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SSA report examines decisions of 44 disability judges
There has been a rigorous debate on Capitol Hill over the several years as to whether the administrative law judges employed by the Social Security Administration to hear disability cases are now under too great of pressure to reduce the agency's enormous backlog of appeals.
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SSA announces 2015 COLA increase for benefits recipients
News announced earlier this week in Washington, D.C. by the Social Security Administration regarding scores of millions of benefits recipients was not exactly prefaced by a drum roll or loud clash of cymbals.
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SSA urging people to sign up for an online account
While most people might not have realized it, last week was "my Social Security Week," a campaign run by the Social Security Administration to raise awareness among people of all ages about the importance of retirement planning.
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Senate reports shows more SSA field offices are closing
The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging recently issued a rather eye-opening report concerning the accessibility of services offered by the Social Security Administration. Here, the investigators determined that 64 SSA field offices have closed their doors since 2010, an agency record for the most closures in any five-year period.
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Social Security statements will be returning to mailboxes
The Social Security Administration made headlines back in 2011 when it announced that the paper statements that Americans received in their mailboxes every year were being eliminated and would henceforth only be accessible via the agency website.
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How the Social Security Administration defines disability
Understanding the requirements for Social Security disability is no small feat. Not surprisingly, the Social Security Administration recently published a Q&A on that subject.
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SSA: 35.5% of those who receive SSD have mental disorder
As mental illness continues to move out of the shadows, more people in Texas and elsewhere are receiving Social Security disability benefits due to a mental condition. The Social Security Administration reports that mental disorder is one of the fastest-growing categories of disability for which the program gives out benefits.
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Even seriously disabled applicants may need an attorney
The Social Security Administration has a comprehensive listing of physical and mental impairments in a publication called the Blue Book. However, the SSA also recognizes that certain impairments are so serious that they almost inevitably qualify for Social Security disability insurance assistance.
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Social Security disability programs remain a vital lifeline
A doctor may diagnose a patient with a disability and propose a response protocol. However, a patient’s response to any treatment plan will require extensive notes. Each visit requires updates to a patient’s medical record. That task can quickly generate extensive medical documentation and records, especially where multiple health professionals are involved, such as physical therapists, chiropractors, dieticians and nurses.
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More changes coming for the Social Security disability program
In our last post, we discussed an administrative change announced by the Social Security disability insurance program. That post focused on the new oversight of disability judges hearing SSDI appeals. In this post, we explore several additional changes that have a more direct impact on individual SSDI applicants.
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