We all know that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is a complex entity, and navigating it requires patience and a lot of help, mostly from dedicated people who either work there or have dedicated their careers to helping those who need to deal with the system. But knowing it and going through it are two very different things, which many discover when they get injured or need to access benefits for the first time.
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Earl Barry’s Struggle with the SSA
One of the ways we can all learn about the system and know which changes to push to enact is by listening to other people’s stories and comprehending what they went through to get their benefits. One such story is that of Earl Barry, a former employee of Office Depot who has been engaged in a prolonged struggle with the SSA over his disability benefits for some time now.
Barry’s health issues began with a severe case of pneumonia, which subsequently led to a heart condition that causes irregular heartbeats. Describing his condition, he stated, “It’s debilitating. You have severe shortness of breath, dizzy spells, and exhaustion.” Despite these severe health issues, Barry’s disability applications in October 2022 and December 2023 were both denied due to a “medical reason.”
Frustrated and confused by the SSA’s responses, Barry questioned, “What medical forms are you missing?” Although his physicians had completed all the necessary paperwork, the problem lay with his application form. He expressed disbelief at the SSA’s handling of his case, saying, “How do they not have that on their system? I just don’t understand how they work.”
In March 2024, Premiere Disability filed a reconsideration request on Barry’s behalf. The SSA typically takes an average of seven months to respond to such requests, but mishandling of the appeal caused even more delays. As a result, Barry’s financial situation has become dire. His savings are exhausted, and his house has been foreclosed on. “I’ll be living in my car. I have nowhere to go and no income. I have no money.”
A Widespread Issue: The SSA’s Errors and Delays
Despite his story being harrowing, Barry’s difficulties with the SSA are far from unique. In an even more unbelievable case, in January, a woman from Memphis was mistakenly marked as deceased by the SSA, leading to months of denial of services. This error meant she couldn’t work, receive tax refunds, or access health insurance because, according to records, she no longer existed. It is not an isolated incident; Fox 13 reported that approximately 10,000 people face this issue each year, which is an alarming statistic.
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The Social Security Administration’s Needed Reforms
The SSA’s new commissioner, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, has acknowledged the severe customer service issues plaguing the agency. Speaking on the SSA’s podcast, O’Malley remarked, “It’s not normal. It’s not acceptable. And it’s not right that the people who have worked their whole lives to earn benefits should have to wait for 44 minutes, for an hour or more, to have their question answered.”
O’Malley, who took office in December 2023, stressed the need for reform in the wake of a scandal involving the agency’s demands for the return of billions from beneficiaries due to overpayments. He recognized the extensive and problematic procedures that cause significant hardship for beneficiaries.
“It’s not right that 10,000 people a year die waiting for their disability determinations to be made, and it’s not right that we should have situations where we, through no fault of the recipient, find ourselves in the situation of overpayments and recovering dollars that put people out of their homes. Half of our seniors who are out there live entirely on Social Security.”
What’s Next for the SSA?
O’Malley has already started making changes to improve the system. The SSA plans to prioritize reducing call times, expediting disability determinations, and addressing overpayments and underpayments. While specific strategies for achieving these goals were not detailed at the time, the changes have been rolled out slowly to allow for effective implementation.
Earl Barry’s story, along with many others, highlights the urgent need for reform within the SSA. As new policies begin to take effect, there is hope that the system will become more responsive and fair to those who rely on it the most. However, continued pressure and awareness are crucial to ensuring that these changes are not just temporary fixes but lasting solutions to a deeply flawed system.