Initial And Recon Allowance Rates
Social Security has posted numbers on the disability claim allowance rates in each state at the initial and reconsideration levels of review. Note the disparities. Click on each page to view full size.
Posts
Turning Them Down In Mississippi
From the Meridian Star : Amanda Evans sought Social Security Disability Income 20 years after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when her advancing condition made it more and more difficult for her to move around her Pearl home. But it wouldn�t be until 2016, two years after applying, before an administrative law judge determined she was eligible for benefits. She had to go before a Social Security administrative law judge (the third level of appeal after initial claim and reconsideration). She had been denied on three separate initial applications and finally exercised her right of appeal on the third application. By then, she had to use a rolling walker to get into the courtroom. Evans said the judge looked at her and said, �I am so sorry that this has happened and no one has paid attention.� Her experience is not an uncommon one in Mississippi, which has the lowest rate of allowances for initial claims and reconsideration...
DCPS Remains Problematic
From a report by Social Security's Office of Inspector General: SSA [Social Security Administration] is developing DCPS [Disability Case Processing System] as a common case processing system for the DDSs [Disability Determination Services]. The Agency expects DCPS to simplify system support and maintenance, improve the speed and quality of the disability process, and reduce the growth rate of infrastructure costs. SSA is using an incremental approach to develop and deploy DCPS. In December 2016, the Agency released its first working software to three DDSs, enabling them to process certain disability cases in the new system. Since then, the Agency has developed and implemented new releases that have provided additional functionality and has made the system available to users in 31 DDSs. In September 2019, SSA made DCPS available to 31 participating DDSs, that, on average, used DCPS to process approximately 7 percent of their workload. DDS Administrators reported ...
Starving DDS
A letter published in the Newsletter (not available online to non-members) of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives: I am the state lead for the SOAR program in North Carolina. SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) trains case managers to assist people experiencing homelessness with applications for Social Security disability benefits. Recently, it came to my attention that 33% of the positions at the North Carolina DDS [Disability Determination Services] are vacant. These positions include: DDS specialists, Supervisory positions, Medical consultants, Psychological consultants, and Office assistants. NC DDS must receive approval from SSA Headquarters to hire for vacant positions. NC DDS is not allowed to hire without that permission, including hiring to backfill positions where people left the agency or retired throughout the year. This hiring policy led to an ongoing deficit in filled positions...