SSA Makes New Data Publicly Available

The Social Security Administration is making new data about beneficiaries and the agency’s disability and hearing processes available to the public. The new data supports the President’s Transparency and Open Government initiative and is available at http://www.data.gov/.

“Social Security has always valued transparency and sought to give the public user-friendly information about our programs," said SSA Commissioner Michael J. Astrue. "Each year we send millions of Americans personal information about their Social Security contributions and potential benefits. Our website www.socialsecurity.gov has a wealth of information about our programs and the Social Security trust funds. I hope the new data we are making available will lead to a better understanding of our operations and the important role we play in people’s lives. I look forward to engaging Americans in the business of their government.”

The datasets now available to the public include:

• Researchers can find out about the work-related experiences of our beneficiaries receiving Social Security disability benefits and give us policy guidance for our disability programs.
• The public can see information about hearings workloads and a breakdown of the types of decisions made by Administrative Law Judges.
• Researchers can study the effects of current and proposed legislative and program provisions.
• People who have requested a hearing on their disability claim can estimate the amount of time they may have to wait for the hearing to be held and for a decision.
• The public can see general information requested under the Freedom of Information Act.
  

“These new datasets are just the beginning of our efforts. In February we will launch our Open Government web page that will include improved access to our data in a variety of formats. In April we will publish our Open Government plan,” Astrue added.

Tax Time SSDI Tips

It's everyone's favorite season again, and with all the hustle and bustle of preparing your taxes, you likely have lots of questions regarding how your Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income payments may be taxed. While SSI benefits are never subject to taxes, the situation for Disability benefits is not nearly so cut-and-dry.

BankRate.com reporter George Saenz has an incredibly in-depth article on the ins and outs of reporting disability benefits, in particular for minors. A part of their larger Tax Talk segment, the interactive tax Q&A information on the site gives users expert insights on how to avoid costly penalities for misreporting their tax liabilities.

The IRS' Publication 915 also provides a useful guide for beneficiaries that have questions or concerns about accurately reporting their tax liabilities. Check it out here.

WC Law Center Announces WC Award Winners

The LexisNexis Workers' Compensation Law Center has announced the 2009 class of its annual awards: Workers' Compensation Notable People.

The recipients of the 2009 awards were selected by various organizations and experts in the field, including the Workers Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG), the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network (NWCDN), the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association (CAAA), the Workers’ Compensation Forum on LinkedIn, and selected members of the Larson's National Workers' Compensation Advisory Board.

Notable honoraries include Humanitarian Award Winner H. Douglas Jones, Esq., managing partner of Jones Dietz PLLC, in Florence, Kentucky, and member of the Board of Directors for the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network. Jones is the founder and CEO of Shoulder To Shoulder, Inc., a non-profit organization that has provided direct assistance to the working poor in Northern Kentucky on a 24/7 basis since 2006. The Leaders of Movements Award was issued to iWAR (Injured Women After Reform), a new committee at the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association, was formed for the purpose of ending discrimination against women in the workplace.

For a complete list of winners, click here.

SSDI Question of the Day

What is the Ticket to Work Program, and how would it affect my current disability benefits?

Under the purview of the Social Security Administration, the Ticket to Work Program is designed to help assist individuals collecting Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income re-enter the workforce if they are able to do so. It is designed to, "ensure that Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities receive the services needed to obtain and maintain gainful employment."

While SSDI recipients are often unable to return to work, many would like to do so but are in need of additional vocational training, require special accomodation by potential employers or fear losing current benefits. The Ticket to Work program helps to combat all these issues by giving participating recipients benefits while in the midst of vocational training, matching workers with employers in need of their services (and readily able to accomodate disability-driven restrictions), as well as giving participants assurances about the ability to resume SSDI benefits immediately if the attempt to begin work again is not successful.

For more information about the Ticket to Work program, click here.

SSA Required to Provide Access to Blind Applicants

If you are blind or visually impaired and receiving disability benefits or in the midst of the application process, you are covered by a recent court decision. The court case, American Council of the Blind v. Astrue, affirmed that the federal law requires the Social Security Administration to provide notices and other information about your benefits in a format in addition to print.

To request past and future notices in your preferred format, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/notices. You can also listen to a recording by calling 877-708-1776. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, the administration also provides TTY access at 800-325-0778.

By law, the SSA must always consider your request for your preferred format. They automatically grant requests for the formats listed below:

- Standard print notice by first class or certified mail; or
- Standard print notice by first class mail and a follow-up telephone call to read the notices to you within five business days of the date you get the print notice; or
- Standard print notice and Braille by first class mail (delivery begins April 15, 2010); or
- Standard print notice and a Microsoft Word compact disc by first class mail (delivery begins April 15, 2010).

DWC Updates Online Surcharge Payment Calculator

The Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation has updated its Workers' Compensation Surcharge Web Portal. The new Web application is designed to facilitate calculation of surcharge by insurers and self-insured employers.

"In Colorado, employers with one or more full or part-time employees are required to provide worker's compensation coverage for their employees, with few exceptions," the site reads. "Employers may obtain insurance through a number of methods including commercial insurance and self-insurance for those employers meeting strict financial and loss control standards or self-funding with groups or pools. Insurers and self-insured employers pay a surcharge based on a percentage of premium or premium equivalents to the Colorado Division of Worker's Compensation to offset the cost of administration of the Colorado worker's compensation system and to fund the Major Medical and Subsequent Injury Funds. Surcharge is collected semiannually.
To find out more or access the calculator directly, click here.

SSA, Chubby Checker Announce New 'Twist' in the Law

Changes Make it Easier to Qualify for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, and Chubby Checker, Grammy Award winner and rock and roll legend, recently launched a new campaign to inform millions of Americans about a new “twist” in the law that makes it easier to qualify for extra help with Medicare prescription drug costs. The extra help program currently provides assistance to more than nine million senior and disabled Americans -- saving them an average of almost $4,000 a year on their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. To apply for extra help, there is an easy-to-use online application available at www.socialsecurity.gov.

“The changes in the Medicare law that take effect this month will allow hundreds of thousands of Americans who are struggling to pay their prescription drug costs to get extra help during these tough economic times,” said Commissioner Astrue. “I am thrilled that Chubby Checker has volunteered to help us spread this important message through a new television, radio, and Internet spot as well as pamphlets and posters.”

“Listen up, America! For 50 years, people of all ages and backgrounds have danced the Twist,” Chubby Checker said. “Now it’s important everyone learn about this new twist in the law. Check it out at www.socialsecurity.gov.”

To qualify for extra help, people must meet certain resource and income limits. The new Medicare law eases those requirements in two ways. First, it eliminates the cash value of life insurance from counting as a resource. Second, it eliminates the assistance people receive from others to pay for household expenses, such as food, rent, mortgage or utilities, from counting as income. There also is another important “twist” in the law. The application for extra help can now start the application process for Medicare Savings Programs -- state programs that provide help with other Medicare costs. These programs help pay Medicare Part B (medical insurance) premiums. For some people, the Medicare Savings Programs also pay Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) premiums, if any, and Part A and B deductibles and co-payments.

SSA: Furloughs in California are "Illegal"

Administration Praises Court Ruling And Asks Governor Schwarzenegger to Accept Ruling and Congress to Increase Oversight

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, issued the following statement regarding two recent decisions of the California Superior Court for the County of Alameda:

"When it comes to the furlough of state employees whose jobs are paid for by federal funds, California Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch ruled state officials have 'abused their discretion' and that 'such a policy is arbitrary, capricious and unlawful.' I could not agree more.

For more than a year, I have made the case that these furloughs cost states money, hurt their most vulnerable citizens, and harm hard-working civil servants. California’s furlough of Disability Determination Service (DDS) employees costs the state $849,000 per furlough day in administrative funding. More importantly, each furlough day results in a delay costing California’s disabled citizens over $420,000 in much-needed Social Security benefits. For the sake of the citizens of California, I call on Governor Schwarzenegger to reject his own failed policy and not appeal the court's ruling.

Social Security funds 100 percent of DDS employees’ salaries as well as all overhead costs -- about $2 billion nationwide this year. These funds cannot be used by the states for any other purpose, so states do not save a single penny by furloughing employees in the DDSs – they only slow getting benefits to the disabled, unduly harm its civil servants, and cost the state needed tax revenue. Nevertheless, about a dozen governors are imposing similar across-the-board hiring freezes or furloughs that also affect DDS employees. I sincerely hope Congress will use its oversight authority to investigate not just California, but the other states that are using -- or have used -- furloughs and hiring freezes for positions that are fully funded by the Social Security Administration and other federal agencies."

For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.