Social Security: Time Required to Approve and Pay Attorney Fees Can Be Reduced

Abstract

This report presents the results of our review of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) attorney fee approval and payment process. The report contains recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services that could shorten the processing time for approving and paying attorney fees. Also, it provides data on Social Security claimants' access to attorneys and on the fees claimants pay their attorneys. GAO's objectives were to identify the obstacles to the timely payment of attorney fees; provide information on claimants' access to attorneys; and provide information on attorney fee processes in state workers' compensation programs, including information on attorney charges.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 18, 1988
Accession Number
ADA201135

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accounting
  • Administrative Law
  • Agreements
  • Attorneys
  • Compensation
  • Congress
  • Efficiency
  • Governments
  • Health
  • House Of Representatives
  • Human Resources
  • Law
  • National Governments
  • Regulations
  • Social Security
  • South Carolina
  • United States

Readers

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  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
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