Mr. Andrew M. Saul was officially sworn in on
June 17, 2019 to serve as the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration
(“SSA”). His six-year term expires on January 19, 2025. Commissioner Saul is
the first Senate-confirmed Commissioner since 2013.
Commissioner Saul does not have a background
with the Social Security Administration, so I know little about him. He managed
two successful publicly traded apparel chains for over 20 years, but he also does
have some state and local government experience, in addition to his tenure in
the private sector. I am hoping that Commissioner Saul’s business experience
helps to make SSA an accountable agency.
I am pleased that Commissioner Saul feels that one of his greatest roles with the Social Security Administration will be to utilize technology to improve the efficiency of the SSA. The fact that he recognizes that technology is the key to reducing backlogs shows that he does have a handle on the some of the glaring problems at SSA.
The Administration has taken strives to use technology
to its advantage in the past decade, but there is still so much that can be
done. For instance, you still cannot submit evidence electronically at the
initial application level unless you secure a barcode from a Disability Determination
Service worker at the Employment Development Department. Getting in touch with
this employee can be easier said than done. Allowing claimants and attorneys to
upload evidence at the same time of the initial application is one example of
how timeframes could be reduced with the assistance of technology. I am pleased
that Commissioner Saul plans to target technology as a way to improve Social
Security’s service to the public.
Commissioner Saul is a New Yorker who went to
the Wharton School of Finance at the same time that President Donald Trump
attended the prestige business school at the University of Pennsylvania. Let’s
hope his business acumen improves the Social Security system during his time
with the Administration. Welcome Commissioner Saul!
Got a question about SSDI or SSI that you need
us to answer? Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to provide you with helpful
information on our website that will allow you to successfully navigate the
Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to email me your questions
at megan@westcoastdisability.com or
call me at (800) 459-3017 x 103.
