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How the Economic Stimulus may help your Social Security Disability Claim

There is no way to escape news about the economic stimulus package these days. The good news for people who rely on Social Security Disability is that the SSA has received one billion dollars in the stimulus plan. Fortunately for all the disabled Americans out there, half of the $1 billion will be used to reduce the huge backlog in processing disability claims and the other half will go toward modernizing the outdated SSA National Computer Center.

Cutting down on the backlog of disability claims at SSA should be a major priority. In the past we’ve discussed steps that lawmakers have taken to try and reduce the backlog, and we’ve also offered tips for people preparing their SSD claim. With wait times of up to 2 years for claims and even longer for appeals –up to 900 days in the past – this overhaul of the system is desperately overdue.

According to the SSA, there are over 570,000 backlogged disability claims right now and their goal is to reduce the wait time to an average of 270 days over the next five years. How can they accomplish this? Some of the stimulus money will go towards hiring more workers, since adding more staff will help move cases along more quickly. SSA could hire up to 6,000 new employees to work in hundreds of field offices across the country.

In addition, the agency hopes to computerize more of the records used in the process to speed things up. Right now the SSA data center is in Woodlawn near Baltimore, Maryland. Unfortunately the Woodlawn data center does not have enough space to hold additional employees or an updated computer center, so the agency is searching for a new location. Rumors are already circulating about the location for the new data center, but neither the SSA nor the GSA (the agency that would be responsible for finding a new building site) would comment on the rumors.

Regardless of where SSA chooses to locate their new data center, if they can in fact reduce their case backlog over the next few years then injured and disabled New Yorkers will have a lot to celebrate. Much has been said about how cruel the long wait times are for people desperately needing help from SSA, and adding staff and reducing wait times is the right thing to do. Let’s just hope SSA can fulfill their promises on this one.

Keep in mind that if you have a serious medical condition or disability, you might be able to fast track your application under the Compassionate Allowance (CAL) program at SSA. Also, if you decide that you need help with your Social Security Disability claim, then please contact our office today to find out how we can help.

Markhoff & Mittman, P.C.

14 Mamaroneck Avenue

Suite 400

White Plains, NY 10601

Toll Free: (866) 205-2415

Phone: (914) 946-1452

Fax: (914) 946-0810


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