Web News - December 2011

December 18, 2011

Author: Catherine M. Callery (Kate)| Louise M. Tarantino

SSA Launches Spanish Online Services

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that the agency's applications for retirement and Medicare and for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs, are now available in Spanish.  The new online services are available at www.segurosocial.gov.


Confirming Delivery by Certified Mail

Have you delivered documents to the Appeals Council or served a federal court complaint by certified mail, but have not gotten back confirmation of service, or the confirmation came back blank?  Apparently many advocates have  experienced these difficulties and shared a link to the U.S. Postal Service website to confirm the date of delivery of a certified document.
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction!input.action

Social Security Benefits Data Now Online

SSA stopped mailing out annual estimates of benefits to future Social Security recipients earlier this year as part of a cost-saving measure.  To get future benefits information, individuals will now have to go to SSA’s website.  SSA says that the online tool is more accurate than the paper statements were because it allows you to plug in different variables that could change monthly benefits, including age of retirement or different future income.  SSA estimates it will save $60 million annually with the online initiative.  The agency does intend to resume paper statements to people age 60 and over sometime next year.  www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator and click on “Estimate Your Retirement Benefits”

New Resource for ID Theft Introduced

If you are a victim of identity theft or are just trying to prevent it from happening to you, a new website offers a variety of resources.  The non-profit Consumer Federation of America launched a website with the goal of helping consumers sort through a multitude of information, and misinformation, about identity theft.  The site has fact sheets with tips on protecting yourself from identity theft, as well as information on protecting children and military members from identity theft..  www.IDTheftinfo.org

Calculate Medicaid Eligibility Under Pickle Amendment

SSA announced that for the first time since 2009 there will be a cost of living adjustment in Social Security and SSI benefits effective January 1. (See related article on page one.)  This adjustment will also affect the calculation of Pickle Amendment eligibility for Medicaid in 2012.  Gordon Bonnyman of the Tennessee Justice Center updated this table and instructions that enables advocates to calculate Medicaid eligibility under the Amendment quickly and simply.  http://www.nsclc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/2012-Pickle-chart.pdf