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The benefits surge has been a long time coming, experts said. It may be a combination of recent changes both in workforce demographics, and in how benefits get awarded. |
Paul Morris, 59, of Pontiac, has been collecting disability for over a year after losing a mailroom job at The Palace of Auburn Hills over two years ago. Morris said he suffers hypertension and heart problems as well as sleep apnea. |
"I had a CPAP machine for my apnea that was covered by my wife's insurance, but when she passed they wouldn't cover it anymore," he said. "She left a nice life insurance policy, and that helped me get through her funeral, but after that is when the stress started." |
Morris said that on the advice of a doctor he started working with an advocate's help in late 2013 and it took only about seven months to get his benefits approved. Since early 2014, he has received both a $1,073 monthly benefit, along with a $173 widower's benefit for his wife, Regina, who died in 2009. |
The benefits have covered most monthly expenses, he said, although he has a steep co-payment on a Medicaid HMO plan and recently had to leave a home he was renting with two roommates who were no longer there to split the payment with him. |
Morris' short turnaround time for getting benefits isn't typical, but nearly 235,000 people, or nearly 27 percent of all new disability insurance beneficiaries, were in his age range, 55-59. |
A decade of data reveals that Social Security Disability Insurance, the monthly benefit program for the long-term disabled who were once gainfully employed, added more than 135,000 adults in Michigan between December 2003 and December 2013. |
That's not to be confused with Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, which uses similar medical criteria but is based on economic status, not employment history. |
Experts said many people will continue to work even after developing an illness or injury that makes them eligible for disability, but later fall victim to layoffs and then have difficulty re-entering the workforce with their impairments. |
"People have different tolerances for the injuries they receive," said Scott Imberman, associate professor of economics at Michigan State University and co-author of a recent report on the disability program. |
"If they have a good job, they may try to stay on and work through it. But once they lose that job in a downturn, then they might decide whether their chances are better at applying for disability versus retraining or getting hired somewhere else." |
Disability insurance grew by 538,000 beneficiaries in 2010, the biggest single year-over-year growth in the program. Considering the average wait time to get a benefit decision from an administrative law judge was nearly two years, most of those new recipients likely applied during the last recession. |
Some experts said the role of recessions can be overstated, though. Clifford Weisberg, president of Southfield-based Weisberg & Walkon PC who has practiced SSI and disability law for more than 30 years, said the aging workforce and several economic and demographic trends have all been converging. "It's a tsunami of all... |
Weisberg also said he is not convinced the rate of cash burn from new benefits is a real threat to the disability trust fund. |
"Due to the economy, at times the disability insurance fund is short, and routinely (federal officials) will borrow from one fund to adjust the other fund. ... It's actually pretty routine — only in this Congress nothing is routine anymore." |
Said Gerald Freedman, one of the administrative law judges handling claims in Michigan: "Historically, you'll see if Congress is packed with Republicans there's an effort to do away with overly generous entitlements and have accountability. |
"Then, when the other side is in power, then there's an outcry about long delays in getting decisions, applicants dying before their cases get heard and the country not paying attention to the disabled," he said. "The truth about what should be done is probably in the middle." |
Both sides of the debate over disability agree the system has abuses. Michigan already has saved $1 million during six months of ramped-up scrutiny of disability and related safety net programs, as one of the newcomers to a joint state-federal initiative to crack down on disability fraud. |
Social Security's federal Office of Inspector General and the Michigan Department of Human Services last fall launched a Cooperative Disability Investigations unit in Detroit to investigate suspicious claims in Michigan. The Detroit unit was the 26th of 28 such offices launched in 24 states and Puerto Rico, since the p... |
"We are getting plenty of tips, because the state is a great partner and we get plenty of referrals," said Brad Martin, special agent for OIG and team leader of the new unit. "So even though we're new, we have no lack of work." |
As of February, six months after it was formed, the Detroit office had opened 26 new investigations and saved about $370,000 to Social Security in disability program payments, denying or ending benefits in nine of the 10 cases it had closed, according to an OIG report. The same investigations yielded another $640,000 i... |
Martin, a 15-year OIG veteran before the team leader appointment last summer, said the investigations unit typically gets requests from examiners within the Disability Determination Services in the state's Human Services department, for individual claims that seem suspicious. |
But the team is also focusing on third-party representatives like doctors, attorneys or claims representatives for possible attempts to manufacture documents supporting claims. Whether offenders will be criminally prosecuted in Michigan, as some have in other states, may come down to scale and cost. Martin said may inv... |
Initially, Social Security refers claims for disability or SSI income to the state Disability Determination Services office, or other states' equivalent agencies, for an examiner to collect records and make an initial determination of eligibility. |
In recent years, only about 35 percent of those decisions nationwide were in the applicant's favor (in Michigan it's averaged around 32 percent, according to the Social Security OIG) — but applicants can fare much better if they appeal. |
Once claims reached an administrative law judge, according to Social Security data, about 64 percent of decisions nationwide favored the claimant. |
For Southeast Michigan, some 59.9 percent of the nearly 79,000 decisions reached by about 40 judges in Detroit, Oak Park or Livonia since late 2009 were either partially or fully favorable. |
But results vary dramatically by judge, with individual award rates ranging from under 30 percent to more than 80 percent. |
"I would probably classify myself as more liberal in my interpretation of the (disability criteria) among my colleagues," said Freedman, who had the highest payment approval rate of any judge in Metro Detroit, at more than 85 percent between 2010 and his retirement last August. |
"Some of my dearest friends who heard cases at the same offices had a payment rate closer to 30 percent. It was sometimes a matter of personal philosophy, although there are a lot of other factors too." |
Those include speed or the rate at which judges hear and decide cases each month, he said, or how heavily a judge relies upon medical documentation. |
Generating medical records often requires insurance to cover the repeated medical visits necessary to diagnose some conditions — so better educated and better insured applicants have a better chance of getting benefits, even if they are likely to be less dependent on them. |
Among the bench of administrative law judges, 20 of the 30 who carried a statistically meaningful number of cases in Southeast Michigan had an approval or claim payment rate within 10 percentage points of the regional average of 60 percent. |
But Judges Dennis Matulewicz and Mary Connolly in the Livonia office both consistently averaged around 80 percent approval of their cases since fiscal 2010, while fellow judges Ethel Revels and Oksana Xenos in Detroit averaged 36 percent and 28 percent approval, respectively. |
"It's function of personality, somewhat," said Stuart Johnson, partner at Ball Johnson PC doing business as Disability Attorneys of Michigan in Warren. "You might get an administrative law judge who has a sister with a mental illness and identifies with a certain condition very personally — or someone else with no fami... |
Xenos, Connolly, and Matulewicz did not respond to voicemail or email messages seeking comment. A report in November from the Social Security OIG to the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform indicated that 44 judges nationwide were "outliers" who reached more than 700 case decisions per year and allowed cl... |
Collectively, the report indicates, those judges likely awarded an estimated 24,900 claims improperly, creating "questionable costs" of $2 billion over the period, based on a sampling of cases the OIG reviewed. |
"About 500 cases a year (reaching a decision) is the most can we expect of a judge to do a good job, and be fair to the workload climate," Warshawsky said. |
Warshawsky said term limits for administrative law judges, who get lifetime appointments, might also help curb the disability cash burn. |
"It does seem from some research that the longer a judge is in office, the more lenient they tend to get, and that can be addressed with a time limit in office," he said. |
The OIG report doesn't identify the outlier judges, but none appear to be in Southeast Michigan. Only two judges here even occasionally approached the 700-ruling benchmark, since 2010. Freedman, the only judge who regularly exceeded 85 percent allowances, never exceeded 490 decisions per year. |
Of course, the longer people remain employed, before they retire, the greater chance they have of encountering an illness or injury that makes them disability eligible. |
Total new awards to disabled workers nationwide has declined each year since a peak of just over 1 million in 2010, but the percentage of those awards to beneficiaries 55 and older has increased over that period as well, according to Social Security data. |
In 2011 nearly 21 percent of those in civilian employment were 55 or older, compared with less than 14 percent a decade earlier, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Conference Board. |
Charles Ballard, a professor of tax policy and public economics at Michigan State University, also said cyclical recessions can give laid off disabled workers a serious choice to make for the future. |
"In the aftermath of the great recession especially, disability became something like a segue into retirement. If you're 58, disabled and displaced in a recession, and someone tells you there's a demand for medical technician and health care jobs if you retrain, you might ask yourself: 'Is that really going to happen w... |
Approval rates of relevant, current SSA administrative law judges who have carried a statistically significant local docket for at least three years during FY 2010 to 2015 and who still preside. |
How does disability eligibility work? |
Amateur and fan designers are invited to submit work to the fashion show, where one will be selected to work on a line created for Hot Topic stores. |
For many, the concept of comic convention couture extends as far as cosplay outfits, or the choice of an appropriately logoed t-shirt for that day's panels. Ashley Eckstein plans to change that, however, in announcing a fashion show to be held at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. |
The Her Universe Fashion Show, booked at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego on July 24, will feature designs submitted by "fans and amateur designers" for women's outfits, either couture or ready-to-wear, "based on anything that is celebrated at Comic-Con, original or inspired by popular media," according to a sta... |
Thirty designers will be chosen to show at the free event, with the designers then invited to model their own creations or allow a model of their choice to walk the catwalk. Two prizes will be awarded at the show: one chosen by a panel of judges made up of "experts from the world of fashion," and the second chosen by t... |
"Fangirls are already using the halls of San Diego Comic-Con International as their runway to showcase custom fashions," Eckstein, who created the Her Universe brand in 2009 to promote "fashion-forward" merchandise for female genre-fandom, said in a statement accompanying the announcement of the contest. "We wanted to ... |
Designers have until April 4 to submit, with finalists chosen by April 18. More details can be found here. |
The ceremony was in recognition to the ten-year effort displayed by the four personalities in helping UK and Argentina governments agree on a humanitarian mission, entrusted to the International Red Cross which helped identify the remains of 90 of the 121 graves at the Darwin cemetery in the Falkland Islands, and which... |
Besides the emotion of the event, it was also significant because the head of the Red Cross Humanitarian Project Laurent Corbaz and Luis Fondebrider from the Argentine Anthropologic Forensic team, announced that the 90th body remains at Darwin cemetery has been fully identified. |
My father died in the Second World War, my grandfather is buried in France since the first world war. When I was approached by Gaby Cociffi, I had no doubts about getting involved in the cause. Because my father and by grandpa taught me to do what was correct said Roger Waters at the ceremony. He added he expects to ... |
The four were awarded a Two Roses piece designed by Argentina's silversmith Juan Carlos Pallarols made out of war ordnance and other metals from the battles including aircraft remains. |
For his part Malvinas veteran Julio Aro said that for years they felt like David confronting many Goliaths. He added that at first it seemed impossible this could be achieved, but the strength and determination we received from the soldiers' mothers was essential to continue advancing. |
Retired Colonel Cardozo also expressed his happiness, in 1982 I buried those soldiers as if they were my boys, and knowing that today their parents can finally identify them is something that fills me with joy. |
Back in 2008, Cardozo delivered to three Malvinas veterans, one of them Julio Aro, a report on the data he had collected from the burials, which helped create the foundation Don't forget me, made up of veterans, the mothers of the fallen and others who support the Malvinas cause. |
It is an incredible humanitarian fact having achieved the objective of delivering peace to these families, which 36 years later continued to wait, said Aro. Without Cardozo this would not have been possible, to identify 90 of my fellow combatants, and we will continue until we have identified all of them. Cardozo w... |
Finally journalist Gaby Cociffi admitted that when started the only ones helping us were two British nationals, Cardozo and Roger Waters, my gratitude to them. |
Attending the event were also the president of the Relatives of the Fallen in Malvinas Commission, Fernanda Araújo, and Dalal and Said Massad, parents of the soldier Daniel Massad. Ex football star Osvaldo Ardiles delivered the Two Roses to Waters. |
Waters also recalled a letter he sent to the Falklands Legislative Assembly some four, five years ago in which he explained how journalist Gabriela Cociffi had approached him to talk about the non identified soldiers at the Darwin cemetery and their double loss. |
They had lost their beloved son, and there was no place where to leave a flower, said Waters, who revealed he aldo talked about the issue with ex president Cristina Fernandez and mothers of the soldiers when he visited Argentina. |
Tags: Argentina, Argentina, Falklands, Darwin Cemetery, ICRC, Carlos Sersale di Cerisano, Falkland Islands, Falkland Islands Government, Gabriela Coccifi, Laurent Corbaz ICRC, Roses for Peace, United Kingdom. |
The clashes in Africa's largest park resulted in the death of one park ranger and three suspected Rwandan rebels. |
Four people were killed and two seriously injured in a clash between national park rangers and suspected Rwandan rebels in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, the park said. |
The Virunga national park, home to DR Congo's only population of endangered mountain gorillas, said one of its rangers died in a battle on Saturday morning that also claimed the lives of three rebel fighters. |
Two other guards were wounded and one rebel was captured. |
Virunga said in a statement that the Sunday clash was with the FDLR, a Rwandan rebel group that includes the remnants of the militia who carried out the 1994 genocide. |
"The attack is thought to have been carried out in retaliation against the rangers' efforts to prevent the militias from regaining control of an area close to the habitat of the critically endangered mountain gorillas," the park said. |
Virunga national park, a UNESCO world heritage site, was founded in 1925, making it Africa's oldest national park. |
It is the most environmentally diverse area on the African continent, home to thousands of rhinos and 200 endangered mountain gorillas. |
Reality stars are just like, if you have roommates and get popped for weed. |
Erica Mena is knee deep in the struggle. The Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star was arrested in Johns Creek, GA (near Atlanta) along with her boyfriend. |
Her mugshot is sure to elicit all types of slander, too. |
But the real struggle is a story that involves an argument with her boyfriend, the kicking down of a bedroom door and the realization that despite being a reality star, Erica Mena having roommates. |
Erica and her BF, Clifford Dixon, were hauled off to jail Friday in Johns Creek, GA — about 27 miles outside of Atlanta — after someone called cops from their home to report an argument getting out of hand. Once cops arrived, they interviewed different people in the home and discovered Cliff and Erica had been fighting... |
According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, one of Erica and Cliff’s roommates heard them fighting upstairs and apparently heard someone get slapped. Cops say they didn’t see any visible marks on either person, but ended up busting Cliff when 2 different people reported he’d kicked through the door. He denied brea... |
Cliff was arrested for criminal trespass because Erica told cops the property was in her name. Meanwhile, Erica was arrested for possession of bud. |
Cops say Erica admitted smoking weed and that she had some inside her home. Cops say they found baggies of weed and possible THC wax in her bedroom and her kitchen. |
Did we already mention that he mugshot is all the struggle. |
Fayetteville is home to the nearby Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, where several military airborne units are stationed. Subsequently the military personnel population and culture which has diffused throughout the area has made the city The World's First Sanctuary for Military Families. Sites of interest include the... |
WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- While Soldiers and their families are celebrating Thanksgiving in the U.S., about 183,900 Soldiers are currently supporting combatant commanders worldwide. |
Some 14,968 pounds of turkey and 8,712 pies, including sweet potato and pumpkin, have been delivered to troops in Afghanistan, according to the Defense Logistics Agency spokesman Mike Tuttle. |
-- 34,760 pounds of turkey. |
-- 32,550 pounds of beef. |
-- 21,450 pounds of ham. |
-- 28,980 pounds of shrimp. |
-- 9,114 pounds of stuffing mix. |
-- 879 gallons of eggnog. |
"It is an honor to serve my country. But it is an even greater honor to serve my fellow service members an outstanding meal," said Warrant Officer Raul Lewis, a food service officer with the 1st Cavalry Division's Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade, which organizes food support for service members in Afghanistan. |
"There is nothing more comforting when you are far away from home and missing your loved ones than to sit in front of a hot meal and share a few laughs and moments of joy," Lewis added. |
It takes a lot of planning to ensure food items are delivered in time so that service members can enjoy a taste of home for Thanksgiving, said Anthony Amendolia, who works with the DLA Troop Support's Subsistence supply chain in Philadelphia. |
"Thanksgiving is so important to us and such a priority that we have to start in the April, May timeframe," Amendolia said. "It is a long process, but we think service members really enjoy having a great Thanksgiving meal with their troops." |
The subsistence team worked with regional vendors to provide Thanksgiving food items to Navy ships at sea and to service members at the following locations: Japan, Singapore, Philippines, Korea, Okinawa, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and various locations in Europe and Africa. |
Some 8,000 Soldiers are serving in Afghanistan, as part of Operation Freedom Sentinel. That includes Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division headquarters, out of Fort Hood, Texas; the 36th Infantry Division (Texas Army National Guard); the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division; and 1,000 Army special operations for... |
About 4,000 Soldiers are supporting Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, including the 1st Infantry Division headquarters; 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division, along with special operations forces. |
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