SOCIAL SECURITY'S TOP PRIORITY

Fraud prevention seems to be Social Security's new top priority. In November 2014, the Social Security Administration set up a new division called the Office of Anti-Fraud Programs (OAFP). The OAFP works closely with the Inspector General (the investigative and prosecution office) to combat fraud and waste. Congress has allocated billions of dollars to the anti-fraud campaign.

Acting Commissioner of Social Security, Calvin Colvin, said her office will take a stern stand against anyone found to be trying to abuse or defraud the system. Ms. Colvin said:

“We will find you; we will prosecute you; we will seek the maximum punishment allowable under the law; and we will fight to restore to the American public the money you’ve stolen from the American people.”

There have been a few isolated incidences of fraud that have made national headlines. Social Security admits that these cases were rare and isolated. The vast majority of Social Security disability beneficiaries are legitimately disabled and law abiding.

There continues to be a backlog of over 1 million disability cases waiting to be heard, and hundreds of thousands of claimants have been waiting 3 years or longer to get their benefits. Social Security does not seem to have any plan to reduce the backlog or the long waits for getting a decision. But, responding to the feeding frenzy in the media and the resulting erosion of public confidence, Social Security is spending billions on anti-fraud measures.

We can only hope that this heavy emphasis on what bureaucrats call "program integrity" will eventually result in making it easier for legitimate claimants to receive their benefits in a timely manner. That would be real "program integrity." Unfortunately, I see no reason for such optimism at this moment.