The Social Security Advisory Board

From the time it began operation in 1995 until about 2012, the Social Security Advisory Board was one of the outstanding institutions in our government, providing factual information and well-reasoned recommendations about the programs administered by the Social Security Administration.   During that period, it showed an unusual degree of honesty, lack of partisanship and insight into the programs it reviewed and served as a model for other parts of our government.   Unfortunately congresses largely ignored the Board's recommendations.   Recently the Board has failed to come up with recommendations for more than tinkering.

The publications of the Social Security Advisory Board are readily available at http://www.ssab.gov/Our-Work.   We would like to draw your attention to the following, which relate to the disability programs:

• How SSA's Disability Programs Can Be Improved, August 1998.   This report provides basic information about the Social Security disability programs for the mid 90s.   Much of that is relevant today.   Although the Board did not understand the impossibility of evaluating subjective factors (pain, fatigue, depression, etc.) in most cases, its recommendations were valuable and perceptive.   Little progress in solving the problems mentioned in this report has been made in the intervening 22 years.     Download a Copy (0.9 Mb).
• Charting the Future of Social Security's Disability Programs: The Need for Fundamental Change, January 2001.   Again the Social Security Advisory Board outlined the basic problems of the disability programs.   Although the Board did not understand the impossibility of evaluating subjective factors (pain, fatigue, depression, etc.) in most cases, its recommendations were valuable and perceptive.   Little progress in solving the problems mentioned in this report has been made in the intervening 19 years.     Download a Copy (0.1 Mb).
• The Social Security Definition of Disability, October, 2003.   In this report, the Social Security Advisory Board traced the history of the definition of disability and pointed out the increasing problems associated with it.   Pointing out the fact that the programs reward those who can show they cannot work and the need for motivating and helping unemployed individuals in returning to work as early in their unemployment as possible, the Board recommended that the definition of disability be revised.   Although the Board did not recommend a specific new definition, it called for "a major redesign of all or part of the program."   Congress has failed to seriously consider the Board's recommendations, much less, to act.     Download a Copy (1.3 Mb).
• Improving the Social Security Administration's Hearing Process, September 2006.   In this report, the Social Security Advisory Board reviewed the disability program's unending problems with administrative law judge hearings and recommended improvements.   To solve many of the problems, Congress would have to revise portions of the 1946 Administrative Procedure Act.   Don't hold your breath waiting for this to happen.     Download A Copy (0.8 Mb).
• Aspects of Disability Decision Making: Data and Materials, February 2012.   Although the title suggests little to interest the reader, this publication is a valuable resource for anyone who is seriously trying to understand the disability programs.   It's required reading for all.   An added benefit is Part Two: Selected Aspects of Disability Decision Making (pages 81-88) which provides one of the clearest explanations of the disability programs that can be found.   Be sure you Download a Copy (2.7 Mb).   Previous versions of this publication, published in 2001 and 2006, are also available on the Social Security Advisory Board's web site, http://www.ssab.gov.
• A Disability System for the 21st Century, September 2006.   Once again the Board presented the major problems of the disability programs and made well-reasoned, far-reaching recommendations.   Little or no action on these has been realized.     Download a Copy (0.4Mb).
• Social Security Disability: Time for Reform, March 2013.   This is a summary of the proceedings of a Social Security Advisory Board-sponsored public forum held on March 8, 2013.   This publication suffers from the fact that few of the participants have worked within the Social Security Administration, few have personally worked with disability claimants and few, including past Commissioner Astrue, have much insight into the inadequacies of the current process.     Download a Copy (0.3Mb).

These are just a few of the Social Security Advisory Board's publications.   For additional publications, see http://www.ssab.gov/Our-Work.

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Last updated on 1/16/2020.