Friday, July 14, 2017

You Had Better Watch Out Because Your Social Security Administration Is Watching Out For You

In order to fill you with confidence, I will Bullet Point below the “Efficiency” of your Social Security Administration (SSA)…Or will I?

(My comments will be Yellow Highlighted)

 

This all started when I made a Simple Request to the SSA to change the Direct Deposit of my Social Security Pension from one bank account to another bank account in the same bank.

 

Did I heard you just say to your collective selves, “That sounds simple”. That’s what you might think but the word “simple” is nowhere to be found in the SSA Operational Manual…

 

I made my request to the SSA on April 28, 2017.

Ø On July 7th I received a letter dated July 5th that informed me that my SSA has sprung into action.

Ø The letter also falsely stated that I made my request on June 27th.
>In a future audit the SSA will be given a Gold Star because their Springing Into Action Letter was written a mere 8 days after the minion (me) submitted my request.
>The truth is their
Springing Into Action Letter
was written a whopping 68 days after little ole minion (me) submitted my request.

Ø The Springing Into Action Letter then goes on to say I will receive the first deposit into my new bank account on August 28th.
>In a future audit the SSA will be given another Gold Star because I received my deposit to my new account a mere 54 days after the Springing Into Action Letter.
>The truth is I will get my first deposit a whopping 122 days after I made my Simple Request to the SSA.

 

It is at this point that the Springing Into Action Letter goes from Deceptive to Downright Bizarre…

Ø I am told of the many courses of action that are available to me If I Disagree with the Decision the SSA has made.
>Why would I disagree with the SSA agreeing to do what I asked it to do?

Ø They tell me they will review my case and look at any new facts that I have presented to them.
>I only have old facts. I just want them to put my money into my new account.

Ø They tell me my case will be reviewed by someone other than the person who originally decided my case.
>I have no problem with the old person (just might have been a bit slow). I just want them to put my money into my new account.

Ø They pledge to review the parts of the original decision that I think are wrong and correct any mistakes.
>I don’t object to the original decision to put money into my new account and there were no mistakes that I can recall (other than they might have been a bit slow in getting it done).

Ø Strangely, they also pledge to review those parts of their decision that I think were correct.
>Huh?

Ø They said they will make a decision that may or may not be in my favor.
>Does this mean they may decide not to put my money into my new and different account and I will be then required to open a different new and different account from the new and different account that I had previously decided upon?

Ø I will then have 60 days to appeal the decision they have made in regard to my request and the 60 days will start 5 days after they mailed this letter to me unless I can prove that I did not get their letter within 5 days of their letter having been mailed.
>Believe me, if they I just put my money into my new account, they are not going to hear a peep out of me. I am too confused to peep.

Ø They then tell me I had better have a good reason if I want to wait longer than 60 days to appeal.
>Does that sound like a threat to you?

Ø They finish up with a flurry of administrative minutiae…
>I can file an appeal with any SSA Office.
>The appeal must be in writing.
>The appeal must use their form “Request for Reconsideration” (SSA-561).
>I can find form SSA-561 online at
www,socialsecurity.gov/online/.
> I can also get a form SSA-561 by calling and asking for one to be sent to me, making my request in writing by mail or coming into any office in the Good Ole USofA and asking for one.
>If I need help in filling out form SSA-561, I can be helped either in person in one of their offices or on the phone.

 

Several years ago I had a minor problem (at least I thought it was minor) with the SSA which ended up taking weeks to resolve. During these weeks I several times had to make phone calls to the SSA and wait on hold listening to the worst music the SSA could possibly find to inflict on me. Usually the waits were over an hour.

 

The issue got resolved quickly after I told them I had contacted my Congressman.

 

The “Contacting My Congressman” part was almost a lie because a minion at my congressman’s Office had already stiff-armed me and I had just about given up all hope for resolution to my Minor Problem

 

This time I’m just going to sit quietly and keep my fingers crossed.

 

My Mother would have made a Novena. Maybe that’s what I ought to do. Probably not, I bet Novenas are prohibited in some obscure SSA Regulation in a Sub-Section entitled, Unauthorized Interference with Governmental Confusion.

 

Would I kid u?

Smartfella