The U.S. Senate has released a draft of its FY23 appropriations package with subcommittee breakdowns, and it includes some important gains for the Social Security Administration. NOSSCR was pleased to see increased funding for the Limitation on Administrative Expenses. However, the proposed funding levels are lower than those in the U.S. House of Representatives’ funding bill, which would make it...

Three U.S. Senators have written a letter to Kilolo Kiijakazi, acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration, urging the department to improve its outreach to parents of children with disabilities who might be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 11 million children across the nation live in poverty. The letter states that...

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report this week related to what they called “unnecessary processing delays” for some claimants’ Social Security disability cases. The lack of consistency in expediting cases has been a source of frustration for many NOSSCR members and their clients. This new report sheds light on some of the reasons those delays might be...

The Appropriations Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives passed its FY23 ‘Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Funding Bill’ last week. This is the bill that contains funding for the work of the Social Security Administration (SSA). NOSSCR was pleased to see that the SSA received an increase in funding for the Limitation on Administrative Expenses...

A recent editorial in The Hill newspaper made a strong argument as to why Congress should consider legislation that updates the asset limits for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Hill is a prominent, nonpartisan Capitol Hill media outlet that is read by staff in nearly all congressional offices. The editorial’s authors, Kathleen Romig from the Center on Budget and Policy...

Through four Social Security commissioners over more than thirteen years, NOSSCR has worked diligently to raise the fee cap – and today we reached our goal! We are thrilled to deliver this victory to all the Social Security disability representatives who deserve it and for whom it is long overdue. When Acting Commissioner Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi spoke to NOSSCR conference...

Social Security disability practices across the country are suffering from the stagnant fee cap and slow and low-paying fee petition reviews; it is significantly eroding firms’ abilities to fairly compensate attorneys and staff. Charlie Hall, Esq. Charlie Hall, a Social Security disability attorney and longtime NOSSCR member in North Carolina, believes the stagnant fee cap is dangerous to...

The Social Security Administration (SSA) published a new supplementary fact sheet for disability benefit recipients titled "Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Other Benefits: Information for People with Limited Earnings." In it, SSA details other programs and resources for people who receive SSI, including: SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) for help with food purchases. Medicare Savings Programs to help lessen health care...

NOSSCR's new and improved automated lawyer referral service opens today! We're excited to provide this new service for our members to generate new leads for many more potential Social Security disability clients. The new automated system tracks the caller’s area code and rotates through disability representatives who registered to receive calls from that code. The more eligible NOSSCR members you...

Many of you have had trouble accessing electronic files through Appointed Representative Services (ARS) over the past two days. NOSSCR has been in communication with SSA, who advises: “At this time, some representatives may not be able to access, upload, download or view their claimant’s electronic folder. If representatives are encountering this issue, they can contact the hearing office with...