A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT

A NOTE

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Note from the President: Q4 2022

It’s hard to believe I’m halfway thru my term as President and we’ve seen so much happen in what feels like a very short time span. I invite you to listen to the latest NADR podcast series where I discuss many of these changes in a mid-term interview. Some of the highlights include:

- The fee cap being raised to $7,200 (a 1st in 13 years) - SSA local offices reopened to the public - In person hearings have resumed in part - OHO is working with us on an improved CSU experience - SSA recently made NADR a “secure email partner” where we can submit your delayed fees for a high-level inquiry and resolution.

The missing fees project has been one of many major focuses of my 1st year as president. If our members can’t get paid the fees they earn, a fee cap increase does little to keep them in business. Starting November 1st, you will be able to submit your unpaid fees that are at least 9 months old to a NADR specific email address. We will in turn work with the Office of Customer Service (OCS) to track down the issues and get the fees paid. Stay tuned for more details on how and where to submit your unpaid fees.

In our meetings with OCS, they took the information we presented and have in turn added more staff to the Rep Call Center phones, implemented new ways to identify issues that have been holding up claimant and representative payments, and they met with payment center managers to find problems and emphasized the need for better communication with representatives and follow up on requests. We have already seen improved communication based on recent Talklist discussions from our membership, but there is still a long way for SSA to go. We will continue to work with OCS on ways to improve the process. Another recent development is our collaboration on common legislative and policy concerns with NOSSCR. As you know, Director at Large Karl Osterhout has recently been elected to the NOSSCR Board of Directors and will serve as liaison between the two organizations to make sure we have a unified voice on items that matter the most to all of our members and claimants.

Speaking of NOSSCR, we were happy to welcome their president David Camp along with 2 other board members Laura Beth Waller and Maren Bam who attended our Networking Weekend in St. Petersburg, Florida at the end of September. The capacity attended event was packed full of education and social interaction where seasoned veterans and new advocates came together not only to learn from each other, but to form those very important connections that make NADR membership so special and valuable.

I was excited to see the enthusiasm of those in attendance and look forward to seeing them and YOU at our next in person event, the 2023 NADR Annual Social Security Law Conference in Denver, CO in early April. Until then, I will see you on the Talklist, webinars, NADR Connect and NADR Mastermind virtual events!

Michael Wener, ADR NADR President