Social Security Administration
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The Social Security Administration has found a new home for all of its data. The agency recently unveiled its new National Support Data Center in Urbana, Maryland. The 300,000 square foot facility replaces the 30-year-old Woodlawn facility that couldn't adapt to changing technology or meet electricity requirements. Chief Information Officer Bill Zielinski joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with details.
October 08, 2014 -
The Senate left Washington without confirming several of President Barack Obama's nominees for the executive branch, including Carolyn Colvin, his choice to lead the Social Security Administration.
September 22, 2014 -
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General almost tripled its goal to return $8 for every $1 spent on the agency. Between October 2013 and March 2014, the IG recovered millions in criminal convictions, audits and legal penalties, contributing to an overall 20-to-1 return on investment for American taxpayers. In part two of our special report, Rainmakers and Money Savers, Federal News Radio goes behind the scenes of the SSA OIG to examine the work federal employees are doing on a daily basis, resulting in billions of dollars going straight into the federal coffers.
August 13, 2014 -
Carolyn Watts Colvin, the nominee to be Social Security Administration commissioner, vowed to Senate lawmakers to soothe turbulent relations between the agency and its labor unions. Colvin also said she plans to tackle troubled IT systems that still run COBOL.
August 01, 2014 -
The trustees who oversee Social Security have released a mixed report on the program's solvency. Retirement will be okay until 2034. The disability trust fund, however, has just two more years. But what about the Social Security Administration itself? As a large agency responsible for delivering hundreds of billions of dollars in benefits each year, it also has long term challenges. Those hurdles are detailed in a study by the National Academy of Public Administration. Project Director Roger Kodat joined Tom Temin and Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive to discuss the major challenges at SSA over the next 10 years.
July 28, 2014 -
Buying an annuity from the Social Security Administration is one way for federal employees to bolster their retirement income. And yes, you heard that right, you can buy a Social Security annuity. Tammy Flanagan is Senior Benefits Director for the National Institute of Transition Planning. She says on In Depth with Francis Rose the cost of the annuity depends on how patient you are.
July 25, 2014 -
Rob Burton, partner at Venable law firm, and Anil Karmel, founder and CEO of C2 labs, counted down the top federal stories of the week with Francis Rose.
July 25, 2014 -
The Social Security Administration says its new $300 million IT system still doesn't work. SSA wants to replace outdated computer systems that contribute to its backlog of disability claims. The agency says outside consultants will try to get the project back on track, but it still has no idea when it will be ready to launch. Jeff Neal is senior VP of ICF International and former chief human capital officer at the Department of Homeland Security. He's tells Francis Rose on In Depth that it's not just IT projects, but all types of federal contracts that can be where good ideas go to die.
July 24, 2014 -
The National Academy of Public Administration says the Social Security Administration is not ready for the challenges of the future. NAPA says shrinking budgets, retiring workers and rapidly changing technology are all issues that need to be addressed in the next 15 years.
July 23, 2014 -
The Office of Management and Budget revealed its plans to speed up transactions and services.
July 02, 2014 -
Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration employees see the results of budget cuts and sequestration. Federal News Radio Senior Correspondent Mike Causey wrote in his column "Alice in Washington Wonderland" why these cuts apply to the federal workforce on In Depth with Francis Rose.
June 23, 2014 -
Thanks to Congressional budget cutters and the White House sequestration program, two of the most important federal operations - the IRS and the Social Security Administration - are getting smaller and slower. So, how much longer can we afford these 'savings', Senior Correspondent Mike Causey asks?
June 23, 2014 -
Bill Zielinski, the Social Security Administration's chief information officer, said storage in the cloud and the greater use of virtualization are among the prerequisites for the agency before it moves into its new data center this summer.
June 12, 2014 -
Social Security's inspector general revealed beneficiaries being unfairly charged due to unauthorized account changes. SSA will make policy changes to not hold beneficiaries liable for penalties due to fraudsters stealing or taking their payments without authorization.
May 21, 2014 -
The Social Security Administration is assembling a team of disability examiners. They will use big data as one tool to spot fraud and, they hope, prevent it. Based in Jamaica, N.Y., the team is currently reviewing disability medical decisions in two cases — one in New York and the other in Puerto Rico. Bea Disman, the New York regional commissioner for the Social Security Administration, told Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp about the specialized unit.
April 11, 2014