There is an agency in every state that employs disability claims examiners who decide the disability claims for Social Security and Medicaid cases for all applicants of that state. In many states, the agency is called “Disability Determination Services,” or DDS, but the agency goes by various names. For instance, Florida calls its agency the… read more

Among the most devastating cases that come to us are those involving Crohn’s disease, colitis, or inflammatory bowel syndrome. About a million Americans are affected with these and other digestive disorders. Severe digestive disorders can also result from a myriad of other diseases and even the side-effects of certain medications. Prominent symptoms include abdominal pain… read more

Representative Payees, individuals tasked with handling Social Security payments for people with disabilities, will be subject to greater scrutiny under a new law. President Trump signed the measure known as the Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018 (H.R. 4547) in April after it was unanimously approved by Congress. The legislation will impose greater… read more

The Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report on the financial health of Social Security’s combined trust fund reserves earlier this month. The Old Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance (“OASDI”) trust funds are expected to be depleted in 2034. At that time, recipients would only be eligible for 79 percent of… read more

June is National Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, available resources, and how people can get involved to support the cause. An estimated 50 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. On June 21, 2018, the Alzheimer’s Association celebrated The Longest Day to… read more

Acting Commissioner Nancy A. Berryhill testified before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security on May 17, 2018. Speaking on the topic “Securing Americans’ Identities: The Future of the Social Security Number,” she said the following: “While not intended, the SSN has become the personal identifier most broadly used by both government and… read more

If you’re applying for Social Security disability benefits, your chances of success improve if your case is supported by your treating doctor. However, in 2017, the Social Security Administration (SSA) eliminated its longstanding rule that treating physicians’ opinions are entitled to special consideration. It used to be that Social Security rules required that the SSA give… read more

Beginning this year, National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM) is recognized as a National Health Observance by the federal government. The Migraine Research Foundation reports that around 18 percent of women and six percent of men in the United States suffer migraines. Ninety percent of these individuals are unable to work during an active… read more

Years of budget cuts by Congress have left the Social Security Administration (SSA) short of staff on its toll-free customer service line, with wait times of up to 40-minutes. Long lines form daily outside many local field offices. And the backlog of people waiting for a hearing on disability insurance claims is causing wait times… read more

Andrew M. Saul, a New York businessman who attended the University of Pennsylvania at the same time as Donald Trump, was nominated April 12, 2018, by the president to a six-year term as the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Nancy Berryhill has been serving as the Acting Commissioner since January 23, 2017. Saul was… read more