Recently Rep. Steve Israel D-New York, announced he would introduce a bill in Congress that would eliminate Social Security’s five-month waiting period to receive disability benefits for the terminally ill under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Currently, anyone who has been approved for SSDI has to wait five months before they can collect… Read more »
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Part IV: Most Claimants Are Not Simply Trying to "Pull a Check"
This is Part IV of our 4 part series on NPR’s recent article discussing Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income recipients, viewed here: http://apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/. Let’s start with this fact: Social Security payments come out of the Social Security Trust, paid for by payroll and FICA taxes, and do NOT add to the national debt…. Read more »
Part III: Medical Records – The Real Evidence
This is Part III of our 4 part series clarifying issues addressed and discussing issues not addressed in NPR’s recent article seen here: http://apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/. The NPR article appears to bring up several people collecting Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income and having the writer ask them their conditions. This fails to take into account… Read more »
The Timeline Part II – Request for Reconsideration and the Appeals Council
This is Part II in our four part series discussing issues not fully addressed in NPR’s article discussing Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income recipients: http://apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/. By now, most claimants have been denied from their Request for Reconsideration and have waited anywhere between 6-15 months. Upon denial of the Request for Reconsideration, they have… Read more »
The Story NPR Forgot to Tell – A Four Part Series
Recently, NPR published an article discussing the rise in the number of people on Social Security Disability, arguing that Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income are now being used as a “de facto welfare” program for people without job skills and some medical issues. The article can be viewed at: http://apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/. We would like… Read more »
Non-Medical Requirements for SSA Disability
In order to receive either Social Security Disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income, you must meet both medical and non-medical requirements. If you receive a decision stating you’ve met the medical requirements but the Social Security Administration is still determining if you’ve met the non-medical requirements, they are reviewing the following: If you’ve filed a… Read more »
What is a Function Report?
Once you have applied for Social Security disability and the Social Security Administration (SSA) has determined you meet requirements for one of its disability programs, either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a medical decision must be made to determine if you are disabled. There are many different pieces of information… Read more »
Social Security Disability Point and Counterpoint in the Opinion Pages
Frank Bruni of the New York Times published an op-ed arguing that the tripling of persons receiving Social Security disability benefits is being caused, in part, by those who are “gaming the system.” David Vogner of the Huffington Post published his own opinion on the HuffPost’s blog rebutting Mr. Bruni’s opinion, asserting that the increase in recipients is… Read more »
Treating Physician Rule
Pierce asserts that the treating physician rule should be rescinded because, in part, too many people are being awarded disability as a result of this rule. Basically, the rule states that great weight should be afforded the opinion of a treating source opinion regarding his patient’s ability to work. The reasoning behind the rule is… Read more »
Seriously….Do I really need an attorney for this?
Claimants often wrestle with the question of whether or not to engage an attorney in trying to secure benefits. As an attorney who has spent six years representing claimants, and over twelve years representing the Social Security Administration at the Federal Court and Circuit Court of Appeals levels, I can say from both perspectives the… Read more »
