I am sure Social Security reform may be a good direction to go. However, regardless of what system you have, it will never be any better than the people you have working for it. Until the Social Security Administration rids itself of those who display poor work and moral ethics on the job, no amount of reform is going to help.
Example: (I will not use names of those envolved at this time). An elderly lady files for Widows benefits. Her claim is denied. She appeals and is turned down. She appeals to an Administrative Law Judge. He approves her claim. He notifies her by letter that she should hear something from the Social Security Administration within 60 days. She waits 56 days and calls the Social Security Administration 1-800 number. She is told that the file is on someones desk and it is being worked on. She calls again on the 62nd day. She is told that the file is in payroll and it is being worked on. She calls again on the 71st day and is told, "I can not believe this", your file is in the computer as having been approved by the Administrative Law Judge but, it appears your file has been "distroyed". She was told by the SSA lady that she was going to work on the file and see what she could do to clear up the mess but, was unable to provide any other information.
If a SSA employee is willing to lie to a caimant just to pacify them in order to get them off the phone or will not take the time to actually help a caller, then no amount of Social Security reform will help. Not now or in the future.
Until there is some method of follow-up set in place to see that a claim has been fully and properly prossessed and the claimant is "in fact" notified of the status of their caim, reform will not help 'take care of the customer'.
