Monterey, CA Disability Claims Being Paid To Undeserving Recipients?

View From A Nonprofit Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

In a sad statement on what happens to the government when budgets are cut too severely, an administrative law judge said that Social Security is pushing through disability claims for people who probably don't deserve them just to clear up the claims backlog.  A former Social Security judge, J.E. Sullivan, told a reporter, "The only thing that matters in the adjudication process is signing that final decision."  Thankfully, something is going to be done about this.  The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has launched an investigation of judges which have high approval rates when claims have already been rejected twice by field offices or state agencies.  I hope they are successful in stopping this.  Approving a disability claim which isn't valid could cost over $1 million over the lifetime of the recipient, depending on their age and the amount of the monthly payment.  We certainly can't afford this given our budget crisis.

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors.