[nfbmi-talk] Social Security payments go digital and Hours Cut

Terry Eagle terrydeagle at yahoo.com
Tue Jan 8 09:36:22 UTC 2013


As if office hours are not already compromised.  As an advocate represent of
SSI and SSDI recipients, I well know how non-responsive the Social Security
Administration is currently.  They have already shut-off all avenues of
communication beyond the local district office, as payment center telephone
numbers have been disconnected, and when calling the national 800 number,
service representatives at the nationwide 800 number simply refer callers
back to the local district office, which either you cannot get through to
anyone, or voicemail messages go unanswered.  The latest is to call the 800
number, referred to the local office number, then after waiting on the line,
repeatedly listening to how great and time-saving calling the 800 number is
for help,  you are magically transferred automatically back to the
nationwide 800 number call service center!

Each and every day there are 10,000 baby-boomer generation persons that
become eligible for Social Security Retirement Benefits and/or Medicare
benefits, and this fact will continue for years at that number of daily
eligible recipients.

Add to that number the economic condition effect of those filing for
disability benefits, and those forced to file for SSI benfits out of forced
income reduction, and the number of claims and beneficiary needs for service
skyrocket.  Go figure the bureaucratic response is to cut back on service
hours and not fill vacant positions.

Computers and technology are not the solution.  Sometime only a live and
interactive person can only quickly and and fully resolve an issue or
problem.

I recently was discussing changes to SSA over time, with a claims
representative whom had started working for the administration about the
same time I did years and years ago.  That representative told me how
technology has over the years replaced several workers in each office, and
has added to the claims representatives workload, including the clerical
tasks done by one clerical position that once upon a time was support for 3
to 4 claims representatives.  The clerical position kept the work flow
moving, so claims representatives could resolve issues and get claims
adjudicated in a timely manner..  Now the claims representatives must find
time to do the manual letters and things like review and development of
errors and gaps in a claimant's earning record, among other issues and
duties once handled by clerical staff.  And there has been an overall
reduction in staff because of computers and technology, and no adjustment to
staffing despite vast increase in eligible beneficiaries, caused by
retirement age of the baby-boomer generation and other factors mentioned
above.

The system is broken, with no plan to fix or replace the worn-out and broken
parts.  Like so many broken bureaucratic systems today, none other which I
shall mention now, simply do not have a guest service centered focus value
system, whereby service delivery systems are designed and implemented to
serve and support the needs of a living breathing person with real issues
and needs that no computer software or program can be developed or utilized
to adequately address and resolve a problem without effective human contact
and guest service.  You may have noticed I have used guest service
repeatedly here, and I may have been trained in the value and benefit of
quality guest service, and that may be seen today as old-fashioned, but to
me, quality guest service is always in fashion when it comes to addressing
and exceeding the expectation and needs of a guest, no matter what field or
service area in society.

And finally, if systems were viewed as supportive to guest service, rather
than the all and end-all to addressing and resolving guest issues and needs,
the current and future technology could and should be designed and utilized
solely to enhance the guest contact and experience, driven by guest centered
need fulfillment, rather than replacing the guest experience, for the
convience of the system and those who run and manage the system.

The real bureaucratic challenge is that so little, if any, emphasis and
effort is placed on a societal value of the true worth, in both human and
economic terms, on service of any kind.

    
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Georgia
Kitchen
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 5:13 PM
To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: [Blindtlk] Social Security payments go digital


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Johnson" <blinddog3 at charter.net>
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 7:58 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Social Security payments go digital


> Sherri, this is true.  In fact, this is one money savings effort that SSA 
> is
> implementing to save costs.  Beneficiaries were encouraged in the past, 
> but
> now, beginning this spring, a beneficiary has no option as paper checks 
> will
> no longer be issues.  Also, as part of their cost-savings plans, most SSA
> offices have reduced their office hours.
>
> Steve
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sherri
> Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 6:30 AM
> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Blindtlk] Social Security payments go digital
>
> I got this from Dear Abby, of all places, and am posting it just in case 
> any
> of you receive your checks as paper checks.
>
> Sherri
>
>      BENEFITS PAYMENTS GO DIGITAL TO SAVE MONEY, IMPROVE SAFETY
>      DEAR ABBY: Please help me spread an important message to people who
> receive Social Security or other federal benefits each month via one of 
> the
> estimated 5.4 million paper checks each month. Starting March 1, 2013, the
> Treasury Department is requiring all Social Security, VA, SSI and other
> federal beneficiaries receive their benefits by electronic payment. Senior
> citizens and other federal beneficiaries may choose either direct deposit 
> or
> the Treasury-recommended Direct Express Debit MasterCard.
>      This new payment method is not optional. It is the law. Besides 
> saving
> taxpayers money, switching to electronic payments provides a safer, more
> convenient and cost-effective way for people to get their federal benefits
> than paper checks.
>
>      Individuals who need assistance in switching to electronic payment 
> can
> call the Treasury's secure Go Direct Call Center at 800-333-1795. Our 
> agents
> are specially trained to answer questions and complete the switch-over
> process in less than 10 minutes.
>
>      We urge people not to wait until the last minute to make this
> important change. Thank you for your help, Abby. -- WALT HENDERSON, GO
> DIRECT CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR
>
>      DEAR MR. HENDERSON: You have come to the right place. Dear Abby
> readers are the most caring and generous people in the world, and I know
> they will be glad to help us spread the word.
>
>      Readers, if you or people you care about will be affected by this
> massive change in the way benefits are being distributed, please clip or
> copy this column and be sure those people are informed. And when you do,
> tell them that when they make the call, they must have either their most
> recent benefit check on hand, or know their 12-digit federal benefit check
> number. To arrange for direct deposit, they will also need to know their
> bank's or credit union's routing transit number and their account number.
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>      DEAR ABBY: My husband passed away a year ago. Four days after his
> funeral I rec
>
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