case backlog

[HeyJoe]

http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/disability-backlog-pr.htm

[creakyneck]

Well, in another couple of months or so my case should be VERY "well aged"...

[FormerDE]

Quote from SSA press release: "While the overall number of cases pending at the hearing level increased from 715,568 cases to 746,744 cases, the increase of 31,176 cases was about half of the annual increase the agency has typically recorded in this decade."

___________________

While I suppose a decreasing slope for the annual increase in hearing cases pending is better than an increasing slope in the rate of increase, I think the Commissioner is simply playing music on the deck of the Titanic. Adding "150 ALJs and some additional hearing office support staff in the spring of 2008" will not solve the problem. Much more staffing at all levels of SSA and OHA personnel are needed. A recent article in the AARP Bulletin on the "Social Security Meltdown" notes that since 1977 staffing at Social Security has gone down by 24,791, while the number of SS beneficiaries has gone up by 16.4 million. Service personnel are stretched way too thin to cover the increase in SS beneficiaries needing attention, plus the additional duties that SSA must now perform that were not part of its earlier workload (e.g., responsibility for enforcing new homeland security regulations relating to issuance and replacement of SS cards). Social Security beneficiaries will continue to suffer serious delays unless much more staffing is added.

FormerDE

[creakyneck]

FormerDE

Along this topic I actually have some news from my attorney today(I'm in month 28 of "the wait" for the ALJ Hearing).

I received my "background survey", "medical", and "work history" update forms to be mailed back in soon, then to be copied and passed back to S.S.A., so according to the attorneys secretary, this should mean I'm getting fairly close to the judge getting the case. My attorney also wants me to schedule a "phone conference" as well to get my latest updates. So Maybe, just maybe...

As long as your were here;) and may be a bit off topic, but along the forms included was the "Background Questionnaire", which as I've found from bitter past experience in the first two Denials, contains the seemingly innocent questions like "can you mow the lawn, "how long can you stand?", the wording to those answers can be pivotal to the whole claim and of course they want the answers in one or two short lines:mad:

I'm going to check with the attorney first, but this time if its not a simple answer. I'm going to refer them to another enclosed page for the answer(I will be sending them a copy of a Condition "summary" page that I'll be sending to my attorney first, to place all my diagnosed "conditions" in context for the SSDI claim.

any generalized thoughts on this approach,

thanks,

Creaky

[FormerDE]

Hi Creaky,

A "condition summary" sounds fine as a supplement, but I would suggest adding it as additional information to your direct answers to the ALJ's questions on the forms you received. The ALJ may review your condition summary for additional and summary information, but he or she primarily wants direct answers to the questions on the recent forms, without necessarily having to look them up on another document. Try to be as thorough and as concise as possible at the same time (although I know that sounds contradictory). If you can mow the lawn, but only with certain restrictions, indicate them. If you can only mow the lawn for 10 minutes before having to take a break indicate that. If you have to use a seated mower, indicate that also. If you simply can't mow the lawn, indicate what physical problems prevent it in a brief statement.

As for the "standing" question, indicate the length of time you can stand before pain begins to make standing very uncomfortable. If you have to alternate sitting and standing to prevent severe pain for every 10 to 15 minutes or so, be sure to indicate that.

Finally, if you have easy access to your attorney, run your answers by your attorney so that he or she can comment on them before you submit them to the ALJ. Your attorney needs to be provided copies of anything that you submit as part of your case file.

Good luck!

FormerDE

[creakyneck]

Thanks FormerDE, thats my plan for next week, send some final GP notes and the "summary" to the attorney by "express passenger pigeon" on Monday, have him read it over and see if I should forward a copy along with the other Background Survey etc, and he can read it over before the "phone conference".

I'll keep everybody posted as to whats going on, as basically finding out what somebody else is going thru in a general sort of way is the only way we have of getting even a small glimpse of "whats around the next corner". I should have a bit of feedback from my sister(six years younger)who has her Hearing on the 25th.

Creaky

[blossom4th]

Thanks FormerDE,
My Medicaid Appeal Hearing has already been held;yesterday morning.I didn't retain a legal representative.I will if it proves to a matter I'll have to fight further.