Search Results for keywords:"Social Security Administration"

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has updated the maximum civil monetary penalties to account for inflation, as mandated by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. These adjustments are effective from January 15, 2025, through January 14, 2026. For example, the penalty for fraud facilitators in positions of trust will increase from $9,704 to $9,956, and for violative broadcasts, the penalty will rise from $63,991 to $65,653. The SSA uses the October Consumer Price Index and guidance from the Office of Management and Budget to calculate these annual updates.

The Social Security Administration has issued a final rule, effective March 3, 2025, to streamline the administration of benefits by using electronic payroll data. This rule allows standardized exchanges of wage and employment information with payroll providers, aiding in the management of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. It aims to improve accuracy, reduce improper payments, and lessen the burden on both program beneficiaries and administration staff. Public comments have been considered, and the rule includes provisions for phased implementation, privacy, data accuracy, and addressing concerns regarding identity theft and reporting requirements.

The Social Security Administration has issued a new Social Security Ruling (SSR 24-3p) that replaces an older ruling, SSR 00-4p. The new rule changes how vocational evidence is handled in disability determinations, allowing the use of different sources of occupational information beyond the outdated Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). It emphasizes flexibility for vocational specialists and experts in choosing data sources, without needing to explain differences with the DOT, to improve efficiency in assessing disability claims. These changes aim to streamline the process by reducing unnecessary complications and making better use of updated job classification standards.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced a new matching program with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify eligibility for the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy. This program involves the IRS sharing specific taxpayer information with the SSA to determine correct subsidy percentages for benefits under the Social Security Act. Interested parties have until May 12, 2025, to submit comments regarding this program, which will begin on May 27, 2025, and last for 18 months. The initiative is authorized under specific sections of the Internal Revenue Code and the Social Security Act.

The Social Security Administration has announced new inflation-adjusted maximum penalties for civil monetary violations, effective from January 15, 2021, to January 14, 2022. The adjustments are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. For example, the penalty for fraud facilitators in a position of trust has increased to $8,212, and the penalty for a violative broadcast has increased to $54,157. These updates ensure penalties align with inflation and are applied fairly each year.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is announcing a new matching program in collaboration with the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS). This program will allow the SSA to use quarterly wage and unemployment insurance information from the National Directory of New Hires to help determine if individuals qualify for Extra Help, a benefit for low-income individuals under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. The agreement ensures that SSA can determine eligibility, reassess current beneficiaries' eligibility, and manage the Extra Help program effectively. The public has until May 12, 2025, to submit comments on this proposed program, which will start on May 27, 2025, and will remain in effect for 18 months.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has published a notice about information collection activities that require approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. SSA is asking for public comments on the accuracy and utility of their information collection efforts and suggestions to improve them. The notice contains details on different forms and processes used by SSA, such as verifying identities for voter registration and handling overpayment recoveries, as well as procedures for accessing SSA systems. The public has until certain dates in March and April 2021 to submit their comments.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released a notice regarding the revision of various OMB-approved information collection activities. This notice invites public comments on the necessity and accuracy of these information collections, as well as suggestions for improvement, before the agency submits them to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. The collections involve various forms and questionnaires related to Social Security benefits, eligibility, and appeals processes. The SSA aims to gather feedback to enhance these processes while minimizing the burden on respondents.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announces a new matching program with the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in line with the Privacy Act provisions. This program aims to identify Medicare enrollees aged 90 and above with inactive records for at least three years to verify their ongoing eligibility for Social Security benefits. The program will also help detect and analyze potential fraud. SSA will use this information to assess and ensure the rightful distribution of benefits and refer any suspected fraud cases to the Office of the Inspector General for investigation.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced updates to their electronic Consent Based Social Security Number (SSN) Verification (eCBSV) service. They are adding two more subscription tiers and reducing fees for all tiers to make the service more accessible and affordable for smaller and medium-sized users. This includes a new tier for up to 75,000 transactions and another for up to 500,000. The changes aim to recover development costs while providing cost relief to users, with a plan to break even by 2027.