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Post by Gram Pop on Feb 27, 2014 10:36:33 GMT -5
The local SSA office has been advised that SSA is undertaking a "massive" hiring program, described as the largest new hire since the 70's when SSI began. In addition, the agency intends to double the number of medical CDR's in an effort to clean house and to reduce improper payments to those who have recovered from their disability. This will require additional hiring at state DDS' as well.
In the past, denials generated from medical CDR's have resulted in a significantly higher number of appeals than denials from initial claims. After all, who wants to give up that monthly check? Given the existing backlog of decisions, I think it is safe to assume that ODAR intends to hire a significant number of new ALJ's and their support staff and that this needs to take place sooner rather than later, given the training needs and steep learning curve.
It was suggested that this hiring blitz was a fairly recent decision. Perhaps the initial plan to hire 90 ALJ's this fiscal year and another similar group next year is being reconsidered. It is certainly something to hope for.
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Post by sandiferhands (old) on Feb 27, 2014 10:58:45 GMT -5
Good to know. If I get the call, now I'll try to negotiate a company car and gym membership.
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Post by Dark Lord of the Sith on Feb 27, 2014 11:22:34 GMT -5
.....And an army of clones to meet my quotas!
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Post by trekker on Feb 27, 2014 12:13:04 GMT -5
And these reviews require a 7-step analysis which I am sure the sith and others can handle. In all seriousness, even if SSA handles more claims office staff, without more money for DDS, these cases will take a long time. The CDR claimants that I currently represent (mostly the age up group) are facing delays of at least a year between the original notice from SSA and a decision from DDS. Then there is 6-12 month delay to get a personal conference with a DDS hearing officer, and then another year or more before a hearing before an ALJ. By that time the claimant is 20 years old.
Having gone through the last CDR push about 10 years ago, I can tell you that it is not fun. Probably filed more AC appeals on those cases than the initial claim case. Another issue that arises in these cases is that a finding of medical improvement will terminate the Medicare benefits of anyone who is under 65 years of age. The recipient may have medically improved but that improvement may only be due to the medical care they have been receiving. And yes I know that they can apply for assistance through one of the health care exchanges but depedending on their home state, they may not be able to get financial assistance to get insurance.
What some of you may love is that there is not as much attorney assistance in CDR cases because there usually is no back pay that can be used to pay the attorney because if timely appeals are filed the recipient can request continuing benefits. I could go on but will leave it at that.
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Post by maquereau on Feb 27, 2014 13:39:31 GMT -5
Heck, I can never get the CDR folks to even show up. They move a lot, ask for continuances, say they are going to get a rep and pretty much routinely ask that benefits be continued pending hearing, which, if they can help it, never comes about.
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Post by redryder on Feb 27, 2014 14:02:35 GMT -5
SSA is starting a hire. According to www.usajobs.com, there are 124 jobs the general public can apply for and 136 for federal employees (not just SSA employees). A lot of the latter appear be duplicates of the former. The vast majority of the jobs on the site are for personnel in district offices and not ODAR.
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