[United States Government Manual]
[July 01, 1995]
[Pages 701-703]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 701]]



SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235
Phone, 410-965-1234
Commissioner of Social Security                  Shirley A. Chater
  Principal Deputy Commissioner                  Lawrence H. Thompson
    Deputy Commissioner for                      John R. Dyer
        Finance, Assessment, and 
        Management
    Deputy Commissioner for                      Janice L. Warden
        Operations
    Deputy Commissioner for Systems              Renato A. DiPentima
    Deputy Commissioner for Human                Ruth A. Pierce
        Resources
    Inspector General                            June Gibbs-Brown, 
                                                     Acting
    General Counsel                              Arthur Fried
    Deputy Commissioner for                      Carolyn W. Colvin
        Programs, Policy, 
        Evaluation and 
        Communications
    Deputy Commissioner for                      Judy L. Chesser
        Legislation and 
        Congressional Affairs
    Chief Financial Officer                      John R. Dyer

[For the Social Security Administration statement of organization, see 
the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 20, Part 422]

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The Social Security Administration administers the Federal retirement, 
survivors, disability, and health insurance programs for the aged, 
disadvantaged, and physically and mentally challenged. It is responsible 
for studying the problems of poverty, insecurity, and health care needs 
of those individuals and how they can be resolved through social 
insurance and related programs, and for making recommendations towards 
the most effective methods of improving social and economic security 
through social insurance.
  The Administration also assigns Social Security numbers and birth 
registration documents to U.S. citizens and maintains a record, for tax 
purposes, of reported earnings for each individual assigned a social 
security number.

The Social Security Administration was established by Reorganization 
Plan No. 2 of 1946 (5 U.S.C. app.), effective July 16, 1946. It was made 
an independent agency in the executive branch by the Social Security 
Independence and Program Improvement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 901), 
effective March 31, 1995.
    The Administration is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the 
President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
    In administering the programs necessary to carry out its regulatory 
responsibilities, the Commissioner is assisted by a Deputy Commissioner, 
who performs duties assigned or delegated by the Commissioner; a Chief 
Financial Officer; and an Inspector General.
     To assist the Commission in exercising its responsibilities, there 
is a Social Security Advisory Board to advise the Commissioner on 
policies related to old-age, survivors, and disability insurance 
programs under title II of the Social Security Act and the supplemental 
security program under title XVI of that act. The Board is composed of 
seven members, one of whom is designated by the President as Chairman.

Activities

Medicare  The Social Security Administration administers a national

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program of contributory social insurance whereby employees, employers, 
and the self-employed pay contributions that are pooled in special trust 
funds. When earnings stop or are reduced because the worker retires, 
dies, or becomes disabled, monthly cash benefits are paid to partially 
replace part of the earnings the family has lost.
    Part of the contributions go into a separate hospital insurance 
trust fund, so that when workers and their dependents become 65 years 
old they will have help with their hospital bills. They may also elect 
to receive help with doctor bills and other medical expenses by paying a 
percentage of supplementary medical insurance premiums, while the 
Federal Government pays the remainder. Together, these two programs are 
often referred to as ``Medicare.'' Under certain conditions, Medicare 
protection also is provided to people who are receiving social security 
or railroad retirement monthly benefits based on a disability. The 
responsibility for the administration of the Medicare Program has been 
transferred to the Health Care Financing Administration. By agreement 
with the Department of Labor, the Administration is also involved in 
certain aspects of the administration of the black lung benefits 
provisions of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as 
amended (30 U.S.C. 901).
Old-Age Survivors and Disability  This insurance program provides 
monthly benefits to retired and disabled workers, their spouses and 
children, and to survivors of insured workers.
Supplemental Security Income  The agency administers this program for 
the aged, blind, and disabled. This basic Federal payment program is 
financed out of general revenue, rather than a special trust fund. Some 
States, choosing to provide payments to supplement the benefits, have 
agreements with the Administration under which it administers the 
supplemental payments for the States.
Appellate Decisions  The Social Security Administration also provides 
administrative direction to a national organization of administrative 
law judges, who conduct independent hearings and decide appealed 
determinations involving the benefit provisions of Administration 
programs. The Administration, through its Appeals Council, reviews such 
appealed determinations and renders the Secretary's final decision.

Regional Offices

Social Security Administration operations are decentralized to provide 
appropriate services at the local level. The United States is divided 
into 10 regions, each headed by a Regional Commissioner. The Regional 
Commissioner is the principal agency representative at the regional 
level, responsible for effective Administration contact with HHS, other 
Federal agencies, State disability determination services, and State 
welfare agencies. Regional Commissioners implement national operational 
and management plans for providing services directly to the public and 
coordinate regional operations so that they are effective and consistent 
with national and regional requirements, as well as systems and policy 
directives.
    Each region contains, under the overall direction of the Regional 
Commissioner, a network of district offices, branch offices, and 
teleservice centers, which serve as the contact between the 
Administration and the public. These installations have responsibility 
for:
    --informing people of the purposes and provisions of programs and 
their rights and responsibilities thereunder;
    --assisting with claims filed for retirement, survivors, health, or 
disability insurance benefits, black lung benefits, or supplemental 
security income;
    --developing and adjudicating claims;
    --assisting certain beneficiaries in claiming reimbursement for 
medical expenses;
    --conducting development of cases involving earnings records, 
coverage, and fraud-related questions;
    --making rehabilitation service referrals; and
    --assisting claimants in filing appeals on Administration 
determinations of benefit entitlement or amount.

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Sources of Information

Inquiries on the following subjects may be directed to the appropriate 
office, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21235.
Contracts and Small Business Activities  Contact the Office of 
Acquisitions and Grants. Phone, 410-965-9457.
Employment  A variety of civil service registers and examinations are 
used in hiring new employees. Specific employment information may be 
obtained from the Office of Personnel. Phone, 410-965-4506.
Publications  The Social Security Administration collects a substantial 
volume of economic, demographic, and other data in furtherance of its 
program mission. Basic data on employment and earnings, beneficiaries 
and benefit payments, utilization of health services, and other items of 
program interest are published regularly in the Social Security 
Bulletin, its Annual Statistical Supplement, and in special releases and 
reports that appear periodically on selected topics of interest to the 
general public. Additional information may be obtained from the 
Publications Staff, Office of Research and Statistics, Room 209, 4301 
Connecticut Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20008. Phone, 202-282-7138.
    The Office of Public Affairs has published numerous pamphlets 
concerning Administration programs. Single copies may be obtained at any 
of over 1,300 local offices.
Reading Rooms  Requests for information, for copies of records, or to 
inspect or copy records may be made at any local office or the 
Headquarters Contact Unit, Room G-44, Altmeyer Building. Phone, 800-
2345-SSA (toll-free answering service).
Speaker and Films  It is the Administration's policy to make speakers, 
films, and exhibits available to public or private organizations, 
community groups, schools, etc., throughout the Nation. Requests for 
this service should be directed to the nearest Social Security Office or 
the Office of Public Affairs.

For further information concerning the Social Security Administration, 
contact the Office of Public Inquiries, Social Security Administration, 
6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235. Phone, 410-965-7700.

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