2009 SSI & SSDI Payment Dates

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Cutting Back the Backlog

When it comes to reaching Social Security’s goal of eliminating the disability backlog, 2008 included many challenges and even more impressive accomplishments. The economic downturn has produced a surge in disability claims and hearings. If new applications had not risen during the course of the year to unanticipated levels, there would have been a reduction in pending cases for the first time since 2001. As it was, Social Security received almost 26,000 more hearings requests than budgeted for, but due to productivity increases, we were able to process over 16,000 more hearings than projected and hold the increase in pending hearings down to 14,000 cases.

In fiscal year 2008, we moved quickly to add new staff, use new technologies, and improve our business processes. For example, we hired nearly 200 new administrative law judges as well as staff to support them. We also opened a National Hearing Center, which, through videoconferencing, hears and decides claims from those hearing offices with the highest backlogs. We introduced new electronic technologies and new processes to identify and expedite certain disability cases that are highly likely to be allowed. Through these efforts, we were able to virtually eliminate the aged case backlog (135,000 cases) that had been waiting over 900 days for a hearing decision.

These and other initiatives will continue to improve the quality of our disability claim review process and, providing that Congress gives us adequate, sustained, and timely funding, will allow us to reduce the number of pending cases. Although many challenges lie ahead, Social Security has responded to increased demands on our service and made impressive strides towards eliminating the disability backlog.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Podcast Discusses When To Start Receiving Retirement Benefits

Have you or your clients wondered about the best age to retire and receive Social Security benefits? Social Security’s new podcast, “Deciding When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits,” is now available for listening at www.socialsecurity.gov/podcasts. In this podcast, Social Security Acting Deputy Commissioner Jason Fichtner and Deputy Commissioner for Communications Jim Courtney touch on the most important factors to think about regarding retirement age.

Please take a few minutes to visit www.socialsecurity.gov/podcasts and listen to “Deciding When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits.”

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Social Security to be First Government Agency to Use Nationwide Health Information Network

The Social Security Administration announced today that it will be the first government agency to utilize the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN). Beginning in early 2009, Social Security will receive medical records for some disability applicants electronically through the NHIN gateway.

“Social Security is proud to be a leader in the use of health information technology,” said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security. “This safe and secure method for receiving electronic medical records will allow us to improve our service to the public by cutting days, if not weeks, off the time it takes to make a disability decision.”

Through the NHIN, Social Security will have instantaneous access to medical records. This will significantly shorten the time it takes to make a disability decision and make the process more efficient. Social Security uses individual medical records when making a decision for more than 2.6 million people who apply for disability each year. To make those decisions, Social Security relies on doctors, hospitals, and others in the healthcare field to provide medical records in a timely fashion. The NHIN will help ensure records are received timely by making it easier and less labor-intensive for medical professionals to submit records.

Social Security is working with MedVirginia, the North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance, and Kaiser Permanente to implement the NHIN. In early 2009, the first real-world use of the system will begin between Social Security and MedVirginia.

The NHIN is an initiative of the Department of Health and Human Services and is supported by multiple government agencies and private sector entities. Please go to www.hhs.gov/healthit/healthnetwork/background/ for more information.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Important Notice Regarding the Visually Impaired

SSA would like to make you aware of a notice that will be of interest to people who are visually impaired (and their representatives) and who either receive or applied for Social Security retirement, survivors or disability insurance benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

A federal court has authorized a class action lawsuit against the Social Security Administration (SSA) on behalf of people with visual impairments who require communications from SSA to be in an accessible format in order to participate in the Social Security or SSI programs. The court has authorized two classes: If you have a visual impairment that substantially limits the major life activity of seeing and you (1) apply for or are receiving Social Security or SSI benefits, or (2) are the representative payee for a Social Security beneficiary or SSI recipient, then you are a member of at least one of the two classes. This means that the court's decision in this case may affect your rights. The case, called American Council of the Blind v. Astrue, No. C05-04696, is pending in the federal district court in San Francisco, California.

The court would like maximum input from the class members. The below number and e-mail may be used to provide class counsel with suggestions about how SSA can effectively communicate with people who have visual impairments. You should give class counsel your comments by December 31, 2008. To do so, contact this toll free number or E-mail address:

ARLENE B. MAYERSON
SILVIA YEE
DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION AND DEFENSE FUND, INC. (DREDF)
Telephone: 1-800-348-4232
E-Mail: SSAinfo@dredf.org

To listen to an audio recording of the notice in English or Spanish, call our toll- free number, 866-940-0765.

For more information about this case, American Council of the Blind v. Astrue, read our online NOTICE at www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/classaction.htm.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

People Who Want Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Should Apply Now

It’s open season for the Medicare prescription drug program. Everyone who is covered under Medicare is eligible for the prescription drug coverage. From November 15 to December 31, newcomers can join a prescription drug plan and people already participating should look at their current plans.

It’s also a good time for beneficiaries to investigate whether they may be eligible for extra help paying Medicare prescription drug program costs. Social Security offers extra help to participants who have limited income and resources.

The extra help will pay for all or most of the monthly premiums and annual deductibles. It also will help with the prescription co-payments. This extra help is worth an average of $3,600 per year. Some people with limited income and resources qualify for these big savings and don’t even know it.

Learn more about extra help and apply online by going to www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp/index.htm.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Representative Payees Can Now File Reports Online

Social Security appoints a relative, friend, institution or other interested party to receive benefits on behalf of more than seven million people who need help managing their money. These representative payees use the benefits on the person’s behalf and have to file a report every year showing how the funds were used. Until recently, this was done by filling out a paper report form and mailing it to Social Security.

Now representative payees can submit their annual accounting reports online at www.socialsecurity.gov/payee. After signing up for a user ID and password which can be reused year after year, payees can go to the online form and enter the necessary information. The online Representative Payee Accounting Form is easy to use and takes less time than filling out and mailing a paper form.

When payees have completed the report, they can print a copy for their records. Social Security will send a confirmation message saying the report has been received.

For more information, visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov/payee.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees

On September 30, 2008, President Bush signed into law H.R. 2608, the "SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act" (Public Law 110-328). The law will increase the time-limited SSI eligibility period for certain noncitizens (e.g., refugees and asylees) from 7 to 9 years and make exceptions for individuals with naturalization applications pending. Although Social Security was given no lead time or administrative funding, we intend to implement this complicated legislation accurately and quickly. In October, Social Security executives met with a coalition of immigration and disability advocates to open the dialogue and work collegially to implement the law. Working together, we established accurate and fair implementation practices, shared our internal instructions, and gained support from the advocates to help Social Security identify refugees and asylees who can benefit from the law. In addition, the advocates offered the agency assistance reaching the many refugees and asylees who will benefit by the law.

To read more detailed information about the law, visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/legislation/legis_bulletin_100108.htm.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Traumatic Brain Injuries and Stroke the Subject of Social Security’s Third Compassionate Allowances Hearing

Social Security held its third public hearing on Compassionate Allowances on November 18 at Ft. Myer in Arlington, VA.

Senior executives from the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health joined Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, to hear testimony from some of the nation’s leading experts on traumatic brain injury (the most common injury of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan) and stroke.

Compassionate Allowances are a way of quickly identifying diseases and other medical conditions that invariably qualify under Social Security’s disability standards based on minimal objective medical information. This hearing was the third of four public hearings the agency plans to hold. Previous hearings dealt with cancers and rare diseases and resulted in the nationwide launch of the Compassionate Allowances initiative in October 2008.

For more information about Compassionate Allowances and the most recent hearing, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.

Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com

Hiring authority makes it easier to hire disabled employees

by 2nd Lt. Gina Vaccaro
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs

12/1/2008 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- Air Force officials are working to increase manager understanding of how to hire qualified people with disabilities. The Schedule A hiring authority, a noncompetitive government hiring process, allows federal employers to hire qualified people with mental retardation, severe physical disabilities or psychiatric disabilities to civilian positions.

"While the Schedule A hiring authority is not new, it seems to have been under publicized," said Michelle Siples, the human resources specialist for the program oversight office at the Air Force Personnel Center here. "Schedule A is designed to remove barriers for people with disabilities to get hired and to increase employment opportunities for persons with disabilities."

Air Force officials have set a goal to be the employer of choice in the disability community and is working toward achieving a Department of Defense goal to have 2 percent of its workforce comprised of individuals with targeted disabilities by the year 2010. According to the Air Force Equal Opportunity and Diversity Program Office, known as AF/A1Q, the Air Force is still at less than 1 percent.

The Schedule A hiring authority allows federal employers to quickly fill positions with qualified individuals with disabilities. The process is non-competitive, which means human resources specialists and/or selective placement coordinators send resumes of qualified applicants directly to managers. If a manager likes the resume, he has the option to hire the individual immediately.

With Schedule A, employers can hire a candidate without the typical posting and publicizing of the position that the competitive recruitment process requires. Schedule A eliminates many of the competitive hiring steps, reducing the time it takes to fill a needed position.

"This is an excellent opportunity for managers to make a difference by hiring people with disabilities into the workforce, to continue to build and enhance the force with people from diverse backgrounds," Ms. Siples said. "People with diverse backgrounds bring so much to the workplace."

To be eligible for noncompetitive appointment using the Schedule A hiring authority, candidates must obtain written proof of disability and a certification of job readiness from a licensed medical professional, a state or private vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any government agency that issues or provides disability benefits. Candidates must also meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualification standards for all positions he is applying for.

The requirements for each position, such as education and experience, are listed on the OPM Web site. The site also contains information about the hiring process for people with disabilities and even has a list of selective placement coordinators for each federal agency.

Individuals with disabilities may apply for noncompetitive appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority by submitting an application and any necessary supporting documentation directly to the selective placement coordinator or equivalent.

"We are optimistic that we can reach the DOD goal of 2 percent by 2010," Ms. Siples said. "We have seen a significant increase in interest in the schedule A program since September."

The AF/A1Q continues to raise awareness of the program among managers and potential candidates. Air Force officials have formed a people with disabilities working group to develop a plan to increase the number of employees with disabilities in the Air Force workforce.

For more information about the Schedule A hiring authority and options for people with disabilities, visit the OPM Web site, http://www.opm.gov/, or AFPC's "Ask" Web Site and search "disability employment."


Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com