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Social Security Disability
Is the economy increasing the Social Security Disability claim backlog?
Just when you think a 2 year backlog of disability claims at the Social Security Administration can’t get any worse, the SSA commissioner states that the economy is causing an increase in the number of SSDI claims. These new claims could hamper the SSA’s plans to slash the time that it takes to process New Yorker’s disability claims over the next five years.
It isn’t just the poor economy that is driving up the number of disability claims. As baby boomers continue to get older many are succumbing to disability and illness that leave them unable to work and provide for themselves and their families. Unfortunately for the SSA, an increase in the number of boomers needing help coincides with an economy that is driving many Americans to look for help in the form of a SSDI claim.
The size of the backlog seems to vary depending on who is asked and when. The agency’s commissioner stated that there were 765,000 outstanding hearing requests as of the end of January. With the agency experiencing a 10% increase in cases attributed to the worsening economy, their ability to process cases faster and get money to those in need will be compromised.
The estimated 250,000 additional cases were not planned or budgeted for by SSA, but recent news that the agency is to receive one billion dollars in stimulus relief could change that.
Fortunately, recent efforts by lawmakers and SSA officials could mean that relief is on the way for SSDI applicants:
- Hiring 155 new Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) to hear disability cases
- Modernizing the SSA’s National Computer Center
- Streamlining the claims decision making process
- Reducing the SSDI backlog to an average 270 days
- Offering Quick Disability Determination and Compassionate Allowance programs for applicants with serious medical issues
The above moves are not without controversy, however. While hiring new ALJs will eventually help the backlog of cases, the new judges won’t be in place until 2010. Clearly the hiring of any new employees, no matter how many, won’t provide an immediate impact on case processing times. Not only that, but if SSDI applications are increasing as much as the agency claims, the agency’s hiring efforts may not be enough to have the desired effect.
The new data center is also controversial with those who believe that the money allocated for a new computer system could be better spent on reducing the case backlog in other ways. However, with the number of claims rising faster than expected and the SSA database expected to reach capacity in 2012, an upgrade seems unavoidable.
If you would like assistance with your Social Security Disability claim, then please contact the attorneys at Markhoff & Mittman today to find out how we can help.
Markhoff & Mittman, P.C.
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