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VA Officials Offer Explanations for Missed Backlog Promise
With the October 1 deadline for elimination of the Department of Veterans Affairs claims backlog passed, officials are providing explanations for the continuing problem. Among the reasons cited are the substantial increase in claims since the 2008 economic downturn, expanded…
Early Social Security Claiming on the Decline, Report Says
Slightly more than a third of men now turning 62 are electing to file for Social Security benefits, a recent SSA study indicates, down fro 56% two decades ago. For women, the statistics show a similar decline, form 63% to…
Re-Applying for Disability
You can apply more than once for Social Security Disability if previously denied. However, you have to look in to why your previous applications were denied in order to see why you were denied. If there is no change in…
Differences in Women’s Retirement
Many women fall in to the trap of letting their husband control the majority of the financial decisions without so much as keeping an eye on it. This leaves them in the problem of keeping up with the finances should…
Social Security Recipients Losing Ground to Inflation
A recent survey conducted by The Senior Citizens League concluded that, since 2000, seniors have lost a substantial portion of the buying power afforded to them through cost of living (COLA) increases. Specifically, the survey reports that while COLA adjustments…
Social Security Administration and OIG Step Up Fraud Prevention Efforts
Anti-fraud activities got a boost this week with the opening of five new Cooperative Disability Investigations (CDI) Units across the country, bringing the total number of units to 36 nation-wide. The CDI Units work with local law enforcement agencies to analyze…
Salvaging Social Security’s Disability Income Fund From Within
Fixing Social Security’s Disability Income financial dilemma requires more than accounting changes, according to an article by Sen. Tom Cotton and Sen. Joe Manchin posted today on foxnews.com. What’s really needed is increased emphasis on getting disability recipients back to work through…
Life Expectancy’s Correlation to Income
Life expectancy has been increasing in skewed proportions depending on a persons income class. Upper and upper-middle class saw significantly more gains in life expectancy over lower classes. This is true across both genders. This raises a number of questions…
Substantial Waste Cited in U.S. Health Care System
In an article titled “Not Much to Show for Nation’s High Cost of Care” posted on www.medpagetoday.com, Caroline Poplin MD, JD, former staff internist for the National Naval Medical Center currently practicing medicine part-time at the Arlington Free Clinic in Virginia, outlines some…
Some “unfair” aspects of Social Security
It’s a great program, and many people feel that way. But Social Security does have, by design, some aspects that are viewed as unfair in some quarters. The double-taxation issue, for example is viewed by many as a flaw, as…