[United States Government Manual]
[June 01, 2004]
[Pages 529-533]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235

Phone, 410-965-1234. Internet, www.ssa.gov.
Commissioner of Social Security                   Jo Anne B. Barnhart
    Deputy Commissioner                           James B. Lockhart III
    Chief of Staff                                Larry W. Dye

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    Senior Advisors                               Barbara M. Levering
                                                  Phillip Dulaney IV
                                                  Michel N. Korbey
    Executive Counselor on Interagency            Rita S. Geier
            Adjudication
    Senior Executive Officer                      Nancy A. McCullough
    Executive Secretary                           Veronica B. Henderson
    Counselor to the Commissioner                 Laurence J. Love
Deputy Commissioner for Finance, Assessment, and  Dale W. Sopper
        Management
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             Anthony F. Dinoto
            Finance, Assessment, and 
            Management
Deputy Commissioner for Operations                Linda S. McMahon
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             Mary E. Glenn-Croft
            Operations
Deputy Commissioner for Systems                   William E. Gray
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             G. Kelly Croft
            Systems
Deputy Commissioner for Human Resources           Reginald F. Wells
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             Felicita Sola-Carter
            Human Resources
Inspector General                                 Patrick P. O'Carroll, 
                                                          Acting
    Deputy Inspector General                      (vacancy)
General Counsel                                   Lisa De Soto
        Deputy General Counsel                    Thomas W. Crawley
Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income     Martin H. Gerry
        Security Programs
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             Frederick G. 
            Disability and Income                         Streckewald
            Security Programs (Program 
            Policy)
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             Patricia A. Jonas
            Disability and Income 
            Security Programs 
            (Disability Operations)
Deputy Commissioner for Legislation and           Robert M. Wilson
        Congressional Affairs
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             Diane B. Garro
            Legislation and 
            Congressional Affairs
Chief Actuary                                     Stephen C. Goss
    Deputy Chief Actuary (Short Range)            Eli N. Donkar
    Deputy Chief Actuary (Long Range)             Alice H. Wade
Deputy Commissioner for Communications            James J. Courtney
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             Philip A. Gambino
            Communications
Deputy Commissioner for Policy                    Paul S. Hewitt
    Assistant Deputy Commissioner for             Paul N. Van de Water
            Policy
Chief Information Officer                         Thomas P. Hughes
    Deputy Chief Information Officer              D. Dean Mesterharm
Chief Strategic Officer                           Myrtle S. Habersham
    Deputy Chief Strategic Officer                Susan A. Kennedy

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Social Security Administration manages the Nation's social insurance 
program--consisting of retirement, survivors, and disability insurance 
programs--commonly known as Social Security. It also administers the 
Supplemental Security Income program for the aged,blind,and disabled. 
The Administration is responsible for

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studying the problems of poverty and economic insecurity among Americans 
and making recommendations on effective methods for solving these 
problems through social insurance. The Administration also assigns 
Social Security numbers to U.S. citizens and maintains earnings records 
for workers under their Social Security numbers.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) was established by 
Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1946 (5 U.S.C. app.), effective July 16, 
1946. It became an independent agency in the executive branch by the 
Social Security Independence and Program Improvements 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 the agency's 
mission, by law the Commissioner is assisted by a Deputy Commissioner 
who performs duties assigned or delegated by the Commissioner, a Chief 
Financial Officer, a Chief Information Officer, a Chief Strategic 
Officer, a General Counsel, a Chief Actuary, and an Inspector General.

Programs and Activities

Old-Age,Survivors, and DisabilityInsurance  The agency administers these 
social insurance programs, which provide monthly benefits to retired and 
disabled workers, their spouses and children, and to survivors of 
insured workers. Financing is under a system 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 the earnings the 
family has lost.
Supplemental Security Income  The agency administers this needs-based 
program for the aged, blind, and disabled. A basic Federal monthly 
payment 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 those States.
Medicare  While the administration of Medicare is the responsibility of 
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Social Security 
Administration provides Medicare assistance to the public through SSA 
field offices and processing centers, and adjudicates requests for 
hearings and appeals of Medicare claims.
Black Lung  By agreement with the Department of Labor, SSA is 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).
Regional Offices  Social Security Administration operations are 
decentralized to provide services at the local level. Each of the SSA 10 
regions, under the overall direction of its Regional Commissioner, 
contains a network of field offices and teleservice centers, which serve 
as the contact between SSA and the public. The Administration operates 
1,282 field offices, 36 teleservice centers, and 6 program service 
centers. These installations are responsible for the following:
    --informing the public of the purposes and provisions of Social 
Security programs and their rights and responsibilities;
    --assisting with claims filed for retirement, survivors, disability, 
or health insurance benefits, black lung benefits, or Supplemental 
Security Income;
    --developing and adjudicating claims;
    --assisting certain beneficiaries in claiming reimbursement for 
medical expenses;
    --developing cases involving earnings records, coverage, and fraud-
related questions;
    --making rehabilitation service referrals; and

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    --assisting claimants in filing appeals on SSA determinations of 
benefit entitlement or amount.
Hearing Offices  SSA also administers a nationwide hearings and appeals 
program which provides a mechanism for individuals dissatisfied with 
determinations affecting their rights to and amounts of benefits or 
their participation in programs under the Social Security Act. The act 
allows for administrative appeals of these determinations in accordance 
with the requirements of the Administrative Procedure and Social 
Security Acts. SSA has approximately 140 hearing offices located in the 
10 SSA regions.

For further information, contact the Social Security Administration. 
Phone, 800-772-1213 (toll free).

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 or 410-965-7467.
Electronic Access  Information regarding the Social Security 
Administration may be obtained through the Internet at www.ssa.gov.
Employment  For information about careers with the Social Security 
Administration, go to www.ssa.gov/careers. For current vacancies, go to 
http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/a9ssajob.asp.
General Information  The Office of the Deputy Commissioner for 
Operations manages SSA's toll-free public service telephone. Phone, 800-
772-1213 (toll free). TTY, 866-325-0778 (toll free).
Inspector General  The Office of the Inspector General maintains a 24-
hour toll-free hotline to receive allegations and complaints relative to 
SSA operations nationwide. Phone, 800-269-0271 (toll free). Fax, 410-
597-0118.
Publications  The Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Communications 
publishes numerous pamphlets concerning SSA programs. Single copies may 
be obtained at any local office or by calling 800-772-1213. SSA also 
collects a substantial volume of economic, demographic, and other data 
in furtherance of its program mission. Basic data on employment, 
payments, 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 public. Additional information may be obtained from 
the Division of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, 400 Virginia 
Avenue SW., Washington DC 20254. Phone, 202-358-6405.
Reading Room  Requests for information, for copies of records, or to 
inspect records may be made at any local office or the Headquarters 
Contact Unit, Room G-44, Altmeyer Building.
Speakers and Films  SSA makes 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 local Social Security Office.

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