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Social Security Administration

There are two Social Security programs available to people with disabilities:

• Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured" meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes;
• Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need.

These programs are administered by the Social Security Administration, a huge bureaucracy that, like all government agencies, moves at a plodding pace. It can be very difficult to resolve disputes, as the complaints below sadly illustrate.

If you are having problems, it may be helpful to contact your Congressional representative. You can find the contact info at http://www.house.gov. Frequently an inquiry from Congress helps get things moving.

Charles of Philadelphia (2/14/04):
I applied for Social Security Disability in April 2003 when I realized that my condition (AIDS) was worsening. My claim was denied by Mark Whalen on 9-23-03. I wrote the Bureau of Disability Determination to look over my records as my disabilities were well-documented from 3-3-03 on. They changed their determination and forwarded the paperwork to the Philadelphia local office to be processed. My paperwork sat in Philadelphia until I called the office and asked what was going on in mid-January 2004.

The next day Mrs. Matthews called and told me that because I had been "spared" the six month process for SSD appeal the paperwork could not be processed in Philadelphia but had to be sent to Baltimore. I called Baltimore 2/12/03 and the paperwork was nowhere near 100% complete and they could give me no idea when I mght start receiving benefits. At this point I have sold my house, my medical care is at a public clinic, I have given away or sold my assets to comply with SSD requirements. I exist on family loans and at the mercy of friends.

I have worked everyday since age 16. I am only asking for help due to a disease I did not ask for. They have no answer but telling me to go on Welfare while they shuffle papers. I am more than annoyed that it took a call from me to get paperwork moving from 10-09-03 to 01-15-04. It will soon be a year since I applied for SSD no letter, no correspondence, nothing from SSA outside of phone calls that I am even going to see one dollar.

Richard of Bluffton SC (2/5/04):
My complaint has nothing to do with those who work at this office but the way you have to do business there. There is a small, open room with about 12 chairs and a window with a chair in front of it where you tell the gentleman what you are there for. He was very professional and courteous. The problem is that everyone hears your business, your S.S. numbers, phone numbers, account numbers, etc.

What happened to the Privacy Act? These were the things I overheard because the gentleman had to ask for them but the problem is, everyone in the room hears this also. I was applying for my S.S. to begin, so I was asked my S.S. number first so he could pull it up on the computer. He then asked for my address, telepone number and bank account number and routing number so that the check can be direct deposited. This is fine but not out in the open like that. You should be able to go behind closed doors to give that information. This is why we have the privacy act now. This is an easy way for someone to do Identity Fraud.

Kimberly of Mount Prospect IL (1/16/04):
My daughter was born with Down's Syndrome in 1998. I had applied for SSI through Social Security at that time, to be told she was approved medically, but my husband made too much money at the time. I reapplied 3 times after that with the same results. In November of 2002 I applied again since my husband had a new job with a pay cut, and she was approved.

Since then her payments have gone up and down due to monthly income. They have had copies of pay stubs 4-5 times, and their estimates have been wrong more than once. They took out $55.00 a month they say due to overpayment, ony to pay me back a few months later. I have only seen Mrs. Fliss one time in the last 14 months, and she is not the original person who got my daughter approved. Each time I call this office and try to speak to her, I get her voice mail and she never calls me back. I only saw her for our annual review in December which was just a review, now I am getting a letter stating they are going to stop paying SSI to my daughter as of February 2004, due to my husband's income and mine. I also received a letter today stating they overpaid me $6,615.68, that they want me to repay. That is about how much they have paid her in SSI over the last 14 months.

I don't understand how they could have overpaid me, when they have had copies of pay stubs numerous times over the past 14 months. I have fought hard for 4 years for my daughter to get what she deserves. We are being punished becasue we are responsible parents who have to work for a living. They do not understand that by their standards we may make too much money, but our medical bills are outrageous as well as just normal living bills groceries and etc. They take overtime my husband made in November and his bonus and count that too. I do not understand how people that refuse to get a job and sponge money off the state get this money they do not deserve, when my daughter is suffering for her future, because the SSI I did receive I can't save or they would count it as an asset. So I used it for her needs, food clothes and doctor bills etc.

Scott of Pittsburg KS (1/1/04):
I have worked and paid taxes to my goverment for 30 plus years. l am disabled because of a diving accident. Prior to my accident I was a husband and father. I worked for Sara Lee as a manager. Managers were offered the option of having disability insurance with the premiums paid by payroll deduction. I was informed that Social Security only paid "x" amount and that those offered this disability insurance should take advantage of it.

I haven't received one dime of private pay disability insurance. That check ($513.00 per month for over 10 years) has been deposited in my bank account and Social Secuity has considered this amount as income and have reduced my Social Security benifits a like amount. My question is who does the disability insurance l bought benifit? Certainly not me.

If Scott's private disability insurance is paying a monthly benefit, that will indeed reduce (or eliminate) the amount of SSI benefits he receives. SSI is intended to be a benefit of last resort.

Diana of Staten Island NY (8/1/03):
My daughter works despite her disability. I must submit her pay stubs so that her wages can be applied to her case. (The amount she makes affects her grant amount.) I submitted pay stubs some time ago that were applied to her case incorrectly. Social Security discovered its mistake and determined that there had been an overpayment. They expected my daughter to pay back this overpayment even though she had done nothing wrong.

I applied for a waiver because of the circumstances of the overpayment. The waiver form was not worked on at all. In the meantime, the overpament has been almost completely recovered; even though I filed a waiver and did nothing wrong to result in an overpayment. Complaints to the local office do not help. They either do not listen, tell you they can't find the form, or tell you they can't refund the money no matter what.

I am, myself, disabled. They also denied my claim. My daughter's SSI and her part-time job and Public Assistance are our only means of support. Because they insisted on recovering an overpayment that their mistake made, many of our utility bills are behind. It is difficult to buy enough food and other necessities for the house.

Craig of Scottsboro AL (5/26/03):
My mother receives disability checks because my brother has Cerebal Palsy, is mentally retarded, and has asthma with only one lung. They base it on her not being able to work because of staying at home to help him. Recently, they did the yearly re-evaluation of my dad's income. He barely makes $1800 a month. We sent in the paycheck records saying that his income was under $1800. They somehow got that he makes $3000+ a month. We called them on it and they couldn't find any of our records that even come close to $3000. They admitted someone had probably guessed our income.

We usually get a $500 check a month, which covered our mortgage, but they've halted our payments (because of the $3000 an month mistake) and we haven't been able to pay in for a few months now. We've tried loans but couldn't get one. In June they'll probably forclose on our house. Social Security has admitted that they were wrong but won't do anything to rectify the problem. We've begged and pleaded for them to do another evaluation, which they did and found out his true income, but it still lists our income at $3000+ a month. One week, we get a letter saying that we'll get a check in May, then the next week we get one saying that we won't and we own them $300, then we'll get one saying we own them $900+. It is very confusing and in the meantime, our credit is being destroyed and we are losing our house. Is there anything we can do to a government organization like this?

Rita of Bowie MD (5/13/03):
I am 48 years old and have been on Social Security most of my adult life since the age of 18. With the help of Vocational Rehab I found a job in 1997 working with the Dept. of Juvenile Justice. I had to retire in June of 2002 because of my disability. I have muscular dystrohy. But before I retired I had to leave work because of going in and out of the hospital.

Oct. 3 2001 I went back to SS office in Landover, MD to be reinstated. Mr. Webber took my application. He told me because you have been on SSI and SSD before they could start my SSI back up until they get word that I can have my own SSD back. Six months went by I did not get SSI or SSD. I had no income and if it had not been for my son I would have been in the streets.

June of 2002 I contacted Congressman Hoyers Office. They have been helping me by riding SS' back. Finally in April 2003 Social Security put $10,000 in my bank account. Now mind you, this was back money owed to me from 2001.

21 days later I get a letter from Social Security telling me to give it back and if I don't they will hold all SS checks starting with July 2003. I have paid creditors and bills I have accumulated since 2001. Now I have to get a lawyer and pay them $2000 to help me. I can only make monthly payments I live off a little retirement check and my SS which isn't much because I haven't worked very long. Social Security has lost all papers and paystubs from over the years while I was working and they are telling me I owe them $23,000. Why must I be punished for trying and wanting to work?

My son was living out on his own until I got sick again. I have been figthing a bone infection for almost two years trying to keep from losing my left foot. I only have one child he is 25 years old and he has bi-polar disorder. I'm the only parent he has and he worries about me so much. He can not handle stress plus he will not take his meds. It has not been easy living with my son. What social security has done to me has cause my son to have a relasp in Nov. of 2001. My son lives with me now. I have had to double my antidepression meds. A therapist comes to me once a week. I have lost alot of weight. My son has made my life a living hell. He works every day and is a graduate Of MD University school of Business since 2000.

I need to be able to take care of myself, so my son can leave. I have drained his savings account. I have almost wanted to die. I can't take much more of what social security has done to me. I feel Social Security should pay me for stress and pain and for attorney fees so I can get my son back out on his own before someone gets badly hurt. My credit has suffered, I get nagging phone calls from bill collectors.

Debbie of Chauncey OH (4/16/03):
My 47-year-old brother died while in a nursing home on February 24th and Social Security demands that his last check be returned even though it was for the month of February! Who will pay the nursing home? They informed us their checks are not prorated. Last I knew there was only 28 days in February and he lived for 24 of those days, but that seems to make no difference to the lovely, almost non-English speaking lady at the Social Security office!

John of Green Bay WI writes (3/27/02):
I am 32 years old, I am married and I have one child that's 12 years old. In the spring of 1999, 3 weeks before my wedding, I became very ill and went to my doctor. He ordered a CAT scan and it revealed multiple proliferating tumors on my spinal cord, kidneys, thorasic cavity, in my pelvis, and left optic nerve in my head.

I had surgery on my left kidney and I went to Mayo Clinic to have 14cm. nerve sheath tumor removed from my spinal cord. None of my tumors could be completely removed due to the areas they were located. I recovered from surgery and was able to return to my job as a foreman of a painting crew, which I had done for the past 11 years. You could say I was passionate about my work.

In early Oct.of 2001 I started having similar symtoms which include extreme pain in my back, abdomin, legs, numbness in my legs, uncontrollable muscle spasms in my back and legs and a general weakness all over. I have not worked since Oct.19,2001.

My doctors have diagnosed me with having a disease called NEUROFIBROMATOSIS,or NF1. These tumors attack your nervous system and slowly cripple you, they also cause extreme amounts of pain. I have seen the best neurosurgens in the state and I've had something called a tumor board counsel, and they all say the same thing. Surgery is not an option due to the life-threatening complications I could have.

They have explained that this disease will not get better,only worse. My doctors have labeled me disabled and informed me to file for disability Social Security. I filed in early Nov. and spoke to a woman who informed me my family was qualified for SSI. She gave me amounts and told me that my family would be taken care of and not to worry. I filled out everything they sent me and had it mailed out Nov. 10, 2001. It has been almost 6 months and not one word from anyone at Social Security.

I used to make $800 per week. I am no longer able to work for the rest of my life. I don't know how much longer my family can hold on. My wife works full time, and because she makes $10 an hour, my family does not qualify for any help from the state. We have applied for every type of assistance, food stamps, rental assistance etc. and $10 an hr. is too much money for a family of 3 to receive any help.

I have been a laborer since I was 15 yrs. old. I paid all my taxes and have NEVER asked anyone to help my family, and I am becoming very discouraged in the country I helped to support. My wife and I have paid thousands of dollars to Social Security and we deserve better treatment then what we're getting. We are on the verge of losing everything, and all I can do is sit here and watch it happen!Please help my family.

As John notes, there are two Social Security programs available to people with disabilities:

• Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured" meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes;
• Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need.

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