Two hours west in Jackson, an old cotton city where almost 1 in 4 people live in poverty, Beth Bates, a legal services attorney, reviewed 4,000 pages of medical records she needed to know cold for an upcoming appeal for a client with degenerative disc disease, breathing problems and borderline intellectual function who had twice been turned down for benefits....

On December 7, 2021, House Ways & Means Social Security Subcommittee, chaired by John Larson (D-CT), held a hearing titled “The Fierce Urgency of Now – Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust.” Click here to view the recordings, review the witness list, and read the testimony. The following is a synopsis of some of the more salient arguments for the...

On December 5, Senator Robert Joseph Dole passed away in his sleep at the age of 98. He served the United States loyally for 79 years, including serving in World War II where he sustained life-altering injuries while overseas. The aftermath of his injuries shaped his life’s mission and legacy. While stationed in Italy in 1945, he was struck by...

The Social Security Administration's (SSA) draft plan for starting to reopen was recently published - click here to read it.  This "pre-decisional" document is not necessarily final, and it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. We know that senior SSA staff will begin to return to in-person work on December 1, 2021, with most other employees beginning their re-entry on...

The Appointed Representative Services (ARS) Hearing Office provided NOSSCR this status report on Monday, November 22, from the Social Security Administration (SSA): "Over the weekend a change made to our case processing system caused an issue with ARS. The Hearing Office Status Report is currently unavailable for appointed representatives. We are actively working to resolve the issue. We have asked...

Pedro Cruz Sanchez, Esq. Author’s Note: I write these words as a testament in dedication to my father, Pedro J. Cruz-Cruz, a Korean War Era Veteran, and to my more than 15 cousins from Puerto Rico or Puerto Rican origin who have served or are serving in the military, with passion and conviction for the preservation of our...

On Tuesday, November 9, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments in the case of United States v. Vaello-Madero. This case began after the federal government filed suit against Jose Luis Vaello Madero to recover $28k in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits paid to him after he moved from New York to Puerto Rico, where...

In Social Security disability law, it’s a poorly kept secret that a dwindling number of younger attorneys are entering the field. Michael Liner is a notable exception; after just two years of working at another firm, he opened his own practice that now has branches throughout Ohio. “I’m nervous that if we don’t replenish with the younger generation, there are...

Rep. Larson & Barbara Silverstone NOSSCR supports the reintroduction of the Social Security 2100 legislation. This important legislation ensures the modernization of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the future solvency of the program. NOSSCR is especially pleased that the bill addresses NOSSCR’s top legislative priorities, increasing the fee cap for claimants’ representatives and ending the five-month wait...

As a Social Security disability representative, finding new clients can be challenging. While some practitioners find paying for leads effective, it is only one strategy of many. Building local relationships, goodwill, and name recognition will go a long way in keeping your incoming flow of inquiries strong. Here's why: Most people make decisions by leaning on recommendations from friends and...