Sequestration: How Will it Affect Social Security Disability?

The federal government sequestration’s mandatory budget cuts are in effect as of the beginning of March this year. The Social Security Administration (SSA) benefit payments will not be affected, though all other aspects of SSA will be by reducing the SSA’s administrative budget.
SSA field and hearing office operations will be affected, with predictions of longer wait times in the offices and on the phone lines. Initial disability claims at the pending level will increase by over 140,00, and may have to wait an additional two weeks for an initial decision. Thousands of employees may be let go in result of sequestration.
Claims at the hearing level will have to wait for a decision almost a month longer, and any attempts to decrease the backlog of hearings will be diminished. Furloughs will remain possible though SSA will try to avoid them, as every furlough day would leave ODAR unable to hold around 3,000 hearings.

To increase your chances of winning your Social Security Disability claim it is important for you to hire an experienced Social Security Disability attorney to get you the Social Security Disability help you deserve. Please call us at 1-800-882-5500 or fill out a form on our website for a FREE claim evaluation.