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...

I am often asked, what is the number one thing that a disability representative can do to increase their political influence on Capitol Hill? Without a doubt, the best thing to do to increase your political influence is to develop personal relationships with your Members of Congress and other elected leaders in your community. I realize that this may initially...

The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) field offices reopened to the public on April 7, 2022 after more than two years of near-total closures. People who need to interact with SSA now have another means of doing so, in addition to the existing telephone, internet, and fax options. Reopening field offices will be helpful to many people, but the agency still...

Angela Sutton was shot by a relative at age 14 in Germantown. Now 42 and living in Northeast Philadelphia with her two children, ages 21 and 15, Sutton has been unable to work because of disabilities caused by post-traumatic stress, as well as pain from a bullet still lodged in her groin. Lately, a virus has diminished the vision in...

NOSSCR's Director of Policy and Administrative Advocacy Stacy Cloyd has just learned that as of the end of February there were 1,010,764 claims pending at Disability Determination Services (DDSs) across the country. DDSs are the agencies in each state that determines the disability status of claimants for the Social Security Administration (SSA). The cases pending are both at the initial...

If you need help filing for Social Security, Medicare or disability benefits, I have good news and bad news. The good news: The sprawling network of more than 1,200 Social Security field offices around the United States will reopen to the public in early April after a two-year COVID-19 shutdown. During that time, nearly all public service has been available...

It's possible that more than half of covid survivors experience lingering symptoms for at least half a year after their initial infection. The impact ranges in severity and for some sufferers the experience is truly devastating. NOSSCR truly understands the impacts of long-term disabilities and is proud to endorse the CARE for Long COVID Act, legislation to help people living with...