The Social Security disability process will now be easier due to a new administration policy that will reduce application time.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) said this week that it will reduce how far back the work history of disabled workers it takes into account when reviewing requests for benefits, a move that it said will help reduce the time to decide on applications.
When looking at relevant past work experience, the government will now examine the previous five years only.
Before the shift, the agency looked at 15 years of work history.
That, it said, made it tough for applicants as they sometimes forgot details that led to mistaken reporting of their history.
The agency also said that it will ignore as irrelevant in the application process work experience that was performed for less than a month.
“This new rule will lessen the burden and time our applicants face when filling out information about their work history and will make it easier for them to focus on the most current and relevant details about their past work,” SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley said in a statement.
“It also improves the quality of the information our frontline workers receive to make decisions, improving customer service, and reducing case processing time and overall wait times.”
The SSA has faced extended criticism in the past over wait times and how long it takes to respond to queries from customers.
The announcement will also help expedite applications for users, the agency said.
“[It] will reduce administrative burdens for applicants and help more people with disabilities receive government benefits and services if they are eligible,” the SSA said in its statement.
“The final rule announces updates that will improve the application process for disability benefits and reduce the time applicants wait for a decision.”
As of May, there were more than 7.2 million disabled workers eligible for Social Security benefits.
The average benefit that the workers receive comes to about $1,500 a month, amounting to a total of $11 million that the government gives out in support.
The agency manages two programs that relate to benefits for disabled workers: the Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income program.
“When people become disabled under the statutory definition the Social Security Administration must follow, the agency helps them meet their basic needs and sustain a higher quality of life,” the agency said.
“The new rule makes it easier for people applying for benefits by focusing on their most recent relevant work activity while still providing enough information to continue making accurate determinations.”
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Also Read: SNAP Benefits Will Now Increase For The Year 2024
Other Economy News Today
Millions of Americans are now being underpaid from SNAP benefits according to fresh data by the USDA and FNS.
SNAP payment errors occur when a state agency certifies a household to receive either too much or not enough SNAP benefits.
For fiscal year 2023 (Oct. 1, 2022 – Sept. 30, 2023), the overpayment error rate for SNAP is 10.03%, with an underpayment error rate of 1.64%, in line with the previous year, the report states.
Payment error rates are not synonymous with fraud, but rather reflect how accurately states determine eligibility and benefit amounts.
Payment errors are largely due to unintentional mistakes, either by the state agency or the household, that affect the accurate determination of eligibility or benefit amounts.
“SNAP is a cornerstone of our nation’s safety net, and accurate benefits are crucial for families in need and for public trust,” said Administrator for the Food and Nutrition Service Cindy Long.
“We cannot tolerate high error rates in a program that impacts millions of lives. States must take immediate action to improve the accuracy of SNAP payments—or they will face financial penalties.”
While the administration of SNAP is a state responsibility, FNS has been actively engaged in supporting states in both decreasing payment errors and improving the timeliness of payments, another key measure of SNAP performance.
To help states analyze root causes of SNAP performance issues and identify responses, FNS has offered onsite visits, virtual trainings, and updated guidance and tools on effective practices.
Additionally, FNS has awarded technology grants to state agencies to improve SNAP application and eligibility determination systems.
Per the USDA report, Washington D.C. had the highest rate of underpayments at 4.58 percent, and Maryland had the second highest at 3.91 percent.
The next highest were Delaware at 3.57 percent and Maine at 3.41 percent.
Overpayments were far more of a problem than underpayments according to the most recent reports.
Alaska had the highest rate of overpayments at 59.59 percent, while the second highest was New Jersey at 33.43 percent.
Also Read: California Now Has Massive Departures As Hundreds of Thousands Leave
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