Category Archives: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Very often, the effects of obesity are often quite severe and interfere with a person’s ability to work and perform activities of daily living. The question then becomes is how does obesity play into a claim for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has regulations

The Compassionate Allowance program is designed to provide applicants with benefits in a prompt fashion. In order to qualify for this program, applicants must suffer from conditions that are so severe they clearly qualify for Social Security disability (SSD) benefits. Critics argue the program is not as efficient as it should be and that it

A person may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits based on muscular dystrophy. If a person is not working and has been diagnosed with this severe condition, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine whether the person is disabled under a listing or whether jobs exist considering

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claimants and beneficiaries alike need to be aware of the drastic effects of budget cuts and hiring freezes on the Social Security Administration (SSA). I recently blogged about the temporary budget passed by Congress and this entry is to provide more information regarding the SSA’s

The operating budget of the Social Security Administration (SSA) directly impacts Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries and claimants.  On Friday, December 9, 2016, the government passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through April 28, 2017. The CR contained an across-the-board cut to funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently released statistics regarding fiscal year 2016 dealing with Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) determinations on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims. I recently have blogged about average processing time in hearing offices and some of these statistics tie into the processing time of claims. The

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently published final rules regarding the evaluation of medical evidence in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims. These rules become effective March 27, 2017. A very important change under the new rules is that adjudicators of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or SSI claims no

People applying for and appealing a denied claim for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are rightfully concerned with the length of the process. I try to regularly provide an update on processing times and approval rates for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims at some

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is making final several regulations affecting all claimants at the hearing level seeking Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. In July, I blogged about the proposed rules including closing the record five days prior to the hearing. The proposed rules are pretty much becoming final

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued final rules revising medical criteria for evaluating mental disorders in adults and children in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims. These rules go into effect on January 17, 2017 and includes some major changes. Whether a person meets a listing level impairment is

Often Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claimants try to return to work while applying for Social Security Disability or appealing the denial of their disability claim. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has rules and regulations defining how those attempts should be treated in regards to the ultimate decision on a claim for disability. The SSA

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claimants are losing the battle with illness and injury falling through social safety net waiting for hearings on their disability claims. I periodically update the status of the average processing times at the hearing offices and the numbers have only increased over the last several

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is designed to provide benefits to those who are unable to work due to illness or injury. Although these benefits are supposed to be helpful, the process used to receive these benefits often causes frustrations to those who need them most. Reduce frustrations with these proactive steps Those who are

There are many types of injuries and illnesses that are considered to be permanent disabilities. Among these is a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. No matter how the injury occurred, a TBI can have an impact on all the different aspects of your life. It can leave you unable to work, and can also harm

“Disability” can mean different things to different people. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) follows strict guidelines outlining what it means to be disabled with regard to the receipt of benefit payments. Additionally, the SSA assumes that disabled people have access to other financial resources if they are unable to work. These may include unemployment

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently proposed regulations that would affect all claimants trying to qualify for social security disability insurance (SSDI) or supplemental security income (SSI) benefits. Currently, despite a regulation that allows individual ALJs to have a policy or rule requiring all evidence be submitted five days prior to a hearing, only Region

An important and devastating issue for people seeking Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is the time it takes to get their case decided once they reach the hearing level. I have been a bit late on providing an update on this issue. My last entry was in April of 2016.

Mental illness does not discriminate and affects individuals of all ages, income brackets and education levels. National statistics indicate that as many as one quarter of U.S. adults suffer with a mental illness. Despite the prevalence of mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and attention deficit disorder; those who suffer with these invisible disabilities often

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued a “Notice of Proposed Rule Making” (NPRM) on reporting certain Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). As part of amendments to the NICS in 2007, Federal Agencies are required to submit to the Attorney General “any record of any

In April of 2016, President Obama took executive action to notify approximately 387,000 Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries of the potential eligibility to have outstanding student loan balances discharged on the basis of “total and permanent disability” (TPD). The Department of Education will send out letters to beneficiaries of their possible eligibility and will