http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-back-pain-20110404,0,4021531.story

Attached is a link to the SSA’s current position on what services are going forward and which will be impacted by any shutdown. It appears that all scheduled hearings will proceed, unless they are at remote sites, as travel will not be authorized for ALJ’s.  There will likely be delays in getting out decisions, as many of the ODAR employees will not be allowed to work. An exception is made for Administrative Law Judges, who are considered critical and who will continue to hear cases.  If you have a hearing set in the next few weeks, be sure to contact your attorney for up-to-date information.

Link: http://www.ssa.gov/shutdown/docs/WerfelLetter4-7-11.pdf

Many people believe that SSI is the same thing as Social Security benefits. The two are related, but are not the same thing.
Both Social Security benefits and SSI benefits are administered by the same agency, namely, the Social Security Administration (“SSA”).
Social Security benefits are paid when a worker retires or, if the worker is under 66 years old, when he or she becomes disabled.
SSI, which stands for Supplemental Security Income, also provides both retirement and disability income, but has different financial requirements from Social Security.
To qualify for Social Security a person must 1. be of retirement age or disabled, AND 2, must have paid in enough to Social Security over the years to be covered.
To qualify for SSI, a person must 1. be of retirement age or disabled, AND 2. must have very limited assets and income.
A person who is a millionaire may qualify for Social Security benefits.
A person must be in poor financial condition to qualify for SSI.
There are people who financially qualify for one of the programs, but not the other. Some people financially qualify for both programs.
Some people may qualify for Social Security benefits because of their spouse’s earnings, and some minors may qualify because their parent, who paid into Social Security, retired, became disabled or died. These people get benefits because they are the survivors or dependents of someone who paid into Social Security.
There are no survivor’s or dependent’s benefits for people related to someone receiving SSI.

There is a danger in using the website for complicated disability applications. Without some backgroundin the regulations and standards the government use, you may not submit the forms to your bestadvantage. You may give a lot of information about some of your conditions but neglect to discussothers for a variety of reasons. For example, you may have a longstanding condition for which you nolonger get medical treatment, but which causes some limitations. Because you are not seeing a doctorfor that condition, you may not provide a full discussion of it. Or, you may not realize the impact ofthe medication you take. These, and many others, are among the reasons it is helpful to contact anattorney at the beginning of your case, even before your application is filed.

Trying to reach the Social Security Administration on the phone is a frustrating challenge. There is an800 number; however, the waits are long and the person providing the information is not local. He orshe is just checking the SSA’s computer which may not be fully up to date for your situation. It is alsovery difficult to reach a claims examiner by phone at your local office, and when you do, they may ormay not be helpful. Likewise, paying a visit to your local Social Security office is a challenge. Again, thewaits are long and the person you see may or may not actually give you the information you need. Ourclients report getting different advice from different people when they go in to ask a question about apending matter.
At Potter, Cohen and Samulon, we have years of experience in communicating with the Social SecurityAdministration. We generally write to the local offices using certified mail, so we are able to followup on any correspondence, as we know when it was received and by whom. We have many phonenumbers that allow us to get “behind” the front reception desk. And we can help maneuver the websiteon your behalf, knowing what information is critical to your claim, and the best ways to respond tospecific issues. There is no guarantee of success, but you can turn the frustrations of communicationwith a large and often unresponsive bureaucracy over to experienced attorneys who will communicateon your behalf.