United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1995-05-23 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:T-HEHS-95-164 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-164 P0b002ee18038565e f:the95164 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-164 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-164 T-HEHS-95-164 Supplemental security income Disability insurance Vocational rehabilitation Eligibility determinations Social security benefits Handicapped persons Beneficiaries Aid for training or employment Social Security Disability Insurance Program Supplemental Security Income Program Medicare Program Social Security Disability Insurance Trust Fund Medicaid Program SSA Project Network Testimony HEHS Rising numbers of applicants for disability benefits have increased workloads at the Social Security Administration (SSA) and lead to growing backlogs of claims. As a result, applicants are waiting longer to find out if they have been awarded benefits. Applicants wait almost 90 days to learn whether they have been awarded benefits, while persons who appeal their claims to SSA's administrative law judges wait more than a year. These long waits can impose substantial hardship on applicants, particularly those with limited incomes and no medical insurance. SSA has undertaken several short-term initiatives to address the backlog problem. It has also begun a long-term effort to redesign its disability determination process. GAO shares congressional concerns that these changes may sacrifice decisional accuracy for faster processing. SSA is also addressing its workload increases while dealing with substantial resource constraints. Nonetheless, SSA needs to focus more attention on terminating benefits for those who are no longer eligible and encouraging beneficiaries to return to work. SSA, now an independent agency, also needs to provide more data and advice to Congress on matters affecting disability insurance policy. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-164/html/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-164.htm GAO/T-HEHS-95-164 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-95-164 Testimony GAO/T-HEHS-95-164; Disability Insurance: Broader Management Focus Needed to Better Control Caseload; Supplemental security income Disability insurance Vocational rehabilitation Eligibility determinations Social security benefits Handicapped persons Beneficiaries Aid for training or employment Social Security Disability Insurance Program Supplemental Security Income Program Medicare Program Social Security Disability Insurance Trust Fund Medicaid Program SSA Project Network