Return to Article: Backlog of Social Security disability claims likely to grow
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69144
To get on SSDI you have to prove that you can't work at all and you are pretty much useless to society. Then after you get accepted you get a letter telling you how many hours you can work before you lose benefits....then if you DO get a part time job...you know, because you can't live off the benefits alone...they use it against you. I have lived through this for 11 years. It is NOT a life I would have chosen for myslelf!
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40664
Perhaps our Executive and Congressional leaders should try calling SSA offices or even the 1-800 line and experience the impact to customer service. Wait time alone is frustrating but that is nothing compared to not even being able to get something other than a busy signal all-day long at local SSA field offices...and to go in for a simple action - and wait over 2+ hours, like we don't have day jobs! GAO should "red team" the estblished processes and see if it meets expected performance metrics! Budgets can then be based to closing the gap on those metrics.
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40480
"Take 1 real class of abusers AIDS, even though drugs have eliminated the scourge, too many qualify for SS disability."
Dan, get real. Where did you hear that? Stop ranting and get your facts straight. Those drugs STILL cost a small fortune.
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40289
as an employee of an understaffed social security office i marvel that anything gets done. i am at the front desk from 9-4 m-f and am also the only service rep in the office to handle post entitlement things such as EVERYTHING except new claims and appeals! We have about 20-30 replacement soc sec card apps a DAY! not to mention being hometown for a major university and doing int'l number requests!
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40221
What always gets lost in these discussions is that there are rather tough requirements to be found disabled for Social Security disability benefits. A person must be unable to do any kind of work, even sedentary office work. It is NOT just that a person can't do his past lifetime's work. Social Security may find that a person who has been a plumber all his life can still perform some kind of lighter work. You just don't walk into a Social Security office and demand disability benefits. It often takes as long as the hearing level to get the evidence needed to establish disability. I agree that there should be more customer service, more funds allocated, etc., but let's not get into these comments about being cheated out of "my" disability that "I" paid for. The average beneficiary gets back the money they contributed in the first 2 years of benefits -- but you have to prove that you are disabled. If you don't like it, contact Congress, not the overworked, underpaid people at your Social Security office. We've had 20 years now of this "do more with less" mantra. Large offices that used to have 123-130 employees now have 25 or 30. Taxpayers have to be willing to say yes, I want more service from Social Security AND I'M WILLING TO PAY MAYBE $20 A YEAR MORE IN TAXES TO GET THAT. When you constantly complain that you want no new taxes, the Social Security service described is the govrenment you get!
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40208
The SF-1199A is not a SSA Form. It does ask for a claim or payroll number and that is where your wife was supposed to put her SSN. If you can't figure out that when you deal with a Social Security office you have to provide your Social Secrity number, then you are going to have trouble in your retirement. Sorry about that.
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40203
Something else to consider is cracking down on abuse of disability benefits. The fraudulent cases are numerous and take up precious time that could be utilized to process claims for the TRULY disabled. Convicted felons, particularly those that are actively on probation or continuing to commit crime while receiving disability should be reviewed! Someone that can break into a home and steal other people's hard-earned property is apparently not too disabled to work.
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40188
Social Security Has been a fraud since its inception. How many Billions of dollars have been spent to administer this terrible program! Let the people manage their own retirement account, then those Billions could be used for a more productive use.
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40185
Offices are consolidating, contact stations in outlying areas are closing, and retirees aren't being replaced. Staffing at Social Security in 2007 is the same as it was in 1972. It's pretty clear what's happening. Folks better get used to doing Social Security business on the internet.
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40178
SS disability means that you are 100% disabled and can not work at ANY job. Unfortunately too many people think that SS disability means that if I don't want to work at my job any more I'm qualified. Does it seem reasonable to you that there are this many people claiming 100% disability for life. Take 1 real class of abusers AIDS, even though drugs have elimitated the scourage, too many qualify for SS disability. They need to go back to work and stop the nonsense
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40170
If SSA wants attorneys and representatives to stop sending duplicates, it needs to hurry up and get their system ready for us to see what is in the SS file on line. Getting complete records is our goal and trying to find out what is there already is an exhaustive effort, particularly when agency representatives refuse to talk to you about more than one case at a time on a phone call. It takes forever to get through each time.
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40164
I can only speak for the Tampa SSA offie -- and it is a pitiful mess. My wife sent a Direct Deposit change form to them (keep in mind that it is the Government's cash management initiative that requires Direct Deposit) and after a full month the Government's SSA office returned the form because it didn't contain her SSN. No where does the form 1199A call for an SSN. And isn't SSA the agency that issues and keeps the records of who has what SSN? The 1199A had her name, address, and telephone number but do you think SSA could call handle the issue in a minute or so by calling her? No -- rather they spent who knows how much time writing a letter (an undated one) returning the form. We had called there several times to get a fax number to send the form but no one ever answered the phone. Perhaps SSA should outsource the phone handling to India -- at least the calls would be answered there. We have again used the ever reliable USPS to mail the form a second to Tampa and I guess it will lay unattended for yet another month. Heaven help the poor people who really need help and must try and try and try and try .......... and try to contact this office by telephone! As a CSRS retiree I am very thankful that I do not get SSA benefits. But you FERS folks had better plan on a lot of headaches from idiocy! My wife has certainly experienced those.
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40145
It is a shame that people have to wait for such a long time to draw their SS or their SS disability. Their lively hood depends on that money. Surely, something could be done to help hurry the process on. These poor people need money to live on. What are they suppose to do--live on dog/cat food, which now days is also expensive. If they apply for food stamps--the majority of the elderly are told they only qualify for $10.00 a month. I would like to see our Congressmen and the President, Credit Card Companies employees (including the owner and president), owners of large companies, and other rich people live on $10.00 a month or have to wait for their SS and SSD to be approved with nothing to live on. What has America came to. I always thought Charity began at home. Instead, it looks like to me that they are taking care of other countries, and giving them all our money, our land, and jobs. To heck with the legal American. Of course, this is my opinion--(thank God, we still have that freedom--won't be long before that is taken away too)
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40144
When talking about outdated records the representatives and attorneys needs to stop sending them. It takes so much more times to go through these records and one other things,THEY NEED TO STOP SENDING DUPICATIONS! This cannot be stressed enough.
Thank you
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40129
Here is a tip. If you want your SS disability claim processes expeditously, move to and file in the state of TX. They will deny it in record time. Processing is their game, fair consideration and approval IS NOT their fame. Unless you are in a wheel chair on a ventilator expect nothing from these people especially if yo can nod your head as a walmart greeter.
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