IG Reports on Impact of DDS Changes on SSA Benefits

From the NRCA Capitol Insider:
The Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Michael J. Astrue, has written to several of the Nation's governors regarding the potential impact that furloughs, hiring freezes, and layoffs of state employees will have on people with disabilities filing applications for Social Security disability benefits. The federal government fully reimburses the states for their costs of running the disability determination services (DDS), where state employees evaluate initial claims for disability benefits. SSA's Inspector General has indicated that the furloughs could have a substantial effect on processing claims. Not only will claimants have to wait longer for decisions, but those who are found eligible will experience delay in receiving the benefits they need for daily expenses. In California alone, the Inspector General's report predicts a delay in $648,000 in benefits to new beneficiaries These delays are in addition to the long-standing backlog in disability decisions, particularly at the hearing level. The IG report can be found at:http://www.ssa.gov/oig/ADOBEPDF/A-01-09-29137.pdf