Stimulus Check for SSI and SS Recipients

President Obama was just being true to his promise of leading America in its quest of rising above political controversies and crises. Obama’s Administration started off with a stimulus plan.

In the plan, no one is left out. Even SS recipients who do not work have a social security bonus. Normally, they are not eligible for tax credits as they do not work. However, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocated a one time payment of $250 to all social disability recipients.

The beneficiaries need not do anything to get the amount. Come May 9, 2009 the recipients could hopefully get their share.

The government should be a government of people. As the president finds ways and means to make America the greatest place to live, we should also do our part to help and support the government in its quest for a better America.

File Personally for a Faster Claim

Inconvenient as it may seem, transacting personally to a social security office for a disability application or disability appeal would often do the trick to get your papers moving.

I share the same observation with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). In its letter, AFGE asserted that 45% of calls to Social Security officers were either ignored or not responded to. Many callers were also made to call back.

Obviously, the problem is the lack of manpower of most Social Security offices. Consequently, workload piles up and many paper works and transactions are left hanging.

If staffing is the problem, the solution is to hire more employees. However, with the present economy and ever growing national debt, it would unlikely happen.

The government has not identified this problem as it insisted on using new technology, forming a task force or restructuring of the Social Security Administration. It insisted on applying various approaches to resolve this rather simple dilemma.

With some applicants, hiring a social security representative is the solution. If you are one of them, ask your representative of the status of your claim. Chances are representatives would either tell you immediately about the status of your application or initiate to communicate with the office by themselves.

At the end, it is the public, which suffers a lot. This situation, certainly, screams for practical and urgent change.

Impractical Alternative to Social Security Disability

In applying for Social Security Disability, documents such as medical records are extremely important. Applicants are made to produce the oldest to the current documents to substantiate your claim for disability. These documents would determine if the applicant has disability and hence qualify for benefits.

For new applicants, these documents are readily available. They could easily retrieve their medical records. The problems lie with those whose applications are on appeal.

Due to the tedious and lengthy process involved in Social Disability claims, claimants who apply for disability and have entered into an appeal process no longer have access to medical care. Consequently, medical records and other pertinent records are no longer available.

For some disability examiners, consultative medical exams are scheduled to determine if applicants are qualified. Social Security medical exams are given to those who are no longer covered by medical insurance or no money to pay for medical care.

It is personally depressing to know that most applicants lack the necessary medical records or are poorly documented because they either lack health insurance or could no longer visit s doctor.

COBRA could be an alternative for those who eventually loss their medical insurance as they are out of work because of their disability. However, it is not advisable and practical because it is very expensive. For people who already lacked financial sources, paying for it is the least of their priority.

So it makes me think now, where would these applicants go? What would be their best alternative? I think the current system needs a little polishing.