The Social Security Backlog

Western Michigan has been struggling with a backlog of Social Security appeals for several years. At the present time, there is roughly a two year wait for a hearing in the Grand Rapids hearing office, and a backlog of about 10,000 cases.

Michigan Social Security claimants are not alone. There are approximately 755,000 Social Security appeals pending nationwide. In the past several months, the national Social Security backlog has received national attention– both by the media and the Federal Government.

The Social Security Administration is now proposing to hire at least 150 new administrative law judges,nationwide. However, this proposal is being delayed due to budgetary problems. In Western Michigan, the Social Security Administration is using out-of-state administrative law judges to slowly decrease the backlog.

Detailed discussions of the national Social Security backlog are available at the following links:

• “Disability Cases Last Longer as Backlog Rises,” New York Times (12/10/2007)
• “Sick of Waiting,” AARP Bulletin (11/2007)
• “Hearing on Social Security Backlogs,” Subcommittee on Social Security, Committee of Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives (2/14/2007)