The PBGC insures the benefits of 43 million participants from default of their employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plans. To carry out its work, PBGC relies heavily on the services of contractors whose headquarters & field employees account for almost half of the workforce involved in processing PBGC's workloads. This report: (1) determines the basis for PBGC's decisions regarding the use of contractors versus government personnel to address its workloads; (2) assesses PBGC's processes & procedures for selecting contractors; & (3) determines how effective PBGC has been in monitoring the performance of its contractors. Tables.
This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. In 2007, 73% of state and local gov¿t. employees were covered by Social Security (SS). Unlike the private sector where most employees are covered by SS, federal law generally permits each public employer to decide which employees to cover. The Social Security Admin. (SSA) is responsible for facilitating SS coverage for these employers through agreements with states. SSA is also responsible for maintaining accurate earnings records, while the IRS ensures SS taxes are paid. Because of the need to ensure that SS coverage is administered accurately, this report reviewed: (1) how SSA works with states to approve SS coverage and ensure accurate coverage of public employees; and (2) how IRS identifies incorrect SS taxes for public employees. Illustrations.
Address issues related to the potential impact of raising the earliest eligibility age (EEA) or full retirement age (FRA) on the DI program and on older workers -- esp., those approaching age 62, just prior to becoming eligible for retirement benefits. This report answers these questions: (1) What do the health, occupational, and demographic characteristics of those near retirement age indicate about the potential for these individuals to continue working at older ages? (2) What effect would a change in EEA and FRA have on retirement and disability benefits and applications for disability? (3) What policy options might help mitigate the effects of increased retirement ages on those who may not be able to work longer? Illus. A print on demand report.
The Social Security Admin. (SSA) pays billions of dollars in Disability Insur. and Supplemental Security Income to people with disabilities. The TW program provides eligible beneficiaries with a ticket they may assign to employment networks (EN). ENs help them obtain employment and reduce dependence on SSA benefits. ENs receive payments from SSA once a ticket holder (TH) has earnings exceeding a set threshold. Due to low participation, SSA changed program reg¿s. to provide ENs and TH with more incentives to participate. This report examines: (1) changes in TH and EN participation over time; (2) service approaches used by ENs; and (3) SSA's efforts to evaluate TH and ENs. Illustrations. This is a print on demand report.
The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Disability Insurance (DI) program paid almost $123 billion in benefits in fiscal year 2010 to more than 10 million workers and dependents. The program is poised to grow further as the baby boom generation ages. This report examined: (1) what is known about the extent to which SSA makes overpayments to, and recovers overpayments from, DI beneficiaries who exceed program earnings guidelines; and (2) potential DI program vulnerabilities that may contribute to overpayments to beneficiaries who have returned to work. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find report.
Exposure to hazardous noise can have negative implications for both servicemember health and readiness. Moreover, in FY 2009, some of the most common impairments for veterans receiving Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits were hearing related, as annual payments for such conditions exceeded $1.1 billion. This report examined DoD efforts to prevent hearing loss, specifically: (1) how well the DoD and armed services identify and mitigate hazardous noise; (2) how well the military evaluates hearing conservation program performance; and (3) the status of DoD's Hearing Center of Excellence and the extent that DoD and VA are sharing information to inform this and other efforts. Includes recommend. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.
The loss of personally identifiable information, such as an individual's Social Security number, name, and date of birth can result in serious harm, including identity theft. Identity theft, a serious crime that impacts millions of individuals each year, occurs when such information is used without authorization to commit fraud or other crimes. While progress has been made protecting personally identifiable information in the public and private sectors, challenges remain. This testimony summarizes: (1) the problem of identity theft; (2) steps taken at the fed., state, and local level to prevent potential identity theft; and (3) vulnerabilities that remain to protecting personally identifiable information, including in fed. information systems. Illustrations.
Faced with an increase in disability claims, the Veterans Benefits Admin. (VBA) is hiring a large number of new claims processing staff. This report determines: (1) What training is provided to new and experienced claims processors and how uniform is this training?; (2) To what extent has VBA planned this training strategically, and how well is the training designed, implemented, and evaluated?; (3) To what extent is the performance mgmt. system for claims processors consistent with generally accepted practices? Researchers reviewed VBA policies and training curricula; interviewed VBA central office officials; visited 4 of VBA¿s 57 regional offices; and compared VBA¿s training and performance mgmt. to generally accepted practices. Illustrations.
This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. Through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program, the VA collaborates with DoD to streamline access to vets' disability benefits by allowing some servicemembers to file a claim and undergo a single exam process prior to discharge. BDD is designed for servicemembers with conditions that, while disabling, do not generally prevent them from performing their military duties. This program can shorten the time it takes for vets to receive benefits by several months. This statement identifies ways VA and DoD could improve these programs for transitioning servicemembers. It examined: (1) VA efforts to manage the BDD program; and (2) how VA and DoD are addressing challenges servicemembers face in accessing the BDD program. Illus.
Recent military conflicts have increased interest in federal efforts to support servicemembers preparing to leave military service. Through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program, the VA, in collaboration with the DoD, has made efforts to streamline access to veterans' disability benefits by allowing some servicemembers to file a claim and obtain a single exam prior to discharge. This report examines VA's efforts to manage the BDD program and how VA and DoD are addressing challenges servicemembers face in accessing BDD. To address these objectives, the auditor analyzed relevant documents and data, interviewed officials, and conducted site visits and interviews at selected military bases. Includes recommendations. Illus.
Fed. disability programs remained grounded in outmoded concepts that have not been updated to reflect the current state of science, medicine, technology, and labor market conditions. In addition, the Social Security Admin. (SSA) and the Dept. of Vet. Affairs (VA) faced mgmt. challenges, esp. with their disability claims processing. Further, disability experts have expressed concerns about the level of coordination among the many fed. agencies that provide benefits and services to individuals with disabilities. This report determines: what steps SSA and VA have taken to modernize their disability programs; and to what extent SSA and VA coordinate with other fed. agencies that provide services to individuals with disabilities. Includes recomm. Illus.
Many individuals receiving monthly compensation and pension benefits from the VA have mental impairments that prevent them from managing their finances. VA's Fiduciary Program selects and oversees third parties, called fiduciaries, to help manage and protect beneficiaries' funds. This report examined: (1) how effective program policies and procedures are in monitoring fiduciaries and safeguarding beneficiary assets; and (2) challenges VA faces in improving program performance and oversight. The report analyzed a nationally representative random sample of case files, and conducted three site visits to Fiduciary Program offices which accounted for 25% of program beneficiaries. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.
The Social Security Administration's (SSA) Disability Insurance (DI) program paid almost $123 billion in benefits in fiscal year 2010 to more than 10 million workers and dependents. The program has grown rapidly in recent years and is poised to grow further as the baby boom generation ages. This testimony discusses: (1) what is known about the extent SSA makes work-related overpayments to, and recovers overpayments from, DI beneficiaries; and (2) SSA's policies and procedures for work continuing disability reviews and potential DI program vulnerabilities that may contribute to overpayments to beneficiaries who have returned to work. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.
Since 1980, Congress has required the Social Security Admin. (SSA) to conduct demonstration projects to test the effectiveness of possible changes to its Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs that could decrease individuals¿ dependence on benefits or improve program admin. However, in 2004, it was reported that SSA had not used its demonstration authority effectively. This follow-up report assesses: (1) how SSA has used its demonstration authority to test DI and SSI program changes and what information these efforts have yielded; and (2) what steps SSA has taken to improve the planning and management of its demonstration. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.
The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) program provides monthly payments to the survivors of those who died as a result of a service-connected disability or while on active duty in the military. In fiscal year 2008, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) paid over $4.7 billion to about 354,000 survivors, replacing a portion of income lost with the death of the veteran or servicemember. This repor studies the DIC program and the levels of payments it provides. This report addresses: (1) the extent to which DIC replaces VA disability compensation or active duty military pay lost due to the death of a veteran or servicemember; and (2) how DIC benefits compare to benefits for survivors of civilian federal employees. Charts and tables.
In Feb. 2007, a series of articles in ¿The Washington Post¿ about conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center highlighted problems in the military¿s disability evaluation system (DES). Subsequently, the Dept. of the Army, the DoD, and the VA undertook initiatives to address concerns with the DES. In 2007, the Army took steps to streamline its process, and DoD and VA began piloting a joint evaluation system to address systemic concerns abut timeliness and the potential inefficiency of having separate DES. This report examines: (1) recent actions by the Army to help servicemembers navigate its DES; and (2) the status, plans, and challenges of DoD and VA¿s efforts to pilot and implement a joint DES Includes recommendations. Illustrations.
Service members found unfit for duty due to a service-related illness or injury may be eligible for military disability retirement. When their disability is not stable, however, they may be placed on the military's Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL) and granted temporary benefits for as long as 5 years. This report responds to concerns about TDRL caseloads, mgmt., and impact on servicemembers. This report examines: (1) recent trends in the TDRL caseload size; (2) recent trends in the characteristics of those placed on the TDRL; (3) disability retirement outcomes for TDRL placements; (4) the adequacy of TDRL mgmt., and (5) the adequacy of information provided to TDRL retirees. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.
For years, in addition to experiencing challenges in making disability claims decisions more quickly and reducing its claims backlog, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has faced challenges in improving the accuracy and consistency of its decisions. This statement discusses issues surrounding VA¿s Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR) program, a disability compensation and pension quality assurance program, and possible ways, if any, this program could be improved. It focuses on actions VA has taken, including those in response to past recommendations, to: (1) address identified weaknesses with STAR; and (2) improve efforts to monitor the consistency of claims decisions.
In FY2006, the Federal Employees¿ Compensation Act (FECA) program paid over $1.8 billion in wage loss compensation to federal employees who were unable to work after being injured on the job. This report examined: (1) how effectively the Dept. of Labor¿s Office of Workers¿ Compensation Programs (OWCP) manages the risk of improper FECA compensation payments; (2) what vulnerabilities to improper payments, if any, exist in OWCP¿s procedures for making FECA wage loss payments; and (3) how well OWCP ensures the recovery of identified FECA overpayments. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.
Disability benefits available through the Social Security Admin. (SSA) can be an important source of financial support for some wounded warriors, and Congress has mandated that the DoD and VA help them learn about and apply for such benefits. This report determines: (1) how many wounded warriors have applied and been approved for SSA benefits and the extent to which they are receiving benefits from across the 3 agencies; (2) what steps DoD, VA, and SSA have taken to inform wounded warriors about SSA benefits, and the challenges that confront this process; and (3) steps taken by all three agencies to facilitate the processing of wounded warrior disability claims. This report reviewed policy doc¿s., surveyed wounded warriors, and analyzed admin. data.
For years, the Social Security Admin. (SSA) has experienced challenges managing a large disability workload and making timely decisions. In FY 2006, SSA made about 3.7 million disability claims decisions, while over a million were awaiting a decision. Further, SSA has faced staffing challenges and difficulties managing its workloads at its network of 1,300 field offices, where millions of people go to apply for disability and retirement benefits, to obtain Social Security cards, and for a host of other services. This report addresses: (1) key service delivery challenges facing SSA, particularly with respect to the backlog of disability claims; and (2) steps SSA is taking to address these challenges. Charts and tables.
The Social Security Admin. (SSA) has experienced processing delays and significant backlogs of disability claims at the hearings level. In May 2007, SSA began implementing a plan for eliminating the hearings backlog entitled Summary of Initiatives to Eliminate the SSA Hearings Backlog (the Plan). This report: (1) examined the Plan's potential to eliminate the hearings-level backlog; (2) determined the extent to which the Plan included components of sound planning; and (3) identified potential unintended effects of the Plan on hearings-level operations and other aspects of the disability process. This report analyzed SSA data, conducted a risk analysis, assessed the Plan and its update, interviewed SSA officials, and conducted site visits. Illus.
In 2004, the Vet. Affairs' Vocational Rehab. and Employment (VR&E) program was reviewed by a Task Force. It recommended numerous changes, in particular focusing on employment through a new Five-Track service delivery model and increasing program capacity. Since then, VR&E has worked to implement these recommendations. This report determines: (1) how the implementation of the Five-Track Employment Process has affected VR&E's focus on employment; (2) the extent to which VR&E has taken steps to improve its capacity; and (3) how program outcomes are reported. The author interviewed officials from VR&E, the 2004 Task Force, and vet. org.; visited 4 VR&E offices; and surveyed all VR&E officers. Includes recommend.
The DoD, State and the USAID have relied extensively on contractors, grantees, and coop. agreement recipients to support troops and civilian personnel and carry out reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The agencies identified common info. on their contracts, grants, coop. agreements, and associated personnel. In their July 2008 memo. of understanding, the three agencies designated the Synchronized Predeployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT) as their system for tracking the required info. This statement addresses: (1) how a lack of info. hinders agencies' management and oversight of contracts, grants, coop. agreements, and associated personnel; and (2) the status of the agencies' continued efforts to implement SPOT.
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