California Erred in Publishing Thousands of Social Security Number Online

In just five months following its first security breach, the State of California has again erroneously published thousands of Social Security numbers online.

According to recent news reports, California’s Department of Health Care Service officials admitted that it mistakenly posted online some 14,000 Social Security numbers belonging to Medi-Cal providers working for In-Home Supportive Services from 25 counties in California.

The Medi-Cal providers’ personal social security information have been available to anyone on the state’s Medi-Cal website for nine days until the mistake was discovered and eventually taken down.

In its statement quoted below, the Department of Health Care Services’ spokesperson said:

“This was inadvertent and we sincerely regret this has happened.”

Incidentally, last July, the same incident occurred when a database breach by the Department of Social Services put around 750,000 providers’ personal information at risk.

During that time, the state offered to provide free credit monitoring for several months and then pledged that the problem would never happen again—until this recent glitch.

Consequently, many owners of the Social Security numbers exposed online are now concerned about becoming victims of identity theft. In addition, the second incident of security breach has created a dispute regarding the state’s ability to safeguard sensitive information like Social Security numbers.

For the second time around, the state’s Department of Health Care Services again pledges to take some very strong action to help deal with the problem. It can be remembered that the agency did the same action before, when it offered additional year of free credit-monitoring service and some precautionary steps to protect such information more diligently.

However, in a statement released by a Los Angeles permanent disability lawyer, he claimed that it cannot be always that way that whenever the state committed such mistake, it would simply make a pledge. The same lawyer stressed that something must be done at once to avoid such leak of confidential information. “People need action and not promises,” he added.

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SSA Adds another 35 Conditions to Compassionate Allowances Program

Following the modest addition of a single condition of the Social Security Administration (SSA) in its Compassionate Allowances Program last July, the federal agency recently announced its generous addition to the program which is composed of 35 new conditions.

In its recent press release, SSA Commissioner Michael J. Astrue announced that the agency added 35 more conditions to its Compassionate Allowance Program currently  in effect.

Consequently, the total number of conditions in the accelerated disability process reached 200.

Apparently, the agency’s program is purposely designed to quickly identify diseases and other medical conditions that could make a person eligible to receive disability benefits. The program is intended to speed up disability decisions to ensure that Americans will receive their benefits within days of filing their application, instead of months or even years. Existing conditions listed on the program include certain cancers, adult brain disorders, and a number of rare medical conditions that generally affect children.

Since the agency began the program in 2008 until present, the disability benefits applications of approximately 200,000 people with severe disabilities over the country have been promptly approved in less than a couple of weeks, Astrue proudly revealed.

Incidentally, the conditions included in the program are so severe to the point that they do not have to be fully developed for the agency to make a decision regarding the applicants’ employment history. Consequently, the agency slashed out a certain part in the application process for people who have a condition enlisted on the program.

For details of the newly added conditions, a Los Angeles social security disability lawyer herein quoted the same below for readers’ ready reference:

1.    Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
2.    Adult Onset Huntington Disease
3.    Allan-Herndon-Dudley Syndrome
4.    Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma
5.    Aplastic Anemia
6.    Beta Thalassemia Major
7.    Bilateral Optic Atrophy- Infantile
8.    Caudal Regression Syndrome – Types III and IV
9.    Child T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma
10.    Congenital Lymphedema
11.    DeSanctis Cacchione Syndrome
12.    Dravet Syndrome
13.    Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma
14.    Erdheim Chester Disease
15.    Fatal Familial Insomnia
16.    Fryns Syndrome
17.    Fulminant Giant Cell Myocrditis
18.    Hepatopulmonary Syndrome
19.    Hepatorenal Syndrome
20.    Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome
21.    Leiomyosarcoma
22.    Malignant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
23.    Malignant Germ Cell Tumor
24.    MECP 2 Duplication Syndrome
25.    Menkes Disease - Classic or Infantile Onset Form
26.    NFU-1 Mitochondrial Disease
27.    Non-Ketotic Hyperglcinemia
28.    Peritoneal Mucinous Carcinomatosis
29.    Phelan- McDermid Syndrome
30.    Retinopathy of Prematurity - Stage V
31.    Roberts Syndrome
32.    Severe Combined Immunodeficiency - Childhood
33.    Sinonasal Cancer
34.    Transplant Coronary Artery Vasculopathy
35.    Usher Syndrome - Type I

For further details regarding the complete list of the Compassionate Allowances Program, you could visit the agency’s official webpage, www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.

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Disability Benefit for Veterans, Survivors Up Slightly

The newly re-elected president has some good news for veterans and survivors alike.

As recently reported, President Barack Obama signed a bill on Tuesday which would increase the disability benefits received by veterans as well as survivors of war casualties.

Apparently, said effort is to match the benefits received by the disabled veterans into the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) paid to Social Security recipients and military retirees.

Incidentally, about 4 million veterans and their families are set to benefit from the increase. Also, it is expected to involve other benefits such as disability compensation and benefits for surviving spouses and children, according to the bill’s sponsor, Sen. John Tester (D-Montana).

Through his statement, Tester explained his side that he understands how the veterans fought hard for the country, which is why they deserve some increase in their benefits. 

Accordingly, disabled veterans and dependents will eye an increase of $500.00 a year or a 1.7 percent increase per year. Incidentally, although the increase took effect last December 1, it is expected to be visible with January payments.

Unfortunately, veterans’ disability and survivor benefits is far different from social security and military retirement payments since the latter are automatically raised each year while the former still must be approved by the Congress each year.

At present, officials are seeking ways on how to eliminate the need for the yearly approval and instead switch to an automatic annual raise.

Generally, disability benefits, also known as Title II benefits, are given to individuals who are unable to work due to a disabling condition. Therefore, homecoming veterans who incurred injuries that led to disability from the previous wars are absolutely entitled for the benefits, as well as the survivors of the less-fortunate veterans who did not survive the war, noted by a Los Angeles long term disability lawyer.

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Another Elderly Woman Investigated for Stealing Social Security Benefits

After the news broke about the 82-year-old woman who was charged for stealing social security benefits last September, another elderly woman is being investigation for the same illegal act.

As reported, a 72-year-old woman from Gretna, Louisiana was sentenced to probation for stealing more than $135,000.00 in Social Security benefits after her mother died.

Based on the initial investigation, the woman, identified as Shirley A. Bunda, and late her mother used to share a checking account during the latter’s lifetime. However, when her mother died on February 15, 1998, Bunda failed to inform the Social Security Administration (SSA) about it.

Consequently, Bunda continued to receive her late mother’s social security benefits payment since the agency was clueless that the real beneficiary had passed away. 

Bunda’s illegal act was only discovered on August 3, 2011. The amount she collected from her mother’s benefits reportedly amounted to over $135,000.00, which she has to repay aside from the restitution in the amount of $133,297.00.

Incidentally, Bunda has already repaid $40,000.00 dollars. Nevertheless, she was still sentenced to three years probation by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan last Wednesday.

Apparently, the act was initially unintentional, but it eventually became inexcusable on the part of Bunda since she obviously enjoyed receiving her undue benefits and didn’t even bother to report her mother’s death.

Meanwhile, the SSA is encouraging everyone to report the death of any social security recipients. In fact, the agency readily provided its contact details on its official website in case of a recipient’s death so that it could stop sending payments to the same. Also, a Los Angeles disability lawyer here reminded everyone that such illegal acts cannot be concealed forever; therefore, it would be best if people would simply avoid doing it so.

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SSA Employee Indicted for Obtaining Un-entitled Disability Benefits

A Social Security Administration (SSA) employee and two other civilians were indicted for an alleged decade-long conspiracy to collect un-entitled disability benefits from the federal government.

The indictment was confirmed by news reports on Friday claiming that Dianne Josephine Chess, 49, service representative at the Social Security office in St. Paul, Victor Ray Holloway, 52, and Angela Grace Hinkle, 49, had a long time conspiracy to commit fraud.

Apparently, based on the investigation conducted by the federal government, Chess obtained social security account numbers and social security cards for Holloway and Hinkle. Chess, being employed at the federal agency was able to enter a fake personal identification into the SSA’s computerized data entry system. The frauds were said to obtain more than $77,000.00 in Social Security disability benefits.

Consequently, Holloway and Hinkle now face additional charges as well aside from theft of public money and making false statements related to their application for benefits way back in 2009.

Furthermore, court records revealed that Holloway has prior convictions for theft, robbery, assault, forgery, drive-by shooting, drugs, and transaction card fraud in different identities while Hinkle was convicted for theft and transaction card fraud in different identities as well.

Meanwhile, a Los Angeles SSI lawyer here is a little disappointed with such kind of employees since we are all aware that the federal funds allotted for the said program that helps the disabled, the elderly, and the poor are continuously being exhausted. He said that given such situation, there are still individuals who take advantage of the loopholes in the system. Hopefully, the federal government will totally crack down such frauds, the lawyer added.

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Prolong Sitting Could Increase Risk of Disability from Type 2 Diabetes: Study

According to a study conducted by U.K. researchers, led by Dr. Emma Wilmot of the Leicester General Hospital, inactive lifestyle imposes heath risks to many.

Accordingly, sitting for long hours increases the risk of developing diabetes and other related disabling conditions.

In the said study, researchers reviewed the findings of 18 different health studies of approximately 800,000 adults from different countries, including the – United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and certain European countries. Each study observed various sitting activities like watching TV or driving.

Subsequently, the researchers found out that prolonged sitting generate poorer health, resulting in certain illnesses, such as risk of type 2 diabetes. Also, some of the findings even revealed that sitting for a long period could double the risk of diabetes.

Incidentally, for many years doctors have been trying to suggest more physical activities to patients to avoid developing certain medical conditions that may lead to long-term or even permanent disability particularly in young adults.

People who cannot avoid sitting for long period of time are encourage    d to do more frequent activities to reduce the risk of disabling conditions caused diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the many serious medical conditions that may qualify for long-term disability benefits under the federal laws. Some of its complications can eventually develop additional disabling conditions like nerve damage and heart ailments.

Consequently, obtaining such benefits is a long way process. Basically, a claim must be supported by documental evidences that include consistent medical care in cases as such. Also, claimants must review their insurance policy documents to check on their eligibility. Therefore, many Los Angeles social security disability lawyers always advise patients to have a consistent medical treatment for their disability or medical condition to help support their evidence as well as to know the status of their policies.

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Super Storm Sandy Leaves Some Social Security Benefits Recipients Waiting

The last few days of October have not been so good to the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut due to the arrival of super storm Sandy.

Aside from devastating infrastructures and homes of thousands of families in the said states, Sandy also left hundreds of thousands of social security disability benefit recipients waiting due to disrupted mail service.

Usually, social security benefits payments are being sent every third day of the month. However, this month of November, the payments were sent on the second day since the third day fell on a Saturday.

Unfortunately, the said day is also the same day when the U.S. Postal Service was struggling, trying to restore service on the areas affected by the super storm. Therefore, a significant number of recipients who are still relying on paper checks have not yet received their disability benefit payments, while those who have switched to electronic payments have already received their due benefits.

Accordingly, there are 92,000 retirement and disability benefit recipients who still receive their payments in paper checks via U.S. Postal Service, with around 43,000 in Connecticut and some 229,000 in New York.

In locations that could not be reached safely for delivery, mails are being returned to the nearest local post offices so that recipients can pick up their checks at those offices any time they are available. However, claimants are required to bring identifications that will reveal the same address that is on the check.

Also, recipients who have not yet received their checks can visit any local social security offices to request an immediate payment. During such emergencies, the agency can issue a payment on the spot.

In some local offices that have been closed due to the storm, recipients are advised to call the agency’s toll free number, 1-800-772-1213 or to visit its website www.socialsecurity.gov/emergency.

In addition, for the recipients’ convenience, the agency also posted a list of closed local offices in its website at www.ssa.gov which was said to be updated every hour.  

Meanwhile, since the agency advised recipients to switch to electronic payments a while ago, a Los Angeles long term disability lawyer here likewise suggested that it is absolutely a good idea if all recipients would consider the said mode of payment to avoid encountering similar problems in the future.

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3.6 Million Social Security Numbers Exposed after Hacker Attack

Last October 10, the entire nation was disturbed following news reports about a massive hacker attack broke.

According to news reports, the U.S. Secret Service learned that South Carolina’s (SC) Department of Revenue (DOR) system was hacked. After a series of investigation conducted by Mandiant, a private electronic security firm hired by the agency in light of the recent hacker attack, it was found out that the attack was said to have exposed some 387,000 credit and debit card numbers and 3.6 million social security numbers.

The stolen data included some information that people share with their tax returns like names, addresses, and taxpayer identification number. Unfortunately, most of those data had not been encrypted, which means that the hacker could readily view them without the need of any accessing code.

Moreover, the attack possibly affects anyone who has filed a tax return in South Carolina from 1998 up until the days prior to the discovery of the said security breach.

Apparently, the attack had occurred as early as August this year, but was only discovered last October 10. Moreover, after it was discovered, it took some 10 days more to close the hacker’s access and another six days to inform the public.

The State Law Enforcement Division Chief, Mark Keel said that the IP address used by the hacker appears to be foreign in nature.

Meanwhile, taxpayers are not yet properly notified of the issue since agents need some more time to determine exactly how much data have been compromised and who precisely are currently at risk of having their identities stolen.

Also, it is not yet known how the security breach has affected taxpayers and how the hacker might have used the data, whether it is for identity fraud or simply for exposure.

Meanwhile, the state’s Revenue Department has provided a toll-free phone line and a website for taxpayers who might have been affected by the hacking attack. In fact, the system was said to be overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of phone calls, according to the agency’s spokesperson, Samantha Cheek.

Incidentally, this is not an issue that has something to do with South Carolina alone. This is definitely an issue that the other 49 states will have to face since it could likewise happen to any other states in the U.S.

Apparently, this will now serve as challenge to every state’s cyber security defense, according to a Los Angeles disability lawyer.

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What to Expect from Social Security in 2013

In a few months time, fiscal year 2013 will start. In terms of good news, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has some big announcements for its members in the forthcoming year.

Accordingly, here are some changes that workers and recipients can expect from the agency next year:

Bigger monthly benefits

Recently, the agency announced that it will increase social security payments by 1.7 percent come 2013. Recipients will start receiving an increase in Cost-of-living Adjustment (COLA) by January next year, according to the agency’s official press release.

Higher taxes

Consequently, following the said increase in monthly payments, the maximum amount of total earnings subject to the social security tax or the so called taxable maximum will likewise increase. In fact, out of approximately 163 million workers who will pay social security taxes next year, nearly 10 million of whom will pay higher taxes as a result of the increase.

Payroll tax cut to expire

Under the current law, the temporary payroll tax cut will expire by the end of December this year. In 2013, workers will pay 2.6 percent of their income into the Social Security system in 2013. It is actually a 4.2 percent increase in 2012.

Increased earning limit

Accordingly, retirees who are currently working and collecting benefits at the same time will be able to earn $480.00 in time before their payments will be withheld next year.

Meanwhile, recipients who are younger than the full retirement age can collect up to $15,120.00, after which $1.00 of every $2.00 gained will be temporarily withheld from their monthly payments. For retirees who will turn 66 in 2013, their earning limit will be $40,080.00 in time, after which $1.00 of every $3.00 earned will be restrained.

When recipients turn their full retirement age, they can collect both or any amount without penalty and Social Security benefits at the same time. For recipients who are at their full retirement age, payments will be adjusted as well to reflect any benefits that were withheld and the continued earnings.

Maximum possible benefit increase

Wage earners who began collecting benefits at their full retirement age and receive $2,513.00 per month will be receiving $2,533.00 monthly in 2013.

No more paper checks

By March 1, 2013, the U.S. Treasury will stop sending paper checks to Social Security beneficiaries. All recipients will then receive their payments through a direct union account or loaded onto a Direct Express Debit MasterCard. Meanwhile, for recipients who do not prefer to receive their payments via electronic means, they will receive their payments through a pre-paid debit card. 

All the above-stated facts are actually announced previously by the agency through its official web page. However, the changes were scheduled to take effect by next year.

In this regard, a Los Angeles long term disability lawyer is giving some hints of what is more likely to expect from the social security agency next year to keep people aware, especially those who are not informed about the said changes.

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