Social Security Field Offices To End Some Services, Allsup Reports
Belleville, IL (PRWEB) January 03, 2014 -- The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced that in February field offices will no longer provide benefit verification letters, reported Allsup, which has helped hundreds of thousands of people receive their Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Benefit verification letters provide important information for Social Security recipients including benefit amount and type, Medicare start date and date of birth.
“The SSA is taking steps to reduce costs and preserve resources at their field offices,” said Mike Stein, Assistant Vice President of Claims at Allsup. The change requires individuals to go to “my Social Security,” the agency’s online portal, to create a personal account or call Social Security for assistance by telephone. The SSA also announced field offices will stop providing Social Security number printouts. Instead, the agency will require individuals to complete an application to receive a replacement.
Last year, the SSA announced it would reduce hours at field offices nationwide in order to manage workloads. The SSA’s workforce has dropped by more than 1,400 employees from December 2012 through this summer, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
“If you are planning to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits or appeal your denial for benefits, you may be able to find answers to your questions more quickly from an SSDI representative like Allsup,” Stein said.
SSDI is a federally mandated disability insurance program overseen by the SSA. It operates separately from the retirement and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.
SSDI benefits provide monthly income to people under full retirement age (65-67) and who can no longer work because of a severe disability that is expected to last 12 months or longer or is terminal. Individuals must have paid FICA taxes to be eligible.
Find more information about disability appeal representation on Allsup’s website, Allsup.com.
To answer questions about eligibility for SSDI benefits, contact an Allsup SSDI specialist for a free evaluation at (800) 678-3276.
ABOUT ALLSUP
Allsup is a nationwide provider of Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, Medicare and Medicare Secondary Payer compliance services for individuals, employers and insurance carriers. Allsup professionals deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. Founded in 1984, the company is based in Belleville, Ill., near St. Louis. For more information, go to Allsup.com or visit Allsup on Facebook at Facebook.com/Allsupinc.
Rebecca Ray, Allsup, http://www.Allsup.com, +1 (800) 854-1418 Ext: 65065, [email protected]
Share this article