If you follow us on Facebook, you may have noticed we've been posting several articles lately about the growing backlog of people waiting for hearings across the country. Unfortunately, the problem is widespread and not getting any better. Thankfully, several media outlets have picked up on the issue, and it's getting the attention it deserves. But the problem is still there, and is likely to get even worse in the face of a potential government shutdown. While many Social Security employees continue working during shutdowns, others don't, and the furlough of support staff and other employees can make wait times even longer.
The good news is that, if you live in the metro Detroit area, wait times -- while still long -- are shorter than others in the country. It's also good news that Michigan is one of only a few states that allow appeals directly to an Administrative Law Judge after the first denial. Other states require claimants to file a reconsideration first, which often results in another denial and can delay the claim several more months. The following are the average wait times for hearing offices in the metro Detroit area and around Michigan as of December 2017 (according to Social Security's Public Data Files):
The following are some news articles we've posted recently about the backlog and its impact on real people as they wait for benefits while their health declines:
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