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NOSSCR   1300 I Street, NW, Suite 825, Washington, DC 20005

Forum Archive, A – K

NOSSCR Forum Archive, 2010 – 2017

The monthly Forum newsletter is only available to NOSSCR members. Below is an archive of topics from past issues. Click the first letter of the topic below to see a full list. Note that the entire articles are not available online; they can only be accessed through the print editions.

Please contact us if you are a member trying to access the monthly newsletter. If you are interested in more perspectives like these, consider a NOSSCR membership, which includes a subscription to the NOSSCR newsletter.

Alphabetical Listing of Topics, A – K

  • Month/Page/Year
  • Substantial Absenteeism, Special Accommodations, and SGA(Roop v. Astrue) Dec/2/10
  • Alesia v. Astrue, 789 F.Supp.2d 921 (N.D.Ill. 2011) June/20/12
  • Farrell v. Astrue, 692 F.3d 767 (7th Cir. 2012) Nov/12/12
  • Russell v. Colvin, 9 F. Supp.3d 1168 (D.Ore. 2014) Jan/24/15
  • Saunders v. Colvin, 93 F.Supp.3d 179 (W.D.N.Y. 2015) Jan/22/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Government Agency to Study SSA Disability Adjudication Nov/1/11
  • ACUS: Social Security Disability Adjudication Study Feb/18/12
  • ACUS Issues Recommendation on Social Security Disability Adjudication (Improving Consistency in Social Security Disability Adjudications (June 13, 2013)) June/2/13
  • ACUS Recommends Options for Submission of Adverse Evidence July/1/13
  • SSA Asks ACUS to Review Impact of Closing the Record Feb/4/14
  • NOSSCR Comments on evaluation of self-reported symptoms June/8/14
  • ACUS Studies Social Security Federal Court Review: Is Variation a Problem? Sept/2/14
  • ACUS Report on Video Hearings Oct/14/14
  • NOSSCR Comments on ACUS Video Hearing Recommendations Nov/5/14
  • ACUS Incorporates NOSSCR Comments on Video Hearings; Many Claimants Opt for In-Person Hearings Dec/6/14
  • ACUS Issues Report on SSA Symptom Evaluation May/1/15
  • Administrative Conference Issues Report on SSA Federal Court Litigation Aug/3/16
  • Administrative Conference Issues Recommendations Involving SSA  Dec/6/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Use of NOSSCR Membership Logo Dec/2/10
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA and the Affordable Care Act Aug/13/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Inspector General Reports Address ODAR Issues(ALJ productivity; ODAR Staffing) Jan/5/10
  • GAO Reviews ALJ Hiring Process (Office of Personnel Management Should Review ALJ Program to Improve Hiring and Performance Management, GAO-10-14 (Jan. 2010) Jan/9/10
  • SSA Establishes New System Tracking Complaints of ALJ Misconduct Feb/1/10
  • ALJ Disposition Information Available Feb/2/10
  • Correction – ALJ Disposition Link Mar/2/10
  • SSA- Not ALJ- Now Allowed to Schedule Hearings in “Rare Instances” July/1/10
  • OIG Report: Why Do ALJs Allow More Cases Than the DDSs for Certain Impairments? Aug/1/10
  • Federal Register Update: Proposed Rule: Active State Bar Licensure for ALJs Oct/4/10
  • ALJ Disposition Data on SSA Website Jan/2/11
  • Minter v. Astrue, 722 F.Supp.2d 1279 (N.D.Ala. 2010) Jan/29/11
  • Spiva v. Astrue, 628 F.3d 346 (7th Cir. 2010) Feb/18/11
  • Class Action Alleges Bias of Five ALJs (Padro, et al v. Astrue, EDNY) Apr/3/11
  • Congress Asks OIG to Review ALJ Workloads and Adherence to SSA Policy in Light of Wall Street Journal Article June/4/11
  • House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee letter to OIG on review of ALJs June/6/11
  • NOSSCR comments on proposed rule to eliminate requirement to recontact treating sources June/10/11
  • Oversight Hearing on Role of Social Security ALJs July/1/11
  • ODAR Policy Change Removes ALJ’s Identity from Hearing Notice Dec/1/11
  • NOSSCR letter to Commissioner Astrue and ODAR Deputy Commissioner re: new ODAR policy on ALJ identity Dec/3/11
  • Inspector General Reports on SSA’s Oversight of ALJs Congressional Response Report: Oversight of ALJ Workload Trends, Feb. 2012) Feb/1/12
  • SSA Issues Final Rule on Recontacting Treating Source Feb/1/12
  • Inspector General Issues Reports on ALJs(Congressional Response Report: Oversight of ALJ Workload Trends, Feb. 2012; SSA’s Review of ALJ Decisions (Mar. 2012); Congressional Response Report: Oversight of the Year-end Hearings Process (Mar. 2012)) Mar/1/12
  • Practice Tip: Credibility “Boilerplate” Warrants Remand: Bjornson v. Astrue, Smith v. Astrue Mar/7/12
  • Settlement of Class Action Lawsuit on Generalized Bias of Five ALJs (Padro et al. v. Astrue) Jan/1/13
  • Congress Asks OIG to Review ALJ Workloads and Adherence to SSA Policy in Light of Wall Street Journal Article June/4/11
  • House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee letter to OIG on review of ALJs June/6/11
  • NOSSCR comments on proposed rule to eliminate requirement to recontact treating sources June/10/11
  • Oversight Hearing on Role of Social Security ALJs July/1/11
  • ODAR Policy Change Removes ALJ’s Identity from Hearing Notice Dec/1/11
  • NOSSCR letter to Commissioner Astrue and ODAR Deputy Commissioner re: new ODAR policy on ALJ identity Dec/3/11
  • Inspector General Reports on SSA’s Oversight of ALJs Congressional Response Report: Oversight of ALJ Workload Trends, Feb. 2012) Feb/1/12
  • SSA Issues Final Rule on Recontacting Treating Source Feb/1/12
  • Inspector General Issues Reports on ALJs(Congressional Response Report: Oversight of ALJ Workload Trends, Feb. 2012; SSA’s Review of ALJ Decisions (Mar. 2012); Congressional Response Report: Oversight of the Year-end Hearings Process (Mar. 2012)) Mar/1/12
  • Scapegoating Social Security Disability Claimants (and the Judges Who Evaluate Them. ACS Issue Brief) Mar/8/12
  • ALJ Allowance Decision Rates – FY 2010 Mar/26/12
  • AM-12053 Credibility Assessments and use of Social Media May/20/12
  • Aldea v. Astrue, 828 F.Supp.2d 396 (D.Mass. 2011) July/20/12
  • Betancourt v. Astrue, 824 F.Supp.2d 211 (D.Mass. 2011) July/21/12
  • Senate “Investigation” Questions Quality of Favorable ALJ Decisions Sept/1/12
  • Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Minority Staff Report (excerpts) Sept/14/12
  • ODAR Workload and Performance Summary, National, ending 9/28/12 Oct/11/12
  • Settlement of Class Action Lawsuit on Generalized Bias of Five ALJs (Padro et al. v. Astrue) Jan/1/13
  • Twenty Years Later, SSA Publishes Procedure for Addressing ALJ Bias and Unfairness (SSR 13-1p) Jan/1/13
  • ALJ Hiring: What Does the Future Hold? Feb/15/13
  • ALJ Union Sues Over Production “Quotas” (AALJ et al v. Colvin, N.D.Ill Apr 18, 2013) Apr/1/13
  • Alleged ALJ Bias: Class Action Settlement Proposed (Padro v. Astrue) July/1/13
  • OIG Report:ALJ/Public Alleged Misconduct Complaints System (July 2013) July/3/13
  • Federal Register: Pilot program allowing SSA to schedule hearing is extended July/9/13
  • Statement of Richard Morris, Esq. at Padro settlement hearing July/10/13
  • ALJ Bias Class Action Settlmenet Receives Final Approval (Padro v. Astrue, Case No. 11-CV-1788) Oct/1/13
  • Disability Hearing Guide for ALJs Oct/10/13
  • Caseload Analysis Report – National Sept/18/10
  • New ALJ “Position Description” Approved: What Is the Impact on ALJ Decisional Independence? Dec/1/13
  • Longgrear v. Colvin, 26 F.Supp.3d 1066 (D. Colo. 2014) May/17/15
  • Ellis v. Colvin, 29 F.Supp.3d 288 (W.D.N.Y. 2014) June/13/15
  • Sun v. Colvin, 793 F.3d 502 (5th Cir. 2015) Oct/16/15
  • Medical Experts and the ALJ’s Opening Statement Nov/2/15
  • King v. Colvin, 128 F.Supp.3d 421 (D. Mass. 2015) May/23/16
  • Burns v. Colvin, 156 F.Supp.3d 579 (M.D.Pa. 2016) Sept/17/16
  • SSA Issues Guidance on Bench Decisions Jan/4/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Caldwell v. Astrue, 804 F.Supp.2d 1098 (D.Ore. 2011) Mar/29/12
  • Fisher v. Astrue, 788 F.Supp.2d 1219 (E.D.Wash. 2011) Apr/17/12
  • Eckermann v. Astrue, 817 F.Supp.2d 1210 (D.Idaho 2011) July/21/12
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Added to Compassionate Allowance List Feb/3/10
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Improving Appeals Council Practice July/1/10
  • Chief ALJ Memo re: Establishing a Quality Review Branch July/14/10
  • The New Quality Review Branches: What Can We Expect? Sept/3/10
  • FY 2009 Workload Data: Disability Decisions Nov/5/10
  • New Procedures at the Appeals Council Dec/1/10
  • New Appeals Council Branches Handle Overflow Work Feb/7/11
  • FY 2010 Workload Data Disability Decisions – Initial through Federal Court Feb/11/11
  • News from the Appeals Council May/1/11
  • Online Access to Folders at Appeals Council June/1/11
  • Appeals Council Remands and Service Realignment July/1/11
  • Top Reasons for Appeals Council Remand July/17/11
  • Appeals Council memo to Office of Appellate Operations Employees: Subsequent Application Policy Change and Guidance Aug/19/11
  • ODAR Updates Hearing Level and Appeals Council at San Antonio NOSSCR Conference Oct/1/11
  • SSA Issues Policy Guidance on SSR 11-1p Nov/1/11
  • SSR 11-1p: Subsequent Disability Claims Q&As (SSA 11/15/11) Nov/10/11
  • Appeals Council Branch Contacts HALLEX I-4-3-104 Jan/20/12
  • FY 2011 Workload Data: Disability Appeals Feb/11/12
  • Contacting the Appeals Council – New Fax Number for Requests to Appeals Council Ombudsman Apr/3/12
  • “Aged” Remands: New Process to Expedite Apr/17/12
  • Results of Appeals Council Own Motion Review Oct/1/12
  • New Charts on Appeals Council Procedures Nov/1/12
  • Appointed Representative Guide to Requesting Appeals Council Review Nov/4/12
  • Practice Tip: At the Appeals Council, Lead With the Strongest Issue Jan/27/13
  • “Top 10” Appeals Council Submission Suggestions (P. Jonas) May/3/13
  • Correction: Aged Court Remand Cases July/2/13
  • How it Operates: Appeals Council Review of ALJ Allowances Aug/1/13
  • Appeals Council Status Report Now Available Online Sept/1/13
  • Appeals Council Workload Data Available Online Nov/10/13
  • Contacting the Appeals Council Ombudsman Dec/6/13
  • Judicial Review of Dismissals Jan/6/14
  • Trends at the Appeals Council in FY 2013 Feb/1/14
  • Recent Inspector General Reports Mar-April/6/14
  • [Appeals Council workloads] FY 2013 Disability Workload [“Waterfall Chart”] Mar-Apr/10/14
  • Highlights from the Indianapolis NOSSCR Conference: ODAR Developments May/1/14
  • SSA Revises HALLEX on Dismissals May/1/14
  • Update: SSR 11-1p May/1/14
  • Progress Towards FY 2014 Goals [Remands] June/79/14
  • Recent OIG Reports of Interest: Appellate results of denials by Low-allowance ALJs July/19/14
  • Top 18 Cited Reasons for Remand on Appeals Council Request for Review July/21/14
  • Pre-Effectuation Reviews, Own Motion Reviews, Targeted Reviews, Focused Reviews: What is the Appeals Council’s Review Authority? Aug/1/14
  • Top 10 Appeals Council Submissions Suggestions Sept/4/14
  • Best Practices at the Appeals Council for Claimants’ Representatives Sept/5/14
  • Caseload Analysis Report Feb/6/15
  • Changes to iAppeals Electronic Submission of 1696s Mar/1/15
  • Stay Up-to-Date on iAppeals: Both Appeal and Disability Report Must Be Filed by Deadline Apr/1/15
  • iAppeals Letter to the Editor June/2/15
  • ODAR Caseload Analysis Report June/7/15
  • When Does the Appeals Council Need a Prior Claim File? Aug/5/15
  • Member Survey Shows Pros and Cons of iAppeals Changes Sept/1/15
  • SSA Proposes to Stop Returning Evidence Submitted to Appeals Council Oct/1/15
  • Stepp v. Colvin, 795 F.3d 711 (7th Cir. 2015) Oct/17/15
  • HALLEX Provisions Altered Feb/3/16
  • Appeals Council Returns Less Evidence Feb/16/16
  • Washington v. Commissioner, 806 F.3d 1317 (11th Cir. 2014) Feb/34/2016  
  • Acquiescense Ruling for 7th Circuit Mar/5/16
  • Appeals Council Changes Practice on Issuance of Bar Codes Mar/11/16
  • More on Appeals Council Acknowledgement Letters Apr/13/16
  • More on Appeals Council Acknowledgement Letters Apr/13/16
  • Appeals Council Screens for Decisions to Expedite Apr/13/16
  • SSR 11-1p Offers Exception Process Administered by Appeals Council Apr/14/16
  • More Info On Appeals Council’s 21 Criteria for Expedited Processing May/6/16
  • Office of the Inspector General Studies Appeals Council Remand Rates  Feb-Mar/10/17 
  • Month/Page/Year
  • McClesky v. Astrue, 606 F. 3d 351 (7th Cir. 2010) July/21/10
  • Fourth Circuit Rules on New Evidence Submitted to Appeals Council (Meyer v. Astrue) Feb/7/12
  • Does New Evidence at the Appeals Council Relate to the Period Before the ALJ Decision? (Cuadras v. Astrue) Feb/8/12
  • McGinnis v. Astrue, 709 F.Supp.2d 468 (W.D.Va. 2010) Mar/29/12
  • Clarification of Procedures for Providing Extensions of time at the Appeals Council. Jonah Memorandum (May 8, 2012) June/6/12
  • Langley v. Astrue, 777 F.Supp.2d 1250 (N.D.Ala. 2011) What is “New and Material Evidence” at the Appeals Council July/21/12
  • (HALLEX I-3-3-6, rev’d Dec. 2012) Mar/8/13
  • Culver v. Astrue, 924 F.Supp.2d 1295 (N.D.Ala. 2013) Nov/24/13
  • Update: SSR 11-1p May/1/14
  • Diego v. Colvin, 31 F. Supp.3d 1183 (E.D. Wash. 2014) Feb/5/15
  • When Saying “Show Me The Money!” Isn’t Enough: Tips for Addressing Delayed Payment of Fees Mar/1/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Shapiro v. Social Security Administration, 800 F.3d 1310 (Fed. Cir. 2015) Nov/17/15
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Holds Compassionate Allowance Hearing on Autoimmune Disease Mar/1/11
  • Month/Page/Year
  • New Law Makes SSI Fee Withholding and Nonattorney Fee Program Permanent Feb/1/10
  • Update on 1099s Feb/1/10
  • Crawford v. Astrue, 586 F.3d 1142 (9th Cir. 2009) Feb/14/10
  • CJB 10-01: Increase in Authorization Limits for Fee Petitions Mar/12/10
  • Processing Center Phone Numbers on SSA Website Apr/1/10
  • Processing Center Phone Numbers May/15/10
  • Treasury Department Issues Proposed Regulations Regarding Paper Checks June/1/10
  • Bank “Fact Sheet” for Direct Deposit of Fees Sept/1/10
  • Multiple Representatives in the Same Firm: How to Get Paid Oct/1/10
  • Letter to the Editor – Re: Incorrect fee payments Oct/2/10
  • Contacts: Fee-Related Issues Nov/3/10
  • Successive Attorneys and Fee Payment Nov/6/10
  • IRS to Issue IRS Form 1099s in January 2011 Dec/1/10
  • Is the User Fee Included in the Amount of Fees Received on Form 1099? Jan/1/11
  • Attorneys’ Fees in Social Security Cases Exempt from Direct Deposit Requirement Jan/4/11
  • Problems with Incorrect Forms 1099-MISC Continue Apr/20/11
  • NOSSCR Comments to SSA on Fee Petitions June/18/11
  • The Streamlined Fee Agreement at 20: How Time Flies! July/1/11
  • Reprint of July 1991 NOSSCR Forum Front Page July/14/11
  • Electronic Services Use Required for Fee Withholding Sept/2/11
  • Review Form 1099-MISC Now to Avoid Tax Problems Later Jan/1/12
  • SSA Changes Processing of 1695 Forms Jan/3/12
  • EM 12004 – New Procedures for Form SSA 1695 Jan/8/12
  • Federal register Update: Fee assessment in 2012 Jan/31/12
  • Letter to the Editor: Re: Changing the 1695 Form Mar/3/12
  • Contacts: Fee-Related Issues & Problems with Effectuation Mar/27/12
  • Attorneys’ Fees Are Exempt From Direct Deposit Apr/1/12
  • User Fee Cap (2012 and 2013) Jan/8/12
  • Recent Reports of Interest: Paid Fees Not Withheld (Oct. 2012) Oct/20/12
  • Inspector General Reports on Fee Payment Processing Dec/3/12
  • Review Form 1099-MISC Now to Avoid Tax Problems Later Jan/3/13
  • User Fee Remains at 6/3% in 2013 Jan/7/13
  • President’s Message – attorney fee issues Feb/2/13
  • Jackson v. Astrue, 705 F.3d 527 (5th Cir. 2013) Apr/21/13
  • Query: Direct Deposit and Multiple Attorney Firms July/2/13
  • New POMS on Electronic Filing Mandate(GN 03970.010, .017) Aug/4/13
  • User Fee Remains at 6.3% in 2013 Dec/6/13
  • Fee Payments Update Mar-April/1/14
  • Gunther v. Commissioner of Social Security, 943 F.Supp.2d 797 (N.D.Ohio 2013) May/21/14
  • Steele v. Commissioner of Social Security, 989 F.Supp.2d 686 (S.D.Ohio 2013) Aug/16/14
  • New Procedures for Form SSA-1695 Oct/4/14
  • OIG Report on Fee Petition Payments: SSA Can Improve the Process Oct/16/14
  • User Fee Remains at 6.3% in 2015 Dec/1/14
  • 1099-MISC Forms to Be Sent in January 2015 Dec/2/14
  • SSA Issues Form 1099-MISC: Some Change in Procedures;
    Review Form 1099-MISC Now to Avoid Tax Problems Later
    Jan/1/15
  • Federal Register Update: Revision to Direct Fee Payment Rules Jan/3/15
  • Attorneys’ Fees: EAJA Apr/20/15
  • OIG Report Fees withheld in SSI cases not always accurate June/9/15
  • Moriarty v. Colvin, 76 F.Supp.3d 261 (D. Mass. 2014) Oct/16/15
  • SSA Issues Form 1099-MISCs
    Review Form 1099-MISC Now to Avoid Tax Problems Later
    Jan/1/16
  • User Fee Stays Steady in 2016 Jan/9/16
  • HALLEX Provisions Altered Feb/3/16
  • When Saying “Show Me The Money!” Isn’t Enough: Tips for Addressing
    Delayed Payment of Fees
    Mar/1/16
  • Correction: Fax Number for Fees Apr/3/16
  • Advocacy Groups Urge Acting Commissioner to Adjust Fee Cap Apr/4/16
  • How To Handle Delayed Payments Apr/19/16
  • Problem-Solving When Representatives Get Hired by SSA Aug/1/16
  • Updated Contact List for Federal Court Fee Petition Issues Sept/14/16
  • Heads Up! 1099 Forms are on Their Way to Representatives Dec/11/16
  • 2017 User Fee Unchanged Jan/10/17
  • Fees Get Complicated When Multiple Firms Are Involved Apr/1/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Holds Compassionate Allowance Hearing on Autoimmune Disease Mar/1/11
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Court Finds “After Conceived Child” Eligible for Survivors Benefits (Beeler v. Astrue, N.D. Iowa, Nov. 12, 2009) Jan/6/10
  • Final Rule: Entitlement Requirements for Stepchildren Aug/11/10
  • Fourth Circuit Denies Benefits to Posthumously-Conceived Child (Schafer o/b/o/ WMS v. Astrue, No 10-1500 (4th Cir. Apr 12, 2011)) Apr/24/11
  • U.S. Supreme Court to Decide Eligibility for Posthumously Conceived Children (Astrue v. Capato) Dec/8/11
  • U.S. Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument on Posthumously Conceived Children (Astrue v. Capato) Mar/1/12
  • Supreme Court Holds Posthumously Conceived Children Eligible Only Under State Intestacy Law (Astrue v. Capato) May/1/12
  • Update: Posthumously Conceived Children (Rescission of AR 05-1(9)) Nov/1/12
  • Supreme Court Decision Impacts Social Security and SSI Eligibility for Same-Sex Spouses (U.S. v. Windsor) June/1/13
  • SSA Begins Processing Claims for Same-Sex Couples Aug/1/13
  • Posthumously Conceived Children: A Post-Supreme Court Update Aug/3/13
  • SSA Begins to Pay Some Surviving Spouse Benefits for Same-Sex Couples Dec/4/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Forum Articles Index: January – December 2009 Jan/16/10
  • 2009 List of Available Materials Feb/17/10
  • Listings/Grids Subscription Order Form for 2011 Oct/21/10
  • Listings/Grids Subscription Order Form for 2011 Nov/12/10
  • Forum Articles Index: January – December 2010 Jan/16/11
  • 2010 List of Available Materials(Nos 1775- 1830) Feb/19/11
  • Listings/Grids Subscription Order Form for 2012 Nov/9/11
  • Access to the NOSSCR Available Material Dec/2/11
  • Listings/Grids Subscription Order Form for 2012 Dec/16/11
  • Forum Articles Index January – December 2011 Jan/32/12
  • List of Available Materials: January – December 2011 Feb/22/12
  • Listings/Grids Subscription Order Form for 2013 Dec/15/12
  • Forum Articles Index: January – December 2012 Jan/12/13
  • 2012 List of Available Materials (1889-1958) Feb/20/13
  • Forum Articles Index: January to December 2013 Jan/18/14
  • 2013 List of Available Materials (Nos. 1959-2020) Feb/14/14
  • Forum Articles Index: January to December 2014 Jan/14/15
  • Forum Articles Index: January to December 2015 Jan/15/16
  • 2015 List of Available Materials (Nos. 2069-2115) Jan/15/16
  • Forum Articles Index: January to December 2017 Jan/27/17
  • 2016 List of Available Materials (Nos. 2116-2150) Feb-Mar/19/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • McDonald v. Astrue, 858 F.Supp.2d 927 (N.D.Ill. 2012) Jan/29/13
  • Kastner v. Astrue, 697 F.3d 642 (7th Cir. 2012) Mar/20/13
  • Fulfer v. Astrue, 917 F.Supp.2d 883 (E.D.Wis. 2013) Sept/17/13
  • Brock v. Colvin, 125 F.Supp.3d 671 (N.D. Ohio 2015) Apr/15/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • No 2011 COLA- Benefits Will Not Increase Oct/1/10
  • 2012 COLA is 3.6 Percent – First Increase Since 2009 Oct/1/11
  • 2013 COLA is 1.7 Percent Oct/1/12
  • 2014 COLA is 1.5 Percent Oct/3/13
  • 2015 COLA is 1.7 Percent Oct/3/14
  • New Survey Finds Most Americans Would Pay More to Fix Social Security’s Finances and Improve Benefits Oct/15/14
  • Cost of Living Adjustment for 2017 Announced: 0.3% Increase Oct/3/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Proposes Changes to Cancer Listings Dec/7/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Institute of Medicine Reports to SSA on Cardiovascular and HIV Listings Oct/5/10
  • New Compassionate Allowance Conditions July/3/11
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Washington v. Astrue, 698 F.Supp.2d 562 (D.S.C. 2010) Sept/20/10
  • Zenzel v. Astrue, 993 F. Supp.2d 146 (N.D.N.Y. 2012) Jan/25/15
  • Snow v. Colvin, 8 F. Supp.3d 1345 (N.D. Ala. 2014) Jan/25/15
  • Month/Page/Year
  • How to Convert an Encrypted E-file CD Jan/1/11
  • CD Encryption Problems? Mar/3/11
  • NOSSCR Encrypted CD Survey Apr/12/11
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Resources on the SSDI Program July/15/14
  • Month/Page/Year
  • What the 2012 Trustees; Report Shows About Social Security – Center on Budget and Policy Report (May 2012) May/10/12
  • New Report Defends Disability Insurance (CBPP SSDI Paper) Aug/1/12
  • “Top Ten Facts About Social Security” (CBPP Paper) Nov/13/12
  • “The Geography of Disability” (CBPP Paper) Dec/2/12
  • Charts Showing the Geography of Disability SSI Childhood Disability: “Just the Facts” (Reports from CBPP and NASI) Dec/10/12
  • Testimony of Kathy Ruffing, CBPP before the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee (Mar. 20, 2013) Apr/3/13
  • Off the Charts Blog posts, Kathy Ruffing, CBPP (2013) July/14/13
  • Resources on the SSDI Program July/14/13
  • Reports of Interest on SSA Administrative and Programmatic Funding   June/14/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Practice Tip July/5/10
  • SSA Publishes SSR 14-1p on CFS and Rescinds SSR 99-2p Mar-April/1/14
  • Report on CFS Recommends New Name and Diagnostic Criteria Feb/1/15
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Second Circuit Strikes Down SSA’s Policy on Denial of Benefits for Violations of Probation or Parole (Clark v. Astrue, 602 F.3d 140 (2nd Cir. 2010)) Mar/3/10
  • Nationwide Class Certified re: SSA Policy Denying Benefits for Violations of Probation/Parole (Clark v Astrue, Case No. 1:06-cv-15521-SHS (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 18, 2011) Mar/16/11
  • SSA Stops Denials and Suspensions Based on Probation or Parole Violations (EM-11032, “Clark Court Case”) Apr/3/11
  • Relief to 100,000 Possible in Probation/Parole Violation Litigation (Clark v. Astrue) Jan/4/12
  • Relief to 1400,000 in Probation-Parole Violation Litigation (Clark v. Astrue, (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 13, 2012) Apr/10/12
  • Settlement of Class Action Lawsuit on Generalized Bias of Five ALJs (Padro et al. v. Astrue) Jan/1/13
  • Alleged ALJ Bias: Class Action Settlement Proposed (Padro et.al v. Astrue) July/1/13
  • Statement of Richard Morris, Esq. at Padro settlement hearing July/10/13
  • ALJ Bias Class Action Settlmenet Receives Final Approval (Padro v. Astrue, Case No. 11-CV-1788) Oct/1/13
  • SSA Sued on Seizure of Tax Refund for Old Overpayments May/14/15
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Practice Tip: Extending COBRA Coverage: A Bridge to Medicare Aug/6/12
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Williams v. Colvin, 757 F.3d 610 (7th Cir. 2014) Oct/18/14
  • Thomas v. Colvin, 745 F.3d 802 (7th Cir. 2014) Oct/18/14
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Added to Compassionate Allowance List Feb/3/10
  • Compassionate Allowances – Additions Effective 3/1/10 Feb/12/10
  • Federal Register Update: Favorable decisions in QDD and Compassionate Allowance cases May/14/10
  • Federal Register Update: Final Rule: Disability Examiners can allow QDD and Compassionate Allowance claims without MC/PC approval Oct/4/10
  • SSA Holds Compassionate Allowance Hearing on Autoimmune Disease Mar/1/11
  • New Compassionate Allowance Conditions July/3/11
  • SSA Expands Compassionate Allowance List Oct/7/11
  • New Compassionate Allowances Conditions Effective Aug 2012 Apr/20/12
  • New Additions to Compassionate Allowance List Aug/6/12
  • New Compassionate Allowances Conditions Announced – 200 Conditions on List Dec/5/12
  • Fed. Reg. Update: Quick Disability Determinations and Compassionate Allowances extended Nov/8/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSI Windfall Offset Problems Delay Past Due Title II Payments (OIG Report) Dec/7/11
  • Month/Page/Year
  • President’s SSA FY 2011 Budget Request Includes 8% Increase Jan/1/10
  • OMB Fact Sheet- Proposed SSA Budget for FY 2011 Jan/14/10
  • Hearing Assesses Rising Workloads and Customer Service in SSA Field Offices Apr/19/10
  • Bill Introduced to Provide One-Time $250 Payment July/11/10
  • SSI Refugee Extension Ended September 30 Sept/3/10
  • Senators Hold Akron, Ohio Hearing on Disability Backlog Nov/1/10
  • Assault on EAJA begins Feb/1/11
  • Tax Bill Cuts Payroll Tax by 2% for One Year Jan/1/11
  • Hearing Assesses Rising Workloads and Customer Service in SSA Field Offices Feb/10/11
  • SSA’s Appropriation for FY 2011 – When Will It Be Final? Mar/1/11
  • Finding Congressional Bills Online Mar/2/11
  • President Proposes Increase In SSA Budget for FY 2012 Mar/3/11
  • SSA Budget for FY 2011 Is Final – What Will Happen in 2012? Apr/9/11
  • Congress Asks OIG to Review ALJ Workloads and Adherence to SSA Policy in Light of Wall Street Journal Article June/4/11
  • House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee letter to OIG on review of ALJs June/6/11
  • House Holds Hearing on Improving Payment Accuracy June/14/11
  • Oversight Hearing on Role of Social Security ALJs July/1/11
  • One Senator’ Proposal for Significant Changes to the Disability Programs Aug/7/11
  • House Holds Hearings on Social Security and SSI Disability Programs Oct/1/11
  • It’s a New Fiscal Year: What About SSA’s Budget? Oct/11/11
  • House Hearing Addresses Sustainability of Disability Program Dec/1/11
  • Will the Payroll Tax Cut Continue in 2012 Dec/1/11
  • President Proposes Slight Increase for SSA in 2013: Hearing Backlog is Top Priority Feb/4/12
  • House Holds Hearing on How Disability Determinations are Made Mar/1/12
  • Senate Considers Impact of SSA Budget Cuts May/1/12
  • House Hearing on SSA Appeals Process – Witnesses Provide Divergent Opinions June/1/12
  • Senate Committee Requires Report on “Secret ALJ” Policy June/2/12
  • House Hearing on 2012 Social Security Trustees Report June/5/12
  • SSA Budget Issues: Impact on Service Delivery? Aug/13/12
  • House Hearing on Use of Technology in SSI Program Senate “Investigation” Questions Quality of Favorable Aug/15/12
  • ALJ Decisions Sept/1/12
  • Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Minority Staff Report (excerpts) Sept/14/12
  • House Holds Hearing on Direct Deposit of Benefit Payments to Beneficiaries Sept/1/12
  • House Holds Final Hearing in Series on “Security the Future” of SSDI Sept/2/12
  • SSA Budget Situation: Shorter Field Office Hours and Suspension of Statement Mailing Oct/5/12
  • 113th Congress: Committees with Jurisdiction over Social Security and SSI Issues Feb/6/13
  • Is there Too Much Subjectivity in Disability Decisions? House Subcommittee Considers SSA’s Policies Mar/1/13
  • Congressional Hearing Addresses Disability Trust Fund Financing Challenges Mar/6/13
  • Testimony of Kathy Ruffing, CBPP before the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee (Mar. 20, 2013) Apr/3/13
  • NOSSCR Statement for the Record: Hearing on Fair and Consistent Disability Decisions (Mar. 20, 2013) Apr/18/23
  • President Proposes 2014 SSA Budget May/2/13
  • House Hearing on “Bipartisan Entitlement Reform Proposals” May/14/13
  • House Rules for the 114th Congress Create Barriers to Reallocation Jan/1/15
  • 114th Congress Committee Assignments Jan/8/15
  • Congress Holds Hearings on SSDI Feb/1/15
  • Legislative Update Mar/7/15
  • Social Security Discussed in Congressional Hearings June/1/15
  • Social Security Cuts Proposed, Then Removed, From Highway Bill July/1/15
  • House Ways and Means Committee Discusses SSDI Work Incentives July/3/15
  • Recent Reports of Interest: White House on SSDI and SSAB on Single Decision Maker Pilot July/4/15
  • Bill to Merge Social Security Trust Funds Introduced In Congress July/4/15
  • ABLE Act Update July/6/15
  • Federal Register Update: Prototype and Single Decisionmaker
    Tests Extended and Corrections to Childhood Growth
    Impairment Listings
    Aug/9/15
  • Congress Passes Law Extending DI Trust Fund Solvency Through 2022 Oct/1/15
  • No COLA in 2016 – Other 2016 Changes Published Oct/3/15
  • Federal Register Update Oct/5/15
  • Congress Reaches Budget Deal: SSA Administrative Funds Increase
    Slightly, But Service Cuts Loom
    Dec/1/15
  • Senate Finance Committee Considers Nomination of Andrew Eanes
    As SSA Deputy Commissioner
    Feb/1/16
  • President Issues Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Request Feb/1/16
  • House Committee Passes 2017 Budget Resolution  Mar/1/16
  • Nominations for SSA Deputy Commissioner and Public Trustees Move Slowly Through Senate Apr/1/16
  • Senate Hearing Addresses SSA’s Plan to Reduce Hearings Backlog By Using AAJs in Some Cases May/1/16
  • Fiscal Year 2017 SSA Administrative Budget Will Affect Level of Service May/3/16
  • Congress Holds Numerous Hearings on Social Security and Related Topics May/10/16
  • Bills to Time-Limit SSDI Benefits Seem Unlikely to Progress in Congress June/5/16
  • Ways & Means Committee Addresses SSA’s Information Technology July/7/16
  • SSA Administrative Budget Update: Senate More Generous than House, But Neither Chamber’s Appropriation Likely to Come to Fruition July/9/16
  • Update on Implementation of the Bipartisan Budget Act’s SSDI Provisions  Sept/3/16
  • Social Security Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Trust Fund Projections Sept/8/16
  • SSA Inspector General Nominated Nov/10/16
  • Congress Departs After Passing Spending Bill Dec/1/16
  • House Ways and Means Chair Introduces Benefit-Cutting Bill Dec/3/16
  • Trustees’ Confirmation Stalls  Dec/8/16
  • Congressional Update: House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees Announce Subcommittee Leadership and Membership Jan/3/17
  • President Trump’s “Skinny” Budget Proposal Would Lead to More Lean Years at SSA Feb-Mar/1/17
  • Regulations in the Trump Administration and the 115th Congress: The State of Regulatory Reform Feb-Mar/3/17
  • House Ways and Means Committee Membership Changes Feb-Mar/7/17
  • Congress Cancels SSA “NICS” Weapons Reporting Regulation Feb-Mar/7/17
  • Many New Members of Congress Introduce Legislation About Social Security Disability Benefits Apr/1/17
  • Ways and Means Subcommittees Consider Payees and Program Integrity Apr/3/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • How Does SSA Rate for Quality of Consultative Examination Reports? Jan/3/10
  • Practice Tip: Evidence Sent to CEs Jan/7/10
  • Final Rule on Annual Onsite Reviews of CEs June/5/10
  • How Ironic? Evidence from Medical Sources July/10/10
  • Practice Tip: Obtaining Post-Hearing Medical Examinations: How to Make a Difference (Page v. Astrue) Dec/3/10
  • CE Reports and Malingering (OIG Report- Consultative Examinations at the Indiana Disability Determination Bureau, A-05-10-21061 (Mar. 2011) Mar/18/11
  • CE Reports and Work-related Limitations Oc/4/12
  • Practice Tip: Checking Physician Credentials Oct/19/12
  • OIG Report: Quick Response Evaluation Report: Sanctioned Medical Providers and Medical Evidence of Record (Feb. 2013) Feb/8/13
  • Inspector General Report Supports Use of “Symptom Validity Tests” Sept/4/13
  • California Class Action on Disqualified Consultative Examiner Reaches Preliminary Settlement Nov/8/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Becker v. Astrue, 676 F.Supp.2d 813 (S.D. Iowa. 2009) May/20/10
  • OIG Report: Termination of Disability Benefits Following a Continuing Disability Review Cessation Determination (Nov. 2012) Nov/7/12
  • Consideration of CDI Investigation Reports in CDR Hearings Dec/12/12
  • New SSR on Period Considered in CDR Appeal (SSR 13-3p) Feb/5/13
  • Report on Return of beneficiaries ceased due to medical improvement(Soc. Sec. Bull. 2013) July/6/13
  • OIG Report: SSI High-error Profile Redeterminations (Sept. 2013) Oct/13/13
  • Is SSA Obligated to Obtain Prior Files? Jan/1/14
  • The Important Role of the Medical Improvement Review June/1/14
  • Halloran v. Colvin, 964 F.Supp.2d 609 (E.D. La. 2013) June/16/14
  • Medical Improvement: Does the Evidence Support the Finding? July/1/14
  • Practice Tip: Benefits Pending a CDR Appeal Aug/4/14
  • Recent Reports of Interest: SSA’s completion of “program integrity” Workloads Aug/7/14
  • New Report on CDRs Affirms Use of Medical Improvement Standard Jan/1/15
  • New POMS on “Relating Medical Improvement to the Ability to Work” July/5/15
  • Practice Tip: Retaining Copies of Files, by Mark S. Lucas Esq., Phoenix AZ Sept/5/15
  • Letter to the Editor from John L. Harlan re: CDI Investigations Jan/2/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Practice Tip: Credibility “Boilerplate” Warrants Remand: Bjornson v. Astrue, Smith v. Astrue Mar/7/12
  • Practice Tip: Credibility May/7/12
  • AM-12053 Credibility Assessments and use of Social Media May/20/12
  • Goins v. Colvin, 764 F.3d 677 (7th Cir. 2014) Oct/19/14
  • Ghanim v. Colvin, 63 F. 3d 1154 (9th Cir. 2014) Oct/19/14
  • Knight ex re. P.K. v. Colvin, 756 F. 3d 1171 (10th Cir. 2014) Nov/17/14
  • Kunik v. Colvin, 996 F. Supp.2d 751 (N.D. Iowa 2014) Nov/16/14
  • Stewart v. Colvin, 6 F.Supp.3d 1209 (D. Ore. 2014) May/16/15
  • Cottam v. Colvin, 51 F.Supp.3d 1038 (E.D. Wash. 2014) June/15/15
  • Brown-Hunter v. Colvin, 198 F.3d 749 (9th Cir. 2015) Dec/16/15
  • Hill v. Colvin, 807 F.3d 862 (7th Cir. 2015) Mar/17/16
  • Grier v. Colvin, 117 F.Supp.3d 1335 (N.D. Ala. 2015) Mar/19/16
  • Hillygus v. Colvin, 159 F.Supp.3d 936 (S.D. Iowa 2016) Oct/21/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • “Dire Need” Cases: Has SSA Changed Its Policy? Nov/1/10
  • Selected Congressional Bills: Elimination of the 5-month waiting period for terminally ill (S.1311) July/12/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • ALS and Date Last Insured June/4/10
  • Month/Page/Year
  • U.S. Supreme Court Holds That EAJA Fees Are Payable to the Plaintiff (Astrue v. Ratliff) June/1/10
  • Letter to the Editor: Astrue v. Ratliff Leave Open 31 CFR §285.5 issues June/2/10
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Issues Final Changes to Endocrine Disorders Listings – Diabetes is Deleted Apr/1/11
  • Roades v. Astrue, 861 F.Supp.2d 983 (E.D.Mo. 2012) Apr/21/13
  • Vazquez-Rivera v. Commissioner of Social Security, 943 F.Supp.2d 826 (N.D. Ohio, 2013) Mar-Apr/20/14
  • Zettlemoyer ex. rel. P.M.R. v. Astrue, 945 F.Supp.2d 387 (W.D.N.Y 2013) Mar-Apr/20/14
  • SSR 14-2p: Evaluating Diabetes Mellitus June/2/14
  • Quick Bear v. Colvin, 128 F.Supp.3d 1163 (S.D.D. 2015) May/23/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Occupational Information Panel Request Comments May/2/10
  • Is a New SSA Occupational Information System in the Works? Dec/10/10
  • SSA’ Project to Replace the DOT Continues Mar/17/11
  • SSA’s Occupational Information System: An Update May/2/11
  • Law Review Article on Step 5 Analyzes Alternatives to the DOT June/4/11
  • GAO: SSA Can Do More to Modernize Disability Programs (Modernizing SSA Disability Programs: Progress Made, but Key Efforts Warrant More Management Focus (June 2012)) July/11/12
  • What’s Next for a New SSA “Occupational Information System”? Aug/1/12
  • OIS Update: SSA Works with Bureau of Labor Statistics to Develop DOT Replacement Dec/1/12
  • Highlights from the Indianapolis NOSSCR Conference: Updating the DOT and Occupational Information System May/1/14
  • Highlights from the Indianapolis NOSSCR Conference: Updating the DOT and Occupational Information System May/1/14
  • Smith v. Astrue, 961 F.Supp.2d 620 (D.Del. 2013) June/16/14
  • Kemp ex. rel. Kemp v. Colvin, F.3d 630 (8th Cir. 2014) June/17/14
  • Beckers v. Colvin, 38 F. Supp.3d 362 (W.D.N.Y. 2014) Apr/21/15
  • Meloni v. Colvin, 109 F.Supp.3d 734 (M.D. Pa. 2015) Mar/19/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Direct Deposit – Results of NOSSCR Survey Mar/1 & 4-5/10
  • Treasury Department Issues Proposed Regulations Regarding Paper Checks June/1/10
  • Bank “Fact Sheet” for Direct Deposit of Fees Sept/1/10
  • Attorneys’ Fees in Social Security Cases Exempt from Direct Deposit Requirement Jan/4/11
  • Attorneys’ Fees Are Exempt from Direct Deposit Apr/1/12
  • House Holds Hearing on Direct Deposit of Benefit Payments to Beneficiaries Sept/1/12
  • OIG Reports: Direct Deposit Changes Initiated Through Financial Institutions and SSA’s Internet and Automated 800-Number Applications (Dec. 2012); Controls over the Enrollment Process with the Direct Express Debit Card Program (Dec. 2012) Feb/9/13
  • Query: Direct deposit and Multiple Attorney Firms July/2/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Chief ALJ memo re: Evaluation of Single Decision-maker RFC Assessments (note: this memo is later rescinded) June/10/10
  • Chief ALJ Memo on SDMs Rescinded – To Be Reissued Aug/11/10
  • Revised Memo-Chief ALJ Memo on the evaluation of Single Decision-maker RFC Assessments Sept/13/10
  • Single Decision-makers Cannot Provide Opinion Evidence Nov/11/10
  • Update: Single Decision-makers Cannot Provide Opinion Evidence (Nicholson v. Astrue) Feb/6/11
  • SSA Eliminates Decision Review Board – ALJ DSI Rules Remain in Place Apr/3/11
  • Decision Review Board Elimination: What Happens to Pending Court Cases? July/3/11
  • Update on DRB Court Cases: What Caused Sharp Increase in Appeals? Aug/12/11
  • Federal Register Update: Extension of prototypes June/5/12
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Recent Reports of Interest: SSI beneficiaries eligible as DACs (Disabled Individuals Potentially Eligible As Auxiliary Child Beneficiaries (June 2012) June/11/12
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Supreme Court Update: Encarnacion ex rel George petition for certiorari filed (Later denied) Feb/15/10
  • Practice Tip: Assessing Functional Equivalence in SSI Childhood Disability Cases (A.H. by Tarissa Williams v. Astrue) July/10/11
  • House Holds Hearings on Social Security and SSI Disability Programs Oct/1/11
  • GAO Finds Small Changes Could Improve the SSI Disability Program June/9/12
  • SSI Childhood Disability : “Just the Facts” (Reports from CBPP and NASI) Dec/14/12
  • OIG Report: Overall Processing Times for 2010 Childhood Supplemental Security Income Claims (Feb. 2013) Feb/9/13
  • M.G. v. Commissioner of Social Security, 861 F.Supp.2d 846 (E.D.Mich. 2012) Mar/20/13
  • Selected Congressional Bills: Allowing military families to secure SSI and Medicaid benefits for disabled children (S.1076 and HR 2249) July/12/13
  • Zettlemoyer ex. rel. P.M.R. v. Astrue, 945 F.Supp.2d 387 (W.D.N.Y 2013) Mar-Apr/21/14
  • Sepulveda ex. rel. A.S. v. Colvin, 964 F.Supp.2d 228 (N.D.N.Y. 2013) June/16/14
  • Coleman ex. rel. J.C. v. Colvin, 981 F.Supp.2d 749 (N.D. Ill. 2013) Aug/16/14
  • Knight ex re. P.K. v. Colvin, 756 F. 3d 1171 (10th Cir. 2014) Nov/17/14
  • Federal Register Update: PROMISE Evaluation Jan/10/15
  • Myers ex rel. C.N. v. Astrue, 993 F. Supp.2d 156 (N.D.N.Y. 2012) Jan/25/15
  • St. Louis ex rel. D.H. v. Commissioner of Social Security, 928 F. Supp.3d 142 (N.D.N.Y. 2014) Apr/20/15
  • Little v. Colvin, 997 F.Supp.2d (D.D.C. 2013)  Sept/16/15
  • Speaker of the House Unveils Plan that Would End Child SSI Benefits June/3/16
  • SSA’s New Pilot for Foster Children June/8/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Chief ALJ Memo re: Hearing Dismissals – reminder (9/29/10) Oct/12/10 Are Hearing Requests Improperly Dismissed? OIG Finds Improvement Needed Jan/7/11
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Federal Register Update: Proposed change to listings on Multiple Body Systems for non-mosaic Down syndrome Oct/10/11
  • Final rule on Congenital Disorders (multiple body system) listing Feb/4/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • EAJA Fees Post-Ratliff (Includes sample assignment) July/1/10
  • Letter to Commissioner Astrue re: Treasury Offset Program Feb/14/11
  • Federal Register Update: Tax Refund Offset and Administrative Offset Mar/14/11
  • Practice Tip: Ascertaining Federal Debt Status June/5/11
  • Supreme Court Update: Ratliff v. Astrue oral argument held Feb/3/10
  • U.S. Supreme Court Holds That EAJA Fees Are Payable to the Plaintiff (Astrue v. Ratliff) June/1/10
  • Letter to the Editor: Astrue v. Ratliff Leave Open 31 CFR §285.5 issues June/2/10
  • Astrue v. Ratliff, 560 U.S. ___ (June 14, 2010) June/16/10
  • EAJA Fees Post-Ratliff (includes sample assignment) July/1/10
  • Rice v. Astrue, 609 F.3d 831 (5th Cir. 2010) Sept/20/10
  • Letter to the Editor: SSA contact for EAJA fee payments Nov/2/10
  • Sergenton v. Astrue, 714 F.Supp.2d 412 (E.D.N.Y. 2010) Dec/16/10
  • Assault on EAJA begins Feb/1/11
  • EAJA Update Apr/1/11
  • U.S. Supreme Court Update: Hardisty v. Astrue, 592 F.3d 1072 (9th Cir. 2010) petition for cert filed (later denied) Apr/25/11
  • Murkeldove v. Astrue, 635 F.3d 784 (5th Cir. 2011) May/18/11
  • Practice Tip: Ascertaining Federal Debt Status June/5/11
  • EAJA Survey Results July/12/11
  • Turner v. Commissioner, 680 F.3d 721 (6th Cir. 2012) Aug/21/12
  • Smith v. Astrue, 843 F.Supp.2d 486 (D.Del. 2012) Mar/21/13
  • Cox v. Astrue, 917 F.Supp.2d 659 (E.D.Ky. 2013) Nov/24/13
  • Oliver v. Comm’r of SSA, 916 F.Supp.2d 834 (S.D.Ohio 2013) Nov/24/13
  • Gunther v. Commissioner of Social Security, 943 F.Supp.2d 797 (N.D.Ohio 2013) May/21/14
  • Steele v. Commissioner of Social Security,989 F.Supp.2d 686 (S.D.Ohio 2013) Aug/16/14
  • Bass v. Colvin, 120 F.Supp.3d 697 (N.D.Ohio 2015) July/17/16
  • Minor v. Com’r of Social Sec., 826 F.3d 878 (6th Cir. 2016) Jan/34/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Earnings Record Information Now in Electronic Folder Apr/5/10
  • Time Limits for Correcting My Earnings Record Sept/5/10
  • Practice Tip: Earnings Records on CD Nov/2/10
  • SSA Resumes Social Security Statement May/3/12
  • SSA Budget Situation: Shorter Field Office Hours and Suspension of Statement Mailing Oct/5/12
  • SSA Announces Two Significant Field Office Service Cuts Dec/1/13
  • Federal Register Update: Fees for Nonprogram-Related, Requests for Detailed Social Security Earnings Nov/17/14
  • Updated POMS on When Earned Income is Considered to be Earned Oct/4/16
  • When the IRS Says Yes, SSA Can Still Say No to Late Earnings Report Oct/6/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Earnings record Information Now in Electronic Folder Apr/5/10
  • Chief Judge Bulletin re: Providing Copy of Electronic Folder to Representatives (8/07) May/5/10
  • Update: Registration for efolder Access July/2/10
  • Focus: Electronic Submission of Evidence: Is It In the Record? Aug/4/10
  • How to Register for Online Access to Electronic Folders Nov/1/10
  • Practice Tip: Earnings Records on CD Nov/2/10
  • Survey Results: SSA’s Online Access Feb/8/11
  • Instructions for Submitting Evidence by Electronic Records Express Mar/4/11
  • NOSSCR Members Respond to Survey on ERE Mar/6/11
  • Online Access to Folders at Appeals Council June/1/11
  • Congressional Response Report: Applicant Experience with DI Benefits iClaim Applications, No. A-07-10-20176 (June 2011) June/11/11
  • What is the Status of Electronic Services for Representatives? OIG Report: Electronic Services for Claimant Representatives. (Aug. 2011) Aug/1/11
  • Federal Register Update: Public Authentication Process Aug/6/11
  • Electronic Services Use Required for Fee Withholding Sept/2/11
  • Electronic Services for Claimant Representatives – Excerpts from SSA Inspector General Report (Aug/ 2011) Oct/12/11
  • Electronic SSA-827 Form Starts on Limited Basis Apr/7/12
  • Update: Requirement to File Appeals Online May/1/12
  • New POMS on Electronic Filing Mandate(GN 03970.010, .017) Aug/4/13
  • OIG Report: Cost Savings Planned and Achieved Through the SSA’s IT Development Initiatives (Oct. 2013) Oct/13/13
  • Representing Claimants in the Electronic Environment: Is Paper Still Applicable? Nov/1/13
  • Online Appeals for Non-Medical and Non-Disability Issues Now Available Jan/3/17
  • Emergency Message Explains Online SSI Application and its Limitations Feb-Mar/13/17
  • SSA Issues Revised Emergency Message 17008 Apr/13/17
  • Barcode-less ERE Submission Guide Apr/14/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Issues Final Changes to Endocrine Disorders Listings – Diabetes is Deleted Apr/1/11
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Practice Tip: Requests for Decision in Federal Court Cases Mar/3/16
  • Practice Tip: Objections to Magistrate Yield Award of Benefits Mar/11/16
  • New Addresses for Service of Process in Federal Court Cases Feb-Mar/13/17
  • How Will Justice Gorsuch Affect Social Security Jurisprudence? Apr/5/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Focus: Haynes v. Astrue, M.D. Fla, Jan 12, 2010 Feb/6/10
  • Galligan v. Astrue, 656 F.Supp.2d 1067 (D.Ariz. 2009) Mar/28/10
  • Stone v. Astrue, 804 F.Supp.2d 975 (D.Ariz. 2011) Feb/41/12
  • Social Security Ruling on Fibromyalgia Issued (SSR 12-2) July/1/12
  • Griffies v. Astrue, 855 F.Supp.2d 257 (D.Del. 2012) Jan/28/13
  • Sublette v. Astrue, 856 F.Supp.2d 614 (W.D.N.Y. 2012) Mar/21/13
  • Suess v. Colvin, 945 F.Supp.2d 920 (N.D. Ill., 2013) Mar-Apr./20/14
  • Tully v. Colvin, 943 F.Supp.2d 1157 (E.D. Wash. 2013) May/21/14
  • Yates v. Colvin, 959 F.Supp.2d 233 (N.D.N.Y. 2013) Sept/15/14
  • Williams v. Colvin, 757 F.3d 610 (7th Cir. 2014) Oct/18/14
  • Casselbury v. Colvin, 90 F. Supp.3d 81 (W.D.N.Y. 2015) Dec/21/15
  • Miller v. Colvin, 114 F.Supp.3d 741 (D.S.D. 2015) Apr/15/16
  • Hampton v. Colvin, 149 F.Supp.3d 1279 (W.D.Wash. 2016) Sept/17/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Letter to the Editor: Past relevant work performed prior to adjudication (Naegele v. Barnhart) Aug/3/10
  • Berry v. Astrue, 622 F.3d 1228 (9th Cir. 2010) Dec/16/10
  • Proposed Rule Allows SSA to Skip Step 4 if “Insufficient Evidence” of Past Work Sept/1/11
  • Gunther v. Commissioner of Social Security, 804 F.Supp.2d 1079 (D.Ore. 2011) Mar/29/12
  • Final Rule Allows SSA to Skip Step 4 if “Insufficient Evidence” of Past Work July/1/12
  • Accommodating an Accommodation Argument Nov/3/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • NOSSCR Survey – Continuing Disability Investigations (CDIs) Aug/23/10
  • AM-12053 Credibility Assessments and use of Social Media May/20/12
  • Consideration of CDI Investigation Reports in CDR Hearings Dec/12/12
  • OIG Report: Individuals hiding Self-Employment Income to Receive Disability Insurance Benefits (Jan 2013) Feb/9/13
  • House Holds hearing on Alleged SSDI Fraud in Puerto Rico Sept/3/13
  • Washington DC Update: Congress Addresses Alleged New York Fraud Scheme and UI-SSDI offset Jan/1/14
  • Congressional Hearing on “Fighting Disability Fraud” “Fraud and Error Prevention” Bill Introduced Feb/1/14
  • New Anti-Fraud Bill Introduced by Chairman of House Social Security Subcommittee July/4/14
  • Recent Reports of Interest [Program integrity workloads] Aug/7/14
  • OIG Special Report on Detecting and Preventing Fraud Sept/1/14
  • Social Security Discussed in Congressional Hearings June/1/15
  • Does a CDI Unit Report Support Discounting a Treating Source Opinion? Nov/1/15
  • The Proliferation of Evidence from Cooperative Disability Investigation
    (“CDI”) Units in Federal Cases
    Dec/1/15
  • SSA Clarifies Procedure for Cooperative Disability Investigation Evidence Sept/4/16
  • District Court Rules that Conn Redetermination Hearings Violate Beneficiaries’ Due Process Rights, But Remand Currently Stayed Nov/4/16
  • Ways and Means Subcommittees Consider Payees and Program Integrity Apr/3/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • FOIA and the Secret ALJ Policy June/1/12
  • Filing a FOIA Request on the Secret ALJ Policy Nov/1/12
  • Secret ALJ Litigation Update Dec/1/12
  • Secret ALJ Policy Update: File a FOIA Request Jan/1/13
  • Learn the Name of Your ALJ by Filing a FOIA Request Feb/1/13
  • The Secret ALJ Policy Comes to an End Mar/1/13
  • Secret ALJ Litigation Update Mar/23/13
  • Federal Register Update: Fees for Nonprogram-Related Requests for Detailed Social Security Earnings Nov/17/14
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSI Beneficiaries May be Eligible for VA Benefits: OIG Report (Supplemental Security Income Recipients Eligible for Veterans Benefits (Jan. 2010) Jan/2/10
  • SSA Inspector General Reports Address ODAR Issues (ALJ productivity; ODAR Staffing) Jan/5/10
  • GAO Reviews ALJ Hiring Process (Office of Personnel Management Should Review ALJ Program to Improve Hiring and Performance Management, GAO-10-14 (Jan. 2010) Jan/9/10
  • How Does Your ODAR Hearing Office Rate on Staffing (Hearing Office Performance and Staffing, Audit Report (Feb. 2010) Mar/7/10
  • OIG Finds Alabama DDS Allowance Rate “Goal” Creates Perception of Pressure to Allow Claims (Alabama Disability Determination Service’s Business Process for Adjudicating Disability Claims, Feb 2010) Mar/14/10
  • OIG Report: Why Do ALJs Allow More Cases Than the DDSs for Certain Impairments? (Disability Impairments on Cases Most Frequently Denied by Disability Determination Services and Subsequently Allowed by Administrative Law Judges, No. A-07-09-19083 (Aug. 2010) Aug/1/10
  • Quality of ODAR Decisions: The Inspector General Reports: ODAR Decision-Writing Process, Audit Report A-02-09-19068 (Nov. 2010) Nov/7/10
  • Reports Address Future Fiscal Implications for Disability Program (Congressional Budget Office, SSDI: Participation Trends and Their Fiscal Implications (7/22/10); GAO, Social Security Reform: Raising the Retirement Ages Would Have Implications for Older Workers and SSD Disability Rolls, GAO-11-125 (11/2010) Nov/10/10
  • Are Hearing Requests Improperly Dismissed? OIG Finds Improvement Needed (Evaluation Report: ODAR Hearing Request Dismissals, No. A-07-10-20171 (Dec. 2010) Jan/7/11
  • ODAR’s First In/First Out (FIFO) Procedure – How Often Is It Applied? (Congressional Response Report: Office of Disability Adjudication and Review’s Scheduling Procedures for Hearings, A-12-10-20169 (Fen. 2011) Mar/15/11
  • CE Reports and Malingering (OIG Report: Consultative Examinations at the Indiana Disability Determination Bureau, A-05-10-21061 (Mar. 2011) Mar/18/11
  • SSA’s Response to State Furloughs of DDS Workers (OIG Report: The SSA’s Response to State Furloughs Impacting Its Disability Programs, A-01-11-11116 (Mar. 2011) Mar/18/11
  • Application of the Workers’ Compensation Offset (OIG Report: Accuracy of FY 2009 Title II Disability Insurance Benefit Payments Involving Workers’ Compensation Offsets, A-04-10-11-14 (Feb. 2011) Mar/19/11
  • Underpaid Disabled Widow(er)s, OIG Report Feb 2011 Mar/19/11
  • Inspector General Issues Report on Video Hearings (Use of Video Hearings to Reduce the Hearing Case Backlog, No. A-05-08-18070 (April 2011)) Apr/6/11
  • Inspector General Issues Report on Video Hearings (Use of Video Hearings to Reduce the Hearing Case Backlog, No. A-05-08-18070 (April 2011)) Apr/6/11
  • OIG Report – SSA’s Strategy for Reducing Initial Claims Backlog June/15/11
  • OIG Report- Failure to Cooperate Denials and Initial Claims Backlog at the California DDS June/15/11
  • Implementation of eCAT –Quick Response Evaluation: The Effects of the Electronic Claims Analysis Tool, No. A-01-11-21193 (July 2011) July/11/11
  • Congressional Response Report: Applicant Experience with DI Benefits iClaim Applications, No. A-07-10-20176 (June 2011) July/11/11
  • Disability Insurance and SSI Claims Allowed But Not Paid, Audit Report No. A-01-10-10177 (June 2011) July/11/11
  • Social Security Disability: Ticket to Work Participation Has Increased but Additional Oversight Needed, Report No. GAO-11-324 (May 6, 2011) July/11/11
  • OIG Report: Electronic Services for Claimant Representatives. No. A-05-01124 (Aug. 2011) Aug/1/11
  • OIG Report – Senior Attorney Adjudicator Program, Audit No. A-12-10-11018 (July 2011) Aug/4/11
  • OIG Report – Representative Video Project, Audit No. A-05-09-19101 (Aug 2011) Aug/4/11
  • OIG Report- Congressional Response Report: The Social Security Administration’s Customer Service Delivery Plan, Audit No. A-07-11-01125 (July 2011) Aug/4/11
  • GAO Report – Disability Insurance: SSA Can Improve Efforts to Detect, Prevent, and Recover Overpayments, GAO-11-724 (July 2011) Aug/4/11
  • GAO Report: Incapacitated Adults: Oversight to Federal Fiduciaries and Court-Appointed Guardians Needs Improvement, GAO-11-678 (July 2011) Aug/5/11
  • Electronic Services for Claimant Representatives – Excerpts from SSA Inspector General Report (Aug/ 2011) Oct/12/11
  • SSI Windfall Offset Problems Delay Past Due Title II Payments OIG Report – Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Benefits Withheld Pending SSI Windfall Offset, A-09-11-11130 (Nov. 2011)) Dec/7/11Inspector General Reports on SSA’s Oversight of ALJs (Congressional Response Report: Oversight of ALJ Workload Trends , Feb. 2012) Feb/1/12
  • Representative Payees – Beneficiaries in Suspended Payment Status Pending the Selection of a Representative Payee, No. A-09-10-11065 (Feb. 2012) Feb/21/12
  • Unnecessary medical determinations for SSI claims – Unnecessary Medical Determinations for SSI Disability Claims, No. A-01-10-20120 (Feb. 2012) Feb/21/12
  • SSI in excess of federal limits – SSI Recipients Receiving Social Security Administered Payments in Excess of Federal Limits, No. A-06-10-21066 (Feb. 2012) Feb/21/12
  • Inspector General Issues Reports on ALJs(Congressional Response Report: Oversight of ALJ Workload Trends , Feb. 2012; SSA’s Review of ALJ Decisions (Mar. 2012); Congressional Response Report: Oversight of the Year-end Hearings Process (Mar. 2012)) Mar/1/12
  • OIG Report on National Hearing Centers: The Role of National Hearing Centers in Reducing the Hearings Backlog(Apr. 2012) Apr/12/12
  • OIG recommends Ways to Expand Video Hearings ( Current and Expanded Use of Video Hearings (June 2012)) June/1/12
  • GAO Finds Small Changes Could Improve the SSI Disability Program June/9/12
  • How Often to ALJs Use VEs? OIG Finds Wide Variation (Availability and Use of Vocational Experts May 2012) June/10/12
  • Recent Reports of Interest: SSI beneficiaries eligible as DACs; Misuse of benefits by representative payees, Disability decision disagreements, SSI marriage reports, Older workers and unemployment, SSA technology modernization June/11/12
  • GAO: SSA Can Do More to Modernize Disability Programs (Modernizing SSA Disability Programs: Progress Made, but Key Efforts Warrant More Management Focus (June 2012)) July/11/12
  • Inspector General Questions SSI Payments to Multi-Beneficiary Households (Management Advisory Report: SSI, Payments to Multi-recipient Households (Aug 2012)) Aug/7/12
  • OIG Report (Significance of Administrative Finality in the Social Security Administrations’ Programs (July 2012)_ Aug/17/12
  • OIG Report: The Social Security Administration’s Selection Process for Quick Disability Determinations (July 2012) Aug/17/12
  • Are Claimants’ Representatives to Blame for Delay in Scheduling Hearing? The Inspector General Reports Sept/13/12
  • OIG Report: Claimant Representative Fees Paid But Not Withheld from Title II Past-Due Benefits (Oct. 2012) Oct/20/12
  • GAO Report: Income Security: Overlapping Disability and Unemployment Benefits Should Be Evaluated for Potential Savings (July 2012) Oct/20/12
  • OIG Report: Disabled Individuals with Mental Impairments in Need of a Representative Payee (Sept. 2012) Oct/21/12
  • OIG Report: SSI Recipients with Automated Teller Machine Withdrawals Outside the United States (Sept. 2012) Oct/21/12
  • OIG Report: Summary of Beneficiaries Incorrectly Identified as Prisoners (Oct. 2012) Oct/21/12
  • OIG Report: Termination of Disability Benefits Following a Continuing Disability Review Cessation Determination (Nov. 2012) Nov/7/12
  • OIG Report: SSI Applicants with Earnings Received After Their Disability Onset Dates and Before Favorable Hearing Decisions (Oct. 2012) Nov/7/12
  • OIG Report: Fiscal Year 2012 Inspector General Statement on SSA’s Major Management and Performance Challenges (Nov. 2012) Nov/7/12
  • OIG Report: Controls Over Payments Made to Claimant Representatives at the Hearings Level (Dec. 2012) Dec/3/12
  • Congressional Budget Office Report: Supplemental Security Income: An Overview (Dec. 2012) Dec/9/12
  • GAO Report: SSI: SSA Has Taken Steps to Prevent and Detect Overpayments, but Additional Actions Could Be Taken to Improve Oversight (Dec. 2012) Dec/9/12
  • OIG Report: Training and Development of Hearing Office Group Supervisors (Dec. 2012) Dec/9/12
  • OIG Report: Accumulated Funds Payable to Beneficiaries or Their Representative Payees (Dec. 2012) Dec/9/12
  • OIG Report: Identifying and Monitoring Risk Factors at Hearing Offices (Jan. 2013) Feb/8/13
  • OIG Report: Quick Response Evaluation Report: Sanctioned Medical Providers and Medical Evidence of Record (Feb. 2013) Feb/8/13
  • OIG Report: Grants to the Disability Research Consortium. Congressional Response Report: The Social Security Administration’s Disability Research Consortium (Feb. 2013) Feb/8/13
  • OIG Report: Access to SSA Data at the Disability Determination Services (Jan. 2013) Feb/8/13
  • OIG Report: Usefulness of Department of Homeland Security Travel Data to Identify Supplemental Security Income Recipients Who Are Outside the United States (Feb. 2013) Feb/9/13
  • OIG Report: SSA’s Development of Earnings Alerts for SSI Recipients (Dec. 2012) Feb/9/13
  • OIG Report: Individuals hiding Self-Employment Income to Receive Disability Insurance Benefits (Jan 2013) Feb/9/13
  • OIG Report: Overall Processing Times for 2010 Childhood Supplemental Security Income Claims (Feb. 2013) Feb/9/13
  • OIG Reports: Direct Deposit Changes Initiated Through Financial Institutions and SSA’s Internet and Automated 800-Number Applications (Dec. 2012); Controls over the Enrollment Process with the Direct Express Debit Card Program (Dec. 2012) Feb/9/13
  • OIG Report: Interagency Agreements with the Office of Personnel Management for ALJ Services Feb/15/13
  • OIG Report: Are Cases Properly Rotated in Hearing Offices Mar/5/13
  • OIG Report: ALJ/Public Alleged Misconduct Complaints System (7/ 2013) July/3/13
  • OIG Report: Effects of the Senior Attorney Adjudicator Program on Hearing workloads: Audit report No. A-12-13-23002 (June 2013) July/8/13
  • OIG Report: Impact of Increases in State Unemployment Rates on the Social Security Administration’s Disability Programs: Evaluation Report (July 2013) July/8/13
  • OIG report: Single Decisionmaker Model – Authority to Make Certain disability Determinations Without a Medical Consultant’s Signature (Aug. 2013) Aug/12/13
  • OIG Report: Child Support and the Supplemental Security Income Program (July 2013) Aug/12/13
  • OIG Report: Employers Who Report Wages with Significant Errors in the employee Name and Social Security Number (Aug. 2013) Aug/13/13
  • GAO May Overestimate 0.5% SSDI “Improper” Payment Rate Due to Factors Not Analyzed Sept/1/13
  • Inspector General Report Supports Use of “Symptom Validity Tests” Sept/4/13
  • OIG Report: Sensitive Information at SSA offices (Oct 2013) Oct/13/13
  • OIG Report: SDW Payments made to Incarcerated beneficiaries(Oct. 2013) Oct/13/13
  • OIG Report: SSI High-error Profile Redeterminations (Sept. 2013) Oct/13/13
  • OIG Report: Cost Savings Planned and Achieved Through the SSA’s IT Development Initiatives (Oct. 2013) Oct/13/13
  • OIG Report: Disabled Individuals with Mental Impairments Acting as Representative Payees (Sept. 2013) Oct/13/13
  • Inspector General Ranks Hearing Offices on “Key Risk Factors” Jan/3/14
  • Recent Inspector General Reports [Appeals Council workloads; Claimant representatives at the State Agency level] Jan/3/14
  • Recent Inspector General Reports [Appeals Council workloads; Claimant representatives at the State Agency level] Mar-April/6/14
  • Recent Inspector General Reports on CDRs June/1/14
  • Recent OIG Reports of Interest [Appellate results of denials by low-allowance ALJs; Completeness of disability claims files] July/19/14
  • Recent Reports of Interest [Program integrity workloads; Reduction in field office hours; Veterans receiving SSDI with 100% VA disability rating] Aug/7/14
  • OIG Special Report on Detecting and Preventing Fraud Sept/1/14
  • OIG Report on Fee Petition Payments: SSA Can Improve the Process Oct/16/14
  • High Allowance Rate ALJs and Low Allowance Rate ALJs: Reason for Concern? Nov/1/14
  • National Ranking Report by Average Processing Time May/10/15
  • Recent Reports of Interest: Disabled beneficiaries eligible for higher
    Retirement benefits
    May/13/15
  • Recent Reports of Interest: Processing times at state agencies May/13/15
  • New Report on Psychological Testing and Symptom Validity Tests May/15/15
  • Office of Inspector General Report Finds Overpayments Rare June/3/15
  • Fees withheld in SSI cases not always accurate June/9/15
  • What is the Prognosis for the Disability Insurance Trust Fund? The
    2015 Social Security Trustees Report
    July/1/15
  • Inspector General Report on Fee Payments to Representatives July/1/15
  • Level of Claimant Allowance Associated with Direct Payments July/9/15
  • Inspector General Reports on Treatment Noncompliance Aug/4/15
  • Inspector General Report on Effort to Eliminate the Hearings Backlog Sept/3/15
  • SSI and SSDI Allowance Rates, Initial and Recon, FY 2013, 2014, 2015 Oct/12/15
  • Why Are Non-Medical Denials Increasing? Dec/4/15
  • GAO Starts Study on SSA Services May/3/16
  • Office of Inspector General Releases Report on First Half of FY 2016 July/7/16
  • Recent Office of Inspector General Reports Aug/4/16
  • GAO Report Addresses Households with Multiple SSI Recipients Sept/12/16
  • Office of Inspector General Studies Appeals Council Remand Rates Feb-Mar/10/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Proposed Limits on Garnishments of Accounts April/3/10
  • Lang v. Social Security Administration, 612 F.3d 960 (8th Cir. 2010) Oct/20/10
  • SSA Issues Interim Final Rules on Creditor Garnishments from Benefits Feb/1/11
  • Letter to the Editor Re: Administrative wage garnishment May/3/12
  • SSA Issues Final Rules on Creditor Garnishments from Benefits May/4/13
  • Sykes v. Bank of America, 723 F.3d 39 (2nd Cir. 2103) Nov/24/13
  • Practice Tip: Benefits Pending a CDR Appeal Aug/4/14
  • Federal Student Loan Debt Discharge for Disability Sept/3/14
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Fed. Reg. Update: Use of genetic information in documenting and evaluating disability Nov/8/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Proposed rule to revise Genitourinary Disorders listing Feb/4/13
  • Extension of expiration dates for Genitourinary Impairments and Hematological Disorders Sept/5/13
  • Final Rule Revises Genitourinary Disorders Listings Oct/7/14
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Perkins v. Colvin, 45 F. Supp.3d 1137 (D. Ariz. 2014) Apr/20/15
  • Chaparro v. Colvin, 156 F.Supp.3d 517 (S.D.N.Y. 2016) Sept/17/16
  • Rowe v. Colvin, 166 F.Supp.3d 234 (N.D.N.Y. 2016) Apr/18/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Proposed Change to Growth Disorders Listing May/15/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Revises “Opening Statement” HALLEX (I-2-6-52) Apr/7/11
  • HALLEX I-2-6-52 (revised 4/18/11) Apr/26/11
  • U.S. Supreme Court Update: Lockwood v. Commissioner of SSA, 616 F.3d 1068 (9th Cir. 2010) petition for cert filed (later denied) Apr/25/11
  • Recent HALLEX Revisions July/7/11
  • Revised HALLEX on Subpoenas Oct/5/16
  • SSA Issues Guidance on Bench Decisions Jan/4/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Focus: Migraines (Moore v. Astrue) June/6/10
  • Shauger v. Astrue, 675 F.3d 690 (7th Cir. 2012) June/21/12
  • Schultz v. Astrue, 849 F.Supp.2d 1049 (W.D.Wash. 2011) Nov/13/12
  • Comstock v. Astrue, 923 F.Supp.2d 1142 (N.D.Iowa 2013) Nov/24/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Information on Health Reform Law Mar/2/10
  • Health Care Reform: What Does It Mean for Disability Claimants and Beneficiaries? Apr/4/10
  • Health Insurance for Pre-Existing Conditions June/5/11
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Extension of expiration dates for Genitourinary Impairments and Hematological Disorders Sept/5/13
  • SSA Proposes Changes to Hematological Disorders Listings Nov/1/13
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Final Rule on Hearing Loss Listing June/5/10
  • Federal register update: ANPRM on Hearing Loss and Disturbances in Labyrinthine-Vestibular Function Sept/5/13
  • Brown v. Colvin, 825 F.3d 936 (8th Cir. 2016) Oct/21/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Inspector General Reports Address ODAR Issues (ALJ productivity; ODAR Staffing) Jan/5/10
  • GAO Reviews ALJ Hiring Process (Office of Personnel Management Should Review ALJ Program to Improve Hiring and Performance Management, GAO-10-14 (Jan. 2010) Jan/9/10
  • National Ranking Report: Average Processing Time By Hearing Office and Region 12/25/10 Jan/10/10
  • National Ranking Report, Average Processing Time by Hearing Office and Region 2/18/10 Feb/8/10
  • How Does Your ODAR Hearing Office Rate on Staffing (Hearing Office Performance and Staffing, Audit Report (Feb. 2010) Mar/7/10
  • Hearings Held By Hearing Office: FY 2010 through 1/29/10 Mar/15/10
  • Practice Tip: Video Hearings and Remands Apr/5/10
  • Reprint of CALJ Reminder: Claimants Right of Refusal to Appear By VTC at Place of Hearing Apr/12/10
  • ODAR Update: Hearing Receipts Continue to Climb May/1/10
  • ODAR Processing Times – April 2010 May/10/10
  • New ODAR Positions June/5/10
  • Correction: New ODAR Positions July/23/10
  • Caseload Analysis Report, National ODAR Workload and Performance Summary June/11/10
  • ODAR Processing Tomes (by hearing office) – May 2010 June/12/10
  • Hearing Requests Filed Continues to Rise June/17/10
  • SSA- Not ALJ- Now Allowed to Schedule Hearings in “Rare Instances” July/1/10
  • Federal Register Update: Review of certain determinations and decisions July/5/10
  • Latest ODAR Numbers: What Do They Tell Us? Aug/1/10
  • National Hearing Center – Directory Aug/8/10
  • Chicago NOSSCR Conference- Report on Efforts to reduce hearing Backlog, including Senior Attorneys in local hearing offices Sept/1/10
  • Fiscal Year 2010 Ends: Where Does ODAR Stand? Oct/1/10
  • Quality of ODAR Decisions: The Inspector General Reports Nov/7/10
  • ALJ Disposition Data on SSA Website Jan/2/11
  • Federal Register Update: New Security Regulations for Hearing Offices Mar/14/11
  • Federal Register Update: Attorney Advisor Program Extended Mar/14/11
  • ODAR’s First In/First Out (FIFO) Procedure – How Often Is It Applied? (Congressional Response Report: Office of Disability Adjudication and Review’s Scheduling Procedures for Hearings, A-12-10-20169 (Fen. 2011) Mar/15/11
  • ODAR’s First In/First Out (FIFO) Procedure – How Often Is It Applied? (Congressional Response Report: Office of Disability Adjudication and Review’s Scheduling Procedures for Hearings, A-12-10-20169 (Fen. 2011) Mar/15/11
  • New Office Openings FY 2009 or later (as of March 9, 2011) Mar/22/11
  • The Right to Decline Video Hearings Apr/1/11
  • Inspector General Issues Report on Video Hearings (Use of Video Hearings to Reduce the Hearing Case Backlog, No. A-05-08-18070 (April 2011)) Apr/6/11
  • SSA Revises “Opening Statement” HALLEX (I-2-6-52) Apr/7/11
  • HALLEX I-2-6-52 (revised 4/18/11) Apr/26/11
  • Video Hearings and Credibility Findings: A Basis for Remand? Kirby v. Astrue, Holliday v. Astrue May/3/11
  • Budget Cuts Force SSA to Close Temporary Report Hearing Sites June/1/11
  • Budget Cuts Force SSA to Close Temporary Report Hearing Sites June/1/11
  • Recent HALLEX Revisions (I-2-3-10 – scheduling Hearings) July/7/11
  • OIG Report – Senior Attorney Adjudicator Program, Audit No. A-12-10-11018 (July 2011) Aug/4/11
  • OIG Report – Representative Video Project, Audit No. A-05-09-19101 (Aug 2011) Aug/4/11
  • ODAR Updates Hearing Level and Appeals Council at San Antonio NOSSCR Conference Oct/1/11
  • Federal Register Update: Review of certain determinations and decisions Oct/10/11
  • FOCUS: Do the Regulations Allow ME Testimony by Telephone? The Courts Weigh In (Edwards v. Astrue, Morlando v. Astrue, Ainsworth v. Astrue, Porter v. Barnhart) Nov/1/11
  • ODAR Policy Change Removes ALJ’s Identity from Hearing Notice Dec/1/11
  • NOSSCR letter to Commissioner Astrue and ODAR Deputy Commissioner re: new ODAR policy on ALJ identity Dec/3/11
  • Update: “ALJ Name Removal Policy” Jan/1/12
  • Requesting Direct Fee Payment? Electronic Filing Now Required in Appeals for Reconsideration or for Hearing Jan/1/12
  • President’s Message: ALJ Name Removal Policy Jan/2/12
  • National Ranking Report. ODAR Office By Average Processing Time Jan/26/12
  • Correction: Electronic Appeals Requirement Includes Disability Report- Appeal (Form i3441) Feb/2/12
  • Letter to the Editor: ME telephone testimony Feb/2/12
  • President Proposes Slight Increase for SSA in 2013: Hearing Backlog is Top Priority Feb/4/12
  • Federal Register Update: Security regulations for hearing offices Feb/9/12
  • Federal Register Update- Information collection: Claimant’s recent medical treatment Feb/10/12
  • President’s Message Mar/2/12
  • ALJ Allowance Decision Rates – FY 2010 Mar/26/12
  • Practice Tip: Rule of Three for Hearing-Level Practice Apr/11/12
  • OIG Report on National Hearing Centers (Apr. 2012) Apr/12/12
  • Hearing Office Average Processing Time Ranking Report (10/2011-3/2012) Apr/14/12
  • Update: Requirement to File Appeals Online May/1/12
  • Procedures for Handling Request for Recordings in non-proprietary format, Memo from Executive Director OAO (Feb. 2012) May/94/12
  • FOIA and the Secret ALJ Policy June/1/12
  • Senate Committee Requires Report on “Secret ALJ” Policy June/2/12
  • ODAR Pilots Online Hearing Scheduling July/3/12
  • New ALJs Hired Aug/2/12
  • National Ranking Report by Average Processing Time (7/27/12) Aug/18/12
  • Hearing Preparation Checklist Sept/1/12
  • ODAR Workload and Performance Summary, National, ending 9/28/12 Oct/11/12
  • National Ranking Report by Average Processing Time (9/28/12) Oct/12/12
  • Filing a FOIA Request on the Secret ALJ Policy Nov/1/12
  • Secret ALJ Litigation Update Dec/1/12
  • Improve Oversight (Dec. 2012) Dec/9/12
  • OIG Report: Training and Development of Hearing Office Group Supervisors (Dec. 2012) Dec/9/12
  • Secret ALJ Policy Update: File a FOIA Request Jan/1/13
  • Learn the Name of Your ALJ by Filing a FOIA Request Feb/1/13
  • OIG Report: Identifying and Monitoring Risk Factors at Hearing Offices (Jan. 2013) Feb/8/13
  • The Secret ALJ Policy Comes to an End Mar/1/13
  • National Ranking Report: Average Processing Time By Hearing Office and Region 2/22/2013 Feb/18/13
  • The Secret ALJ Policy Comes to an End Mar/1/13
  • Are Cases Properly Rotated in Hearing Offices Mar/5/13
  • Secret ALJ Litigation Update Mar/23/13
  • SSA Issues Final Regulation Allowing Telephone Testimony May/1/13
  • OIG Report: Effects of the Senior Attorney Adjudicator Program on Hearing workloads: Audit report No. A-12-13-23002(June 2013) July/8/13
  • Federal Register: Pilot program allowing SSA to schedule hearing is extended July/9/13
  • New POMS on Electronic Filing Mandate(GN 03970.010, .017) Aug/4/13
  • NOSSCR Comments: Proposed rules re: Changes to Scheduling and Appearing at Hearings Aug/14/13
  • ODAR National Workload and Performance Summary (Aug. 2013) Sept/9/13
  • Letter to the Editor: Witnesses appearing by telephone at hearings Oct/2/13
  • Hearing Level Processing Times: Not Looking Good Oct/6/13
  • Caseload Analysis Report – National Sept/18/10
  • Changes – and Limits – for Attorney Advisor Program Dec/3/13
  • Inspector General Ranks Hearing Offices on “Key Risk Factors” Jan/3/14
  • SSA Asks ACUS to Review Impact of Closing the Record Feb/4/14
  • FY 2013 Disability Workload [“Waterfall Chart”] Mar-Apr/10/14
  • Highlights from the Indianapolis NOSSCR Conference: ODAR Developments May/1/14
  • SSA Revises HALLEX on Dismissals May/1/14
  • Practice Tip: Objecting to Vocational Experts June/1/14
  • SSA Issues Final Regulations on Changes to Scheduling Hearings July/1/14
  • Practice Tip: Direct Examination and VE Cross-Examination Questions: Short Term Memory Plus Attention and Concentration Limitations July/12/14
  • Federal Register Update: Extension of “temporary pilot program” Allowing SSA to schedule hearing July/14/14
  • Recent OIG Reports of Interest [Appellate results of denials by low-allowance ALJs; Completeness of disability claims files] July/19/14
  • SSA Implements Changes to Video Hearing Opt-Out Aug/1/14
  • High Allowance Rate ALJs and Low Allowance Rate ALJs: Reason for Concern? Nov/1/14
  • Processing Times on the Increase as Pending Hearings Closes In on One Million Nov/1/14
  • Claimants to Be Offered New Hearings After Wrongful Dismissals Nov/1/14
  • ALJ Hearing Processing Times and Pending Claims: The Statistics Tell All Dec/1/14
  • ODAR Processing Times, December 2014 Jan/6/15
  • Final Regulations Issued on Submission of Evidence Mar/1/15
  • New “All Evidence” Rules: The Known and the Unknown By Eric Schnaufer, Esq., Evanston, IL Mar/1/15
  • Update: New Evidence Submission Regulations Apr/1/15
  • National Ranking Report June/73/15
  • The Current ODAR Situation: Is There Any Hope for Improvement? Aug/1/15
  • Caseload Analysis Report: ODAR Workload and Performance Summary Aug/12/15
  • HALLEX Provisions Altered Feb/3/16
  • SSA to Stop Burning CDs for Most Hearing-Level Cases Where Representatives
    Request Direct Fee Payment
    Apr/1/16
  • Long Waits for Hearings Apr/9/16
  • A Q&A on ERE: How to Get Ready for the Post-CD Era at ODAR July/10/16
  • Claimants Die While Awaiting ALJ Hearings Oct/5/16
  • How Long Does It Take to Receive a Decision After a Hearing? Results Vary Widely Nationwide Jan/8/17
  • Waiting, But the Phone Never Rings: Some Hearing Offices Change Scheduling Practices Feb-Mar/1/17
  • National Caseload Analysis Report for Month Ending 02/24/2017 –  ODAR Workload and Performance Summary Feb-Mar/8/17
  • Survey Says: Hearing Office Scheduling Practices Vary Tremendously Apr/8/17
  • Barcode-less ERE Submission Guide Apr/14/17
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Institute of Medicine Reports to SSA on Cardiovascular and HIV Listings Oct/5/10
  • SSA Proposes Changes to Listings Feb/12/14
  • Comment Periods Extended for HIV Infection and Neurological Listings Proposed Changes Mar-April/2/14
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Federal Register Update: SSI and homeless individuals Jan/31/12
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Lawson v. Astrue, 695 F.Supp.2d 729 (S.D.Ohio 2010) Sept/20/10
  • Hughes v. Astrue, 705 F.3d 276 (7th Cir. 2013) Apr/21/13
  • Roddy v. Astrue, 705 F.3d 631 (7th Cir. 2013) Apr/21/13
  • Suess v. Colvin, 945 F.Supp.2d 920 (N.D. Ill., 2013) Mar-Apr./20/14
  • Nichols v. Colvin, 10 F.Supp.3d 896 (N.D. Ill. 2014) Nov/17/15
  • Miller v. Colvin, 122 F.Supp.3d 23 (N.D.N.Y. 2016) May/22/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Shoulars v. Astrue, 671 F.Supp.2d 801 (E.D.N.C. 2009) Apr/17/10
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSI Refugee Extension Ended September 30 Sept/3/10
  • Bipartisan Bill Would Extend SSI Benefits for Refugees Aug/10/11
  • Recent Reports of Interest: Foreign ATM withdrawals by SSI beneficiaries Oct/21/12
  • Month/Page/Year
  • SSA Proposes Changes to Listings Feb/12/14
  • Comment Periods Extended for HIV Infection and Neurological Listings Proposed Changes Mar-April/2/14
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Practice Tip: Use of Quad Cane and Ability to Perform a Full Range of Sedentary Work (ALJ decision) Nov/4/10
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Representation at the Initial Level: SSAB Report: Filing for Social Security Disability Benefits: What Impact Does Professional Representation Have on the Process at the Initial Application Level? (Sept. 2012) Nov/6/12
  • Recent Reports of Interest: Factors affecting initial level disability allowance Rates Nov/6/12
  • Charts: Initial Level SSDI and SSI Processing Times by Type of Representation FY 2009 – 2011 Dec/16/12
  • Chart: Initial Level Allowance Rates; Represented Claims vs. All Claims. FY 2007-2010 Dec/17/12
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Institute of Medicine Studies Social Security Issues Jan/13/15
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Lott v. Colvin, 772 F.3d 546 (8th Cir. 2014) May/16/15
  • Reed v. Colvin, 779 F.3d 725 (8th Cir. 2015) June/14/15
  • Lee v. Colvin, 27 F.Supp.3d 972 (S.D. Iowa 2014) June/14/15
  • Channell v. Colvin, 756 F.3d 606 (8th Cir. 2014) Feb/34/16
  • Garcia v. Commissioner of Social Sec., 768 F.3d 925 (9th Cir. 2014) Mar/17/16
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Fed. Reg. update: NPRM on electronic interim assistance Reimbursement Dec/17/12
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Federal Register Announcement of Addresses for Service of Process (3/11/10) Mar/22/10
  • NOSSCR Sustaining Members and Brief Writers May/21/10
  • FY 2009 Workload Data: Disability Decisions Nov/5/10
  • Kirkland v. Astrue, 683 F.Supp.2d 395 (E.D.N.C. 2010) Nov/13/10
  • Top Ten Circuit Court Cases: 2010 Jan/3/11
  • Thomas v Commissioner of SSA, 625 F.3d 798 (3rd Cir. 2010) Jan/29/11
  • FY 2010 Workload Data Disability Decisions – Initial through Federal Court Feb/11/11
  • Top Ten Circuit Court Cases in 2011, through August 2011 Aug/1/11
  • NOSSCR Sustaining Members and Brief writers Nov/18/11
  • FY 2011 Workload Data: Disability Appeals Feb/11/12
  • NOSSCR Sustaining Members and Brief writers May/25/12
  • Correction to Brief Writer list in May Forum June/2/12
  • A Court Speaks Out (Freismuth v. Astrue) Mar/18/13
  • NOSSCR Sustaining Members and Brief Writers June/23/13
  • Fix for Court Administrative records and OCR July/9/13
  • Federal Court Filings on the Increase Aug/11/13
  • Judicial Review of Dismissals Jan/6/14
  • Highlights from the Indianapolis NOSSCR Conference May/1/14
  • A Missed Time Limit to Request a Hearing? New Seventh Circuit Decision Could Help Aug/1/14
  • Civil Action Extension of Time Requests Require Good Cause Aug/2/14
  • Saldin v. Colvin, 34 F. Supp.3d 271 (E.D.N.Y. 2014) Apr/21/15
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Duran v. Astrue, 654 F.Supp.2d 1298 (D.Colo. 2009) May/20/10
  • Month/Page/Year
  • Box v. Colvin, 3 F.Supp.3d 27 (E.D.N.Y. 2014) Feb/35/16

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