Social Security Commissioner Explains Decreased Services and Increased Wait Times
By Jessica M. Friedman of Friedman Law Firm, P.C.
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Budgetary Constraints.
In a letter to Congress yesterday, April 26th, 2021, the Commissioner of SSA explains that the pandemic, along with lack of funds, is interfering with SSA’s ability to process disability claims. Commissioner Andrew Saul writes that SSA has experienced “significant increases in costs that we do not control—such as the Government-wide pay increases” which has strained SSA’s budget. Despite these budget constraints, the Commissioner still paid “employee awards” to reward the “hard work and dedication” of SSA’s staff.
Decreased Services and Increased Wait Times.
Commissioner Saul reports that in-office services have been almost completely eliminated in an attempt to protect the public and SSA’s workforce from COVID-19. He indicates that, despite receiving fewer disability applications, SSA has trouble processing the medical evidence needed to approve these cases. This has led to system-wide delays. Commissioner Saul reports that the wait time for an initial decision has increased by 45 days in the last year. It doesn’t look like this will improve any time soon, as Saul indicates he will delay planned hiring and has decreased the allowed overtime for current employees in an attempt to save money.
Temporary Reprieve from Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR).
For a period of time, SSA stopped performing continuing disability reviews (CDR) – the process by which they determine that someone’s condition has improved and then stop paying them disability benefits. Of course, this process saves SSA money, but causes major upheaval for people who are often still disabled and need the benefits. SSA has recently begun performing these reviews again and we have heard from several clients who are struggling through this process.
The full text of the Commissioner's statement can be found here.
DO YOU NEED HELP?
We know that SSA’s delays are hurting claimants and that now, more than ever, you need a dedicated advocate to guide you through the system. If you would like assistance, we would be happy to discuss your case with you. You can email us at LifeHealth@FriedmanFirmPC.com or call 205-879-3033.
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