Jul 12, 2008
Social Security News

Your source for news affecting the U.S. Social Security Administration Copyright Charles T. Hall

Powerful TV Story On Backlogs

http://socsecnews.blogspot.com/2008/...-backlogs.html

WGRZ-TV in Buffalo is running a lengthy story (more than six minutes) on Social Security's terrible backlogs in adjudicating disability claims. The story includes interviews with Congressman Brian Higgins and Senator Chuck Schumer.

I know that the description of the problems suffered by the claimant who is used as an example may give you pause, but that is merely a television reporter's understanding of a claimant's understanding of her medical problems. It should not be surprising if there is a lot misunderstood along the way. There are plenty of people who give similarly incoherent accounts of their medical conditions who are genuinely in terrible shape. I talk with them every day and try to help them better understand what their doctors have said and what they are experiencing so they can testify in a coherent fashion.

If you have wondered why there have been so many backlog stories coming from the Buffalo area, watch. The reason is one person, Linda Fullerton. It makes you wonder what would happen if there were a hundred or a thousand people out there like Ms. Fullerton pressing Congress and the media.

By the way, the reporter's desire to blame President Bush and former President Clinton may not be completely off the mark, but, by far, the bigger problem was Republican control of Congress between 1994 and 2006. This is not Republican bashing. This is plain fact.