, Republicans have proposed cutting SSA’s administrative funding by more than 9 percent in 2011, from $11.8 billion in 2010 to $10.7 billion this year. In addition, the Republican proposal provides for $1.7 billion less than SSA needs to keep pace with inflation and rising workloads.
We note Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett was a signing member and has been active in his support of disability issues. These cuts have real impact on SSA who has suspended sending earning statements, overtime and other services due to the biweekly budget scenario and lack of ability to plan out the rest of the year. We hope Speaker Boehner takes the letter seriously. Disabled Americans are not asking for a stimulus or a bail out. A promise kept for their safety net would be sufficient.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Social Security offices across U.S. to protest cuts
From the Washington Post, Lisa Rein Staff Writer penned an article regarding Social Security workers who will be demonstrating today.
Social Security workers around the country, “Rhode Island to Montana” will be holding demonstrations today. Members of the Strengthen Social Security Campaign and other groups were also scheduled to take part in Wednesday's protests.Last year some state furloughs affected the Disability Determination offices and the agency's workers have consistently warned that drastic cuts in service will impact what the agency's employees can do in this time of increasing claims and limited employment.
Dana Duggins, an official with the American Federation of Government Employees National Council of Social Security Administration locals, states that some SSA workers will hand out fliers and carry signs that read "No furloughs" and "No budget cuts" during a staggered midday lunch period and tell the public what they think would happen if the Republican plan - or a smaller version of it - were to be enacted. Federal workers have been targeted by Republican lawmakers and the White House as both seek to reduce the deficit by reorganizing and reducing government.
We have long felt that cuts to SSA's budget and staffing limitations are pound foolish and not even penny wise. Every cut delays the claims disabled submit and the appeals that occur in the process. The safety net that SSA provides is the last place to look for cuts. We support the union's efforts and agree with employees who are asking for budget and staffing levels that support the disabled who depend on SSA's field offices and Disability Determination Services. You cut SSA staff and you cut services for the disabled. It is that simple.
Social Security workers around the country, “Rhode Island to Montana” will be holding demonstrations today. Members of the Strengthen Social Security Campaign and other groups were also scheduled to take part in Wednesday's protests.Last year some state furloughs affected the Disability Determination offices and the agency's workers have consistently warned that drastic cuts in service will impact what the agency's employees can do in this time of increasing claims and limited employment.
Dana Duggins, an official with the American Federation of Government Employees National Council of Social Security Administration locals, states that some SSA workers will hand out fliers and carry signs that read "No furloughs" and "No budget cuts" during a staggered midday lunch period and tell the public what they think would happen if the Republican plan - or a smaller version of it - were to be enacted. Federal workers have been targeted by Republican lawmakers and the White House as both seek to reduce the deficit by reorganizing and reducing government.
We have long felt that cuts to SSA's budget and staffing limitations are pound foolish and not even penny wise. Every cut delays the claims disabled submit and the appeals that occur in the process. The safety net that SSA provides is the last place to look for cuts. We support the union's efforts and agree with employees who are asking for budget and staffing levels that support the disabled who depend on SSA's field offices and Disability Determination Services. You cut SSA staff and you cut services for the disabled. It is that simple.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Project Access – Austin Physician Program Offers Low Income Residents of Travis County Health Care Free of Charge
On April 27, 2010 we attended a conference in Austin, Texas designed to address disability issues and discovered a valuable local program, Project Access Austin. This is a philanthropic program wherein the Travis County Medical Society Foundation provides coordinated health care, essentially free of charge for low-income, uninsured residents of Travis County.
Claimants applying for SSA are often in a bind. Unable to work, disabled and in need of health care, they face waiting periods of months if not years. Where do such applicants turn for health care? Approximately one-third of the Travis County Medical Society Foundation members provide volunteer services for individuals with low incomes (including those applying for but not currently receiving disability benefits).
Individuals applying for enrollment must provide documentation to ensure they meet eligibility criteria. Subsequently, applicants sign a patient responsibility agreement that requires them to be on time for appointments, follow the physician's treatment plans, and inform the program if there are changes in income, address and/or phone numbers. Eligibility includes Travis County residence for six months, US citizen or legal permanent residence. The applicant must have no medical insurance, or be unable to afford medical insurance and, may not be currently eligible for governmental assistance. Thus, an individual who receives SSA disability would likely be ineligible. However, it appears they would be eligible during the application periods (contact the program for more specifics).
Income limits are based on Federal Poverty guidelines or below. Federal Poverty Limits are roughly annual earnings of $11,000 for an individual, $14,500 for a couple and $ 22,000 for a family of four. The program allows for income of up to 200% of these figures. We congratulate the Travis County Medical Association for this innovative and compassionate initiative and ongoing advocacy. The initial application consists of a 3-page form in both English and Spanish and can be downloaded from the website at Projectaccessaustin.com. Applicants may also contact the program volunteers at (512) 206-1164, or mail to Project Access PO Box 4679 Austin, TX 78765.
Claimants applying for SSA are often in a bind. Unable to work, disabled and in need of health care, they face waiting periods of months if not years. Where do such applicants turn for health care? Approximately one-third of the Travis County Medical Society Foundation members provide volunteer services for individuals with low incomes (including those applying for but not currently receiving disability benefits).
Individuals applying for enrollment must provide documentation to ensure they meet eligibility criteria. Subsequently, applicants sign a patient responsibility agreement that requires them to be on time for appointments, follow the physician's treatment plans, and inform the program if there are changes in income, address and/or phone numbers. Eligibility includes Travis County residence for six months, US citizen or legal permanent residence. The applicant must have no medical insurance, or be unable to afford medical insurance and, may not be currently eligible for governmental assistance. Thus, an individual who receives SSA disability would likely be ineligible. However, it appears they would be eligible during the application periods (contact the program for more specifics).
Income limits are based on Federal Poverty guidelines or below. Federal Poverty Limits are roughly annual earnings of $11,000 for an individual, $14,500 for a couple and $ 22,000 for a family of four. The program allows for income of up to 200% of these figures. We congratulate the Travis County Medical Association for this innovative and compassionate initiative and ongoing advocacy. The initial application consists of a 3-page form in both English and Spanish and can be downloaded from the website at Projectaccessaustin.com. Applicants may also contact the program volunteers at (512) 206-1164, or mail to Project Access PO Box 4679 Austin, TX 78765.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Commissioner Astrue Speaking of Compassionate Allowances
This program is a win win. SSA should continue to look at fast tracking. If adequately staffed in the field offices and implemented by properly trained personnel in the state medical agencies, such initiatives help avoid repeated applications and other logistical confusion facing claimants. Small steps, smartly taken make more sense than overwhelming plans of agency redesign.
Social Security commissioner: We can fast-track help
by Michael J. Astrue - Jan. 26, 2010 09:56 AM
Special for The Republic
I recently hosted the agency's fifth public hearing on Compassionate Allowances.
I was joined on the panel by Philip Wang, M.D., Dr.P.H., National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, and Social Security Executives.
Click here to find out more!
We heard testimony from some of the nation's leading experts on schizophrenia about possible methods of identifying and implementing Compassionate Allowances for young adults with schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a devastating disease that affects more than two million Americans, primarily individuals in their teens and twenties. The onset of schizophrenia has life-changing consequences, which can include unemployment and homelessness. This hearing will help us to potentially identify the most severe cases and consider bringing them under our Compassionate Allowances umbrella.
In October 2008, Social Security launched Compassionate Allowances to expedite the processing of disability claims for applicants with medical conditions so severe that their conditions by definition meet Social Security's standards.
To learn more and to view a web cast of November's hearing, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.
Our Compassionate Allowances and Quick Disability Determinations processes are making a real difference by ensuring that Americans with devastating disabilities quickly receive the benefits they need. This fiscal year, we expect to fast-track about 150,000 cases and we plan to add more diseases and impairments to these expedited processes in the coming months.
Michael J. Astrue is the Social Security Commissioner.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Sky is Falling - Purge the SSA Thieves
When money get's tight, folks start looking at the most vulnerable amongst us.
Like the trust fund crises, periodically articles appear whipping up the masses to ferret out the fraud in SSA's program. Usually those who yell loudest know the least. The New York Times recently ran some blog posts and included in the responses was this gem from an Administrative Law Judge. Yep, someone who hears cases, and sees the disabled.
Morley White is an administrative law judge in Cleveland for the Social Security Administration. We agree with his assessment and his comments include the following:
"As a judge who has handled Social Security disability cases for 16 years, I do not believe that there is as much fraud as the press and the public believe when
it comes to the individuals who are making the claims for supplemental security benefits. That does not imply that is no fraud.
I generally believe in the sincerity of what they say. They are poor and the benefits they receive are now only $674 a month for an eligible individual.
What are these people supposed to do in this economy with the limitations they say they have?There is too much emphasis on reputed individual fraud and not enough on how the system itself can be reformed."
Despite such perspectives from those who know what they speak of, every time the economy dips or the trust fund is in need of repair, the recipients are blamed. When this periodic hysteria occurred in the 1980's the Reagan administration with help from David Stockman ( who may reside in a federal penal institution these days), was able to purge the rolls of
beneficiaries, sending cessation letters to mentally retarded individuals suggesting they could perform jobs such as cashiers. After several former recipients chained themselves to federal buildings in protest, congress woke up and regulated the process of removing folks from the rolls, creating a medical improvement process.
Reforms are inevitable, but we would like to see more articles about just what the percentage of "fraud" is in SSA programs. And, it may be surprising
to those who are ready to purge the rolls that millions of recipients are underpaid billions of dollars ( See GAO reports on SSA) due to understaffed and insufficiently trained/motivated/ compensated etc, SSA staff.
We believe the answer to saving money lies in reforms by the agency; consistency in payments and quality review at the front end of SSA's disability process. The problems are legion, but the answer is not in going after the poor.
Like the trust fund crises, periodically articles appear whipping up the masses to ferret out the fraud in SSA's program. Usually those who yell loudest know the least. The New York Times recently ran some blog posts and included in the responses was this gem from an Administrative Law Judge. Yep, someone who hears cases, and sees the disabled.
Morley White is an administrative law judge in Cleveland for the Social Security Administration. We agree with his assessment and his comments include the following:
"As a judge who has handled Social Security disability cases for 16 years, I do not believe that there is as much fraud as the press and the public believe when
it comes to the individuals who are making the claims for supplemental security benefits. That does not imply that is no fraud.
I generally believe in the sincerity of what they say. They are poor and the benefits they receive are now only $674 a month for an eligible individual.
What are these people supposed to do in this economy with the limitations they say they have?There is too much emphasis on reputed individual fraud and not enough on how the system itself can be reformed."
Despite such perspectives from those who know what they speak of, every time the economy dips or the trust fund is in need of repair, the recipients are blamed. When this periodic hysteria occurred in the 1980's the Reagan administration with help from David Stockman ( who may reside in a federal penal institution these days), was able to purge the rolls of
beneficiaries, sending cessation letters to mentally retarded individuals suggesting they could perform jobs such as cashiers. After several former recipients chained themselves to federal buildings in protest, congress woke up and regulated the process of removing folks from the rolls, creating a medical improvement process.
Reforms are inevitable, but we would like to see more articles about just what the percentage of "fraud" is in SSA programs. And, it may be surprising
to those who are ready to purge the rolls that millions of recipients are underpaid billions of dollars ( See GAO reports on SSA) due to understaffed and insufficiently trained/motivated/ compensated etc, SSA staff.
We believe the answer to saving money lies in reforms by the agency; consistency in payments and quality review at the front end of SSA's disability process. The problems are legion, but the answer is not in going after the poor.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Medicare Waiting Period and Medicaid Reform
Finally two bills with compassionate potential for the disabled and those in need.
This from the
Disability Policy Collaboration, Capitol Insider
Medicare Waiting Period and Medicaid Reform
Medicare
Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Susan Collins (R-ME) and Reps. Gene Green (D-TX) and Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced the Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009 (S. 700/H.R. 1708). This bill would phase out Medicare's two-year waiting period for individuals with disabilities under age 65 who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
Medicaid and Long Term Services and Supports
Last week, two important bills were reintroduced in the Senate and House: the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS Act) and the Community Choice Act (CCA). The Arc and UCP strongly support these bills.
The CCA was introduced in the Senate (S. 683) by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) and in the House (H.R. 1670) by Representative Danny Davis (D-IL). This bill would require that states provide Medicaid community based support services to people eligible for institutional level of services. The bill would eliminate the institutional bias in the Medicaid program and making great strides toward eliminating waiting lists for community based services.
The CLASS Act was introduced in the Senate (S. 697) by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and in the House (H.R. 1721) by Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ). The bill would establish a national public long term services insurance program that would pay cash benefits to eligible individuals. The benefits would not be means-tested and would not require that people become impoverished in order to receive services. The CLASS Act is expected to take some of the pressure off of the Medicaid program which has become the only significant source of public long term services supports in the nation.
This from the
Disability Policy Collaboration, Capitol Insider
Medicare Waiting Period and Medicaid Reform
Medicare
Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Susan Collins (R-ME) and Reps. Gene Green (D-TX) and Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced the Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009 (S. 700/H.R. 1708). This bill would phase out Medicare's two-year waiting period for individuals with disabilities under age 65 who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
Medicaid and Long Term Services and Supports
Last week, two important bills were reintroduced in the Senate and House: the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS Act) and the Community Choice Act (CCA). The Arc and UCP strongly support these bills.
The CCA was introduced in the Senate (S. 683) by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) and in the House (H.R. 1670) by Representative Danny Davis (D-IL). This bill would require that states provide Medicaid community based support services to people eligible for institutional level of services. The bill would eliminate the institutional bias in the Medicaid program and making great strides toward eliminating waiting lists for community based services.
The CLASS Act was introduced in the Senate (S. 697) by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and in the House (H.R. 1721) by Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ). The bill would establish a national public long term services insurance program that would pay cash benefits to eligible individuals. The benefits would not be means-tested and would not require that people become impoverished in order to receive services. The CLASS Act is expected to take some of the pressure off of the Medicaid program which has become the only significant source of public long term services supports in the nation.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Soup to Nuts
Here are some interesting excepts from the Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Social Security Administration.
The hearing was held on March 24, 2009. For full transcript, visit this link.
All emphasis has been added. The “soup to nuts” (a perhaps unfortunate moniker), review confirms our post before the hearing, that the real problems begin at the state agency DDSs, where 54 different agencies make the first determinations. While the Field Offices or federal agencies that handle the technical aspects of claims, are overwhelmed by logistics, once adequately staffed the inference appears to be problems will be alleviated. Conversely, the DDS is not suffering from lack of staffing as much as lack of expertise. Training is only hinted at by Asture in a new and promising Star Chamber review, but is the other theme that could significantly affect the entire process. Of course, the wait that ensues from the DDS denial to the ALJ hearing reflects on the hearings process. However, since ALJ’s allow about 50 percent of the cases heard, one has to wonder if the DDS was making accurate decisions more often, fewer appeals would exist and the backlogs would be significantly diminished. This is an old battle, but reflects SSA’s decision inconsistency and its effects. Real folks are waiting up to 811 (and beyond) days to get a disability decision.
-------------------------------------------------
Patrick O’Carroll, Inspector General, Social Security Administration found that the average claim adjudicated in 2006, when decided initially by a DDS, was concluded in 131 days, but that if a claim was adjudicated upon a request for reconsideration, that time more than doubled, to 279 days. If a claim was appealed to an ALJ, the 279-day wait almost tripled, to 811 days, or 2.2 years. While issues surrounding the DDSs and the processing of both initial claims and requests for reconsideration are material to the overall backlog, …O’Carroll’s soup-to-nuts review establishes that the real delays begin when an appeal is filed. It was at this stage that the processing time jumped from 279 to 811 days. He recommended, “SSA publish this measure to show disability waiting time from the claimant’s perspective, to better inform Congress and the public.”
From the GAO:
SSA’s total backlog of disability claims doubled from 1997, reaching 576,000 in 2006, which has resulted in claimants waiting longer for final decisions. The backlog was particularly acute at the hearings level. SSA also experienced declines in field office service delivery, with average customer wait times in field offices increasing by 40 percent from 2002 to 2006, and over 3 million customers waiting more than 1 hour to be served in 2008. Two key factors likely contributed to the backlog and service delivery challenges: (1) staffing reductions or turnover of field office staff and key personnel involved in the disability claims process, and (2) increased workloads. In particular, initial applications for disability benefits grew by more than 20 percent over the past 10 years.
Although DDS staff increased about 4 percent from 1997 to 2006, DDSs have experienced high rates of staff turnover and attrition. Attrition rates for DDS disability examiners, who are state employees, were almost double that of SSA federal staff. Many DDS senior managers we spoke with said that turnover of experienced disability examiners has affected productivity. For example, from September 1998 to January 2006, over 20 percent of disability examiners hired during that period left or were terminated within their first year. DDS officials said the loss of experienced staff affects DDS’ ability to process disability claims workloads because it generally takes newly hired examiners about 2 years to become proficient in their role.
In addition to disability claims backlogs and increased processing times, other aspects of SSA’s service delivery at field offices have declined in recent years. From fiscal year 2002 to 2006, the average time customers waited in a field office to speak with an SSA representative increased by 40 percent from 15 to 21 minutes. In fiscal year 2008, more than 3 million customers waited for over 1 hour to be served. Further, SSA’s 2007 Field Office Caller Survey found that 51 percent of customers calling selected field offices had at least one earlier call that had gone unanswered.
Declines in field office service delivery measures coincided with a period of staff turnover and losses agency wide. From fiscal year 2005 to 2008, SSA experienced a 2.9 percent reduction in total employees and a 4.4 percent reduction in field office employees. At the same time, employees and managers reported high levels of stress. When asked, 153 employees at 21 offices rate the stress they experienced in attempting to complete their work in a timely manner and 65 percent reported feeling stress to a great or very great extent on a daily basis, while 74 percent of office managers described high levels of stress.
SSA projects an increase in disability claims and other workloads over the coming years while at the same time anticipates the retirement of many experienced workers. Specifically, SSA projects: overall 13 percent increase in retirement and disability claims from fiscal years 2007 to 2017. A growth of 22 percent in the number of retirement and disability beneficiaries from 2007 to 2015. That nearly 40 percent of its current workforce will be eligible to retire in 5 years and 44 percent will retire by 2016.
From Commissioner Astrue’s Statements
Improve consistency and accuracy on complex policy issues; we have instituted a process for resolving disagreements between DDS disability examiners and Federal quality reviewers. In cases where the two components disagree on substantive issues, staff experts review the case and reach consensus. We anticipate we will resolve our most complex cases through this Request for Program Consultation (RPC) process. In addition, the RPC enables us to quickly pinpoint training needs and clarify or modify policies where necessary.
We plan to develop and implement a common case processing system for the DDSs.Currently, each of the 54 DDSs has its own unique processing system. A common system will help us take advantage of rapidly changing health care industry technology and provide the foundation for a seamless electronic disability case processing system.Our DDS partners agree that we need a common system, and we are working closely with them to develop requirements. This essential improvement will modernize and streamline our disability process, and we can only make important improvements on a timely basis, such as eCat, if we have a common system.
The hearing was held on March 24, 2009. For full transcript, visit this link.
All emphasis has been added. The “soup to nuts” (a perhaps unfortunate moniker), review confirms our post before the hearing, that the real problems begin at the state agency DDSs, where 54 different agencies make the first determinations. While the Field Offices or federal agencies that handle the technical aspects of claims, are overwhelmed by logistics, once adequately staffed the inference appears to be problems will be alleviated. Conversely, the DDS is not suffering from lack of staffing as much as lack of expertise. Training is only hinted at by Asture in a new and promising Star Chamber review, but is the other theme that could significantly affect the entire process. Of course, the wait that ensues from the DDS denial to the ALJ hearing reflects on the hearings process. However, since ALJ’s allow about 50 percent of the cases heard, one has to wonder if the DDS was making accurate decisions more often, fewer appeals would exist and the backlogs would be significantly diminished. This is an old battle, but reflects SSA’s decision inconsistency and its effects. Real folks are waiting up to 811 (and beyond) days to get a disability decision.
-------------------------------------------------
Patrick O’Carroll, Inspector General, Social Security Administration found that the average claim adjudicated in 2006, when decided initially by a DDS, was concluded in 131 days, but that if a claim was adjudicated upon a request for reconsideration, that time more than doubled, to 279 days. If a claim was appealed to an ALJ, the 279-day wait almost tripled, to 811 days, or 2.2 years. While issues surrounding the DDSs and the processing of both initial claims and requests for reconsideration are material to the overall backlog, …O’Carroll’s soup-to-nuts review establishes that the real delays begin when an appeal is filed. It was at this stage that the processing time jumped from 279 to 811 days. He recommended, “SSA publish this measure to show disability waiting time from the claimant’s perspective, to better inform Congress and the public.”
From the GAO:
SSA’s total backlog of disability claims doubled from 1997, reaching 576,000 in 2006, which has resulted in claimants waiting longer for final decisions. The backlog was particularly acute at the hearings level. SSA also experienced declines in field office service delivery, with average customer wait times in field offices increasing by 40 percent from 2002 to 2006, and over 3 million customers waiting more than 1 hour to be served in 2008. Two key factors likely contributed to the backlog and service delivery challenges: (1) staffing reductions or turnover of field office staff and key personnel involved in the disability claims process, and (2) increased workloads. In particular, initial applications for disability benefits grew by more than 20 percent over the past 10 years.
Although DDS staff increased about 4 percent from 1997 to 2006, DDSs have experienced high rates of staff turnover and attrition. Attrition rates for DDS disability examiners, who are state employees, were almost double that of SSA federal staff. Many DDS senior managers we spoke with said that turnover of experienced disability examiners has affected productivity. For example, from September 1998 to January 2006, over 20 percent of disability examiners hired during that period left or were terminated within their first year. DDS officials said the loss of experienced staff affects DDS’ ability to process disability claims workloads because it generally takes newly hired examiners about 2 years to become proficient in their role.
In addition to disability claims backlogs and increased processing times, other aspects of SSA’s service delivery at field offices have declined in recent years. From fiscal year 2002 to 2006, the average time customers waited in a field office to speak with an SSA representative increased by 40 percent from 15 to 21 minutes. In fiscal year 2008, more than 3 million customers waited for over 1 hour to be served. Further, SSA’s 2007 Field Office Caller Survey found that 51 percent of customers calling selected field offices had at least one earlier call that had gone unanswered.
Declines in field office service delivery measures coincided with a period of staff turnover and losses agency wide. From fiscal year 2005 to 2008, SSA experienced a 2.9 percent reduction in total employees and a 4.4 percent reduction in field office employees. At the same time, employees and managers reported high levels of stress. When asked, 153 employees at 21 offices rate the stress they experienced in attempting to complete their work in a timely manner and 65 percent reported feeling stress to a great or very great extent on a daily basis, while 74 percent of office managers described high levels of stress.
SSA projects an increase in disability claims and other workloads over the coming years while at the same time anticipates the retirement of many experienced workers. Specifically, SSA projects: overall 13 percent increase in retirement and disability claims from fiscal years 2007 to 2017. A growth of 22 percent in the number of retirement and disability beneficiaries from 2007 to 2015. That nearly 40 percent of its current workforce will be eligible to retire in 5 years and 44 percent will retire by 2016.
From Commissioner Astrue’s Statements
Improve consistency and accuracy on complex policy issues; we have instituted a process for resolving disagreements between DDS disability examiners and Federal quality reviewers. In cases where the two components disagree on substantive issues, staff experts review the case and reach consensus. We anticipate we will resolve our most complex cases through this Request for Program Consultation (RPC) process. In addition, the RPC enables us to quickly pinpoint training needs and clarify or modify policies where necessary.
We plan to develop and implement a common case processing system for the DDSs.Currently, each of the 54 DDSs has its own unique processing system. A common system will help us take advantage of rapidly changing health care industry technology and provide the foundation for a seamless electronic disability case processing system.Our DDS partners agree that we need a common system, and we are working closely with them to develop requirements. This essential improvement will modernize and streamline our disability process, and we can only make important improvements on a timely basis, such as eCat, if we have a common system.
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