After an investigation by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General (SSA/OIG), it was found that since May 2011 SSA had underpaid SSI claimants approximately $95 million. In 28% of the cases where there was an underpayment, there was an existing over-payment that SSA was incorrectly recouping. OIG

A new Commissioner of SSA, Andrew Saul, was sworn in on June 17, 2019. He is SSA’s first confirmed Commissioner since Michael Astrue stepped down more than six years ago. Unlike Nancy Berryhill, the Acting Commissioner he replaces, Commissioner Saul has no experience with SSA or its programs. He has prior experience in government

According to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) fraud re-determination process violated the due process rights of many Social Security beneficiaries. In a well-publicized case, many medical opinions were thrown out by SSA because of assumed fraud. Beneficiaries who were approved based on those opinions

Is Social Security Going to Ask Me To Go To a Consultative Examination? A Consultative Examination (CE) is an exam ordered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to assess physical or psychiatric conditions. Reviewing recent statistics it is clear that it is not at all certain under what

Social Security Trustees Note Solvency through 2052 The Board of Trustees of the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently released its annual report on the state of the Social Security Trust Fund. According to this year’s report, the system can now pay full benefits through 2052, 20 years later than last year’s

National Adjudication Team Begins On-The-Record Decisions After making zero attorney advisor decisions during Fiscal Year 2018, the National Adjudication Team began its work in November 2018 for Fiscal Year 2019. These Attorney Advisors are empowered to issue fully-favorable decisions on the record in cases where a hearing is not necessary. Through

Social Security Congressional and Public Affairs Staff Shrinks  At the end of 2018, the Appeals Council’s Congressional and Public Affairs Branch lost another ombudsman to retirement. This leaves a single ombudsman in this office. A Social Security claims representative group has already complained about the lack of responsiveness from this office.