US Social Security Disability -- should it be reformed?
Here's to another year of broken government programs.
I wonder how much SSD costs per year. Forget about finding out the percentage waste/fraud/abuse, though it seems endemic according to one believable comment.
WSJ article excerpt: (Can't get no moar cause I'm not a subscriber)
Quote:
BY DAMIAN PALETTA AND DIONNE SEARCEY
Lawyers Harry and Charles Binder began representing applicants for Social Security disability benefits in the 1970s, when the field was a professional backwater. Last year, their firm collected $88 million in fees for guiding clients through the system, government data indicate, making it the nation's largest Social Security disability advocate by far.
"We'll deal with the government," a cowboy-hatted Charles Binder proclaims in his firm's ubiquitous television ads. "You have enough to worry about."
Having firms like Binder & Binder deal with the government was supposed to be part of the solution for a federal disability-insurance system staggering under a ...
An interesting graphic in the article:
Some interesting comments:
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Addis
I believe that this article is soul-searching and the information found therein should be heeded by the powers to be. The UK is now requiring “routine re-evaluations of people with disabilities,” which is definitely a start and is a path that the US should also consider.
As a past examiner and fee basis provider for the federal government (Social Security Disability or SSD), I believe that as President Obama has taken a strong position in regards to the private sector’s mismanagement of business matters, it is now time to bring the federal government’s “continuity house” in order.
The SSD Program has been unable to fix its deeply flawed appeal and inspection process. As it has for decades, the program has no set type of forensic review strategy and efficacy in the reconsideration segment is non-existent. The SSD often have (administrative/secretarial) investigators armed with little more than checklists to ensure Social Security Disability Insurance Program compliance and it is my opinion that case review of disability appropriateness has been undermined by Social Security Disability Insurance managers.
Do I offer any backing? Yes, I have been a psychological examiner for 33 years. I have found that about 20% of those who get Social Security Disability are put on it by error, 40% are not proper recipients after one to two years, and 60% are unequivocally ineligible after two to five years. Of course, I am excluding those with moderate intellectual endowments (mental retardation status at or below 70).
I have reported situations to SSD authorities whereby –
Scenario Disposition
Recipient is working 50+ hours a week Nothing
Recipient has an operational business Nothing
Recipient makes $500 to 600/week and
in one three day period made $3400 Nothing
Recipient tries to bribe me with $500
to get SSD Nothing
Recipient has a referral diagnosis of
bipolar but my view is clear
cultural, i.e. non-clinical
depression (love spat) Nothing
Recipient’s lawyer gives him past reports
of mine to peruse prior to the session
and is told to act “dumb” Nothing
Recipient’s lawyer puts him through a
mock exam and class to prepare him
for the interview Nothing
Recipient is on SSD for vertigo but rides
his Harley Davison motorcycle to my
office for a re-evaluation Nothing
In one case, a man did work on various properties and was paid well for his services (in one case earning $5,000 to 6,000 in one month). When I learned that he was on Social Security Disability, I contacted our local Social Security Office and advised them of the same. I was told that the recipient did not report this income to them and actually had a private business on the side. Copies of all affidavits were sent to the SS Office, and the results over the last eight months have been null except that the SSD Office of General Counsel in Manhattan warned me of pursuing the matter further due to privacy laws! Yes, privacy laws take precedence over criminal behavior! How many thousands of dollars did our government waste? How are we going to get that money back? The rule that people can break federal laws and not be arrested by local and state personnel who have evidence in support of the same is insane. It must be realized that in WC situations, if a claimant is found working and earning monies outside his leave from work status, he goes right to jail?
The illicit drug and alcohol user trying to get Social Security Disability is a problem in and of itself. This might represent 40 to 50% of all adult applicants that came before me. The disallowance of drug testing on these people and those receiving benefits is senseless.
I am not recommending that we stabilize our economy on the backs of the helpless, but I am suggesting that ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Krista Daniels
If you think this is a sham, try the fact that even though they have offices in a particular city, they will send an attorney from another state and rack up on Travel Pay. Then if that is not enough, they will have no less than 3 attorneys on 1 case. Don't think they will just get the basic fee oh, no don't let them fool you. They will not honor the fee agreement if they think they can get more money out of you. They will file a Fee Petition, and get upwards of sometimes $20,000 on a case! Yes they will suck you dry!!!!!!!!! They will claim to charge $5000 for one attorney $1500 for one attorney and $6000 on another attorney. And these Attorneys only get a small portion of that even though they are signing their names. The majority of that money goes to..... You Got It! The Man in the Hat!
