Joe and I will be hosting an information booth at the Tennessee Valley Fair this year. We plan to provide information about Social Security Disability and SSI benefits to interested people.
The fair will be held in Chilhowee Park and runs from September 9-18, 2005.
Look for us in the Jacobs Building. We plan to be in booth 78, which is to your right as you walk in the front door.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
SS Disability Benefits in 20 Days?
The Baltimore Sun is reporting:
Social Security Commissioner Jo Anne Barnhart said that clearly disabled individuals could be approved for benefits in as few as 20 days under the new procedures, which the agency expects to put into action next spring.Here is the news release on the SSA website.
I hope the commissioner is right.
Monday, July 25, 2005
It just doesn't make sense.
I found this article in Sunday's "Palladium-Item" newspaper from Richmond, Indiana. It is a good answer to a question that I hear all the time:
Question from Cambridge City: "How do people get on Social Security disability? My son has Multiple Sclerosis and hasn't worked for a year. His medicine runs around $1,000 to $1,500 a month.
"His wife is laid off and lost her medical card.
"I know several who are on disability and work every day or play golf. Another man had a stroke and couldn't work and it took him five years to get on it.
"It just doesn't make sense. What are people supposed to do?"
Saturday, July 23, 2005
TennCare Help
The State of Tennessee has created a helpful website to help folks navigate through the recent TennCare denials.
One of the most useful links is a section called Tennessee Health Options which includes information about prescription medication.
One of the most useful links is a section called Tennessee Health Options which includes information about prescription medication.
Friday, July 22, 2005
The Knoxville SSA Office Has Moved
It is now located at 8530 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. The building was formerly occupied by the Winn-Dixie Grocery Store.
Latest Issue of "Eye on OIG" posted online
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is the branch of SSA that investigates claims of fraud and prosecutes the offenders.
Some of their more interesting cases are reported in the Eye on OIG report that is published at the SSA website.
Here is an example of one of the latest cases:
In April 2005, a California man was sentenced in Honolulu, Hawaii to 60 months' incarceration in Federal prison, 3 years' probation, and restitution of $70,316 to SSA. He was also ordered to pay $237,407 to his ex-wife for unpaid child support. The conviction was based on an OI investigation that revealed the man assumed the identity of a deceased Title II disability beneficiary and convinced SSA that he was the individual entitled to the benefits and that the deceased beneficiary was an imposter.
A subsequent investigation revealed that the man had fled the State of California and assumed the identity of the deceased beneficiary in order to avoid paying child support. In September 1995, the California Superior Court issued an arrest warrant for the man for failure to pay the child support. This case was referred by the SSA Honolulu Office. (Case Agent Chris Castellanos, Los Angeles Field Division)
Is this Heaven?
Any Iowan knows the answer to that question.
I recently took a trip to Mapleton, Iowa with Shannon to visit my family. Here's a photo of us standing beside a cornfield near Rodney, Iowa.
You win a prize if you can find Rodney on a map.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Pilots Claimed Disability but Kept Flight Status
Here is a story reported by the Washington Post about some cheating pilots:
Forty pilots were arrested after an investigation found they were receiving Social Security disability payments for various illnesses but were still licensed to fly, federal officials said.
Forty pilots were arrested after an investigation found they were receiving Social Security disability payments for various illnesses but were still licensed to fly, federal officials said.
Who is Ed Anderson?
Just a moment to introduce myself.
I am Ed Anderson. I grew up in San Jose, California, which is in the heart of Silicon Valley. Believe it or not, San Jose is now the 10th largest city in the country.
My mother worked for the local elementary school and my father worked for Fairchild Semiconductor Company in their quality control department. Mom's job was pretty understandable to a young lad, but dad's wasn't. Dad explained it to me one evening;
"Son, when they make something at the plant, I try to break it."
That was a pretty good answer to someone who is six years old.
I went to school at UCLA and studied Political Science. I worked two jobs after graduation. During the days I worked for the Los Angeles County Bar Association and at night I worked for the UCLA police department.
After a year out of school, I enrolled in law school at the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. I enjoyed everything about Chicago except the weather and try to visit as often as I can. While in law school I worked for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, first working as a clerk in the criminal division, then working as a clerk in the civil division, then prosecuting drug dealers in night court (court actually started at 4:00 p.m.).
I returned home to take the California Bar Examination (I passed on the first try), then worked for Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity when they were headquartered in Granada Hills, California.
Fate brought me to Tennessee, when I met my sweetheart while visiting the University of Memphis, where she was studying. I moved to Tennesse and took the Tennessee Bar Examination (again, I passed on the first try).
I live in northwest Knoxville and make the short commute to our Fountain City office every morning.
If you have a question about your Social Security case, you can reach me at 865/522-9000.
I am Ed Anderson. I grew up in San Jose, California, which is in the heart of Silicon Valley. Believe it or not, San Jose is now the 10th largest city in the country.
My mother worked for the local elementary school and my father worked for Fairchild Semiconductor Company in their quality control department. Mom's job was pretty understandable to a young lad, but dad's wasn't. Dad explained it to me one evening;
"Son, when they make something at the plant, I try to break it."
That was a pretty good answer to someone who is six years old.
I went to school at UCLA and studied Political Science. I worked two jobs after graduation. During the days I worked for the Los Angeles County Bar Association and at night I worked for the UCLA police department.
After a year out of school, I enrolled in law school at the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. I enjoyed everything about Chicago except the weather and try to visit as often as I can. While in law school I worked for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, first working as a clerk in the criminal division, then working as a clerk in the civil division, then prosecuting drug dealers in night court (court actually started at 4:00 p.m.).
I returned home to take the California Bar Examination (I passed on the first try), then worked for Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity when they were headquartered in Granada Hills, California.
Fate brought me to Tennessee, when I met my sweetheart while visiting the University of Memphis, where she was studying. I moved to Tennesse and took the Tennessee Bar Examination (again, I passed on the first try).
I live in northwest Knoxville and make the short commute to our Fountain City office every morning.
If you have a question about your Social Security case, you can reach me at 865/522-9000.
A useful website
I have looked at a number of websites concerning Social Security Disability.
One of the most useful is http://ssaconnect.com/ which is published by David Traver, a very knowledgeable attorney out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Some of the discussions are very technical, and most of the participants are attorneys and people who work for Social Security. However, a good deal of useful information is contained in the links found on the left hand side.
One of the most useful is http://ssaconnect.com/ which is published by David Traver, a very knowledgeable attorney out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Some of the discussions are very technical, and most of the participants are attorneys and people who work for Social Security. However, a good deal of useful information is contained in the links found on the left hand side.
How long is the wait?
One of the most frustrating things about the Social Security Disability process is waiting for your case to be heard. I can't speak for all the OHAs in the country, but the one in Knoxville, Tennessee, does a pretty good job.
I am told that at any given time the judges there have about 3,000 cases in their office. New ones come in almost every day. I imagine they handle about 50-75 per week, which is no small task.
Currently in Knoxville, it takes about 10-12 months to have a case heard. Lawyers who practice in other offices have told me that the wait can be as long as 24-30 months.
I am told that at any given time the judges there have about 3,000 cases in their office. New ones come in almost every day. I imagine they handle about 50-75 per week, which is no small task.
Currently in Knoxville, it takes about 10-12 months to have a case heard. Lawyers who practice in other offices have told me that the wait can be as long as 24-30 months.
Welcome to straightanswers.blogspot.com
Hello,
In the coming weeks, I look forward to posting information about disability law and general observations about life. I hope you enjoy reading this blog.
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