Omaha is "Building a Culture of Mental Health"

On November 12th, our local columnist for the Omaha World Herald, Michael Kelly, wrote a very interesting article about the "culture of mental health" in Omaha, and the state of Nebraska.

Unless you subscribe to omaha.com, the online version of the Omaha World Herald, the link likely won't work. It's free. Register. You can trust these guys. I don't work there.

Give Blood

• Did you know that only 5% of the eligible US population actually donates blood?
  
• Did you know that only 30% of first-time blood donors go back to give a second time?
  
• Every two seconds, someone in America needs blood.
  

One blood donation can help save three (3) lives. It is so simple. The difference you can make in people's lives is worth your time. You can donate blood every 56 days.

Don't listen to the bad news over and over ... make some good news. Call 1-800-448-3543 or visit www.givelife.org

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans

I get a lot of questions about the relatively new "prescription drug plan" offered through Medicare. My clients that receive disability insurance benefits (SSD or SSDI) are eligible for Medicare after 29 months of being disabled.

With the new prescription drug plan, there are choices and decisions about prescriptions. The SSA has an informative flyer titled: What You Should Know About The Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Qualify For Extra Help And Pay No Penalty In 2006.


Another good source of information is on the SSA website for "Help With Medicare Prescription Drug Costs" as it contains information on alternative resources to help to obtain prescriptions at free or reduced costs, such as "Medicare Direct - RX." It also contains links to other pages answering a variety of questions and providing "fact sheets" on different issues.

My primary focus is to help people obtain the disability benefits that they obviously deserve. Deciding insurance alternatives is not my strong suit, but hopefully these links can direct you to some information that will help you make an informed choice.

National Popcorn Month

Any one that knows me is aware for my "near addiction" to popcorn. From a very young age I have loved popcorn. My younger sister, trained by me, makes the best popcorn. She had lots of practice preparing it for her "big brother."

For your information, "National Popcorn Month," is observed October 9th -- so mark your calendars!

Just exactly what is a blog, and what is this RSS?

Being new to blogging and working on my own RSS feed, I was intrigued to read Dennis Kennedy's post today. I thought he did a very nice job explaining both blogs and RSS and have linked his article to this post.

New Website - Haller Law Office

I am pleased to direct you to my new website for Michael J. Haller, Jr. - attorney at law.

Important Dates - the National Alliance on Mental Illness

- October 1-7: Mental Illness Awareness Week, Building Communities, Taking Action.

- Tuesday, October 3: National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding

- Thursday, October 5: Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day

For additional information on NAMI, go to their website: http://www.nami.org/

Listen online live to "Ask A Lawyer" Friday, Sept 15 @ 10:30 a.m.

You can listen to me live on Friday, September 15th at 10:30 a.m. Central time Click on KIOS or the link above to hear the program on your computer.

The show is "Ask a Lawyer" and you can call in with questions. See Post dated August 12th for more information.

Where were you on September 11th?

The cub scout weekly meeting was scheduled right after school. It was our first of the school year and the 6 boys scheduled to be there would not have rides home if I failed to meet. I left work early and couldn't help but notice the lack of air traffic. It was a haunting image, and I wondered when, if ever, I would see planes fly again.

My son and the other boys ran across the gym to the meeting room, full of energy and exuberance that only 3rd grade boys can display, especially after being in school all day. One of the 'tips' from my training was to schedule a game early in the meeting to help the boys release some of their energy. Just as we were ready to file outside, I heard the familiar sound of a jet fighter flying overhead! I hustled the boys out and we watched Air Force One carry President Bush from Omaha back to Washington, D.C.

We had just discussed the significance of the lack of air traffic, and the historic day we were living through. My attempt to underline the oddity of no air traffic was trumped by the President's "jet-fighter escorted" exit from the strategic underground at Offut Air Force Base (my birthplace!).

By the way, the game we played was "duck-duck-goose." It did help to relieve some of their energy.

May God continue to Bless America!

DSI to be DOA?

Is DSI (Disability Service Improvement, See previous post: 8/24/06) destined to be DOA (Dead on Arrival)?

Personally, I hope not. If it can provide the lofty goals it aspires to, happy days are here again. Yet, turning the ocean-liner Queen Mary 180 degrees, is not easy, and it is slow. It requires careful attention, and an attentive crew and Captain. The Captain, Jo Anne B. Barnhart, ends her tour of duty in January, 2007. Then what?

DSI is Barnhart's solution to the disability process that has become slower, and slower, and slower.

In a separate move, using technology, "paperless" files, are expected to speed up the process. This change has been going through implementation for several years. Long delays spent "searching for the file" led the Commissioner to this move. A bold, and innovative, step into the future. Certainly, it will solve the problem of lost files. Hopefully, it will not create a new set of problems not anticipated.

At present, the paperless system has only recently been introduced in Nebraska, one of the last states to receive it. It has not yet reached our Hearing Office (ODAR). The learning curve for the Administration and the practitioners, hopefully, will not be long. The current delays which I am sure will be longer due to technology, hopefully, will be short-lived.

So, add DSI on top of paperless, and we may be experiencing delays like never before. Will DSI cripple the system, or save it? More to the point, will the NEXT Commissioner support it or trash it?

Time holds the answer.

Free Alcohol Screening

You might try this. It's free. I make no representations about its authenticity.

Madison Avenue, and the alcohol industry, makes life look good in their commercials if you drink the right kind of beer. Some of the ads are very funny ("magic refrigerator"). That's how it starts.

Take it or leave it. I found it, and wanted to share it.

Is Reconsideration really disappearing?

This month, in Region 1, Commissioner Barnhart's "revised" Social Security Disability process began (See, 71 Fed. Reg. 16424 (Mar. 31, 2006)). Region one is a four state region in the northeast part of the country. It is the smallest region, and would appear to be the "test site" for the silver bullet to cure the disability quagmire. Or, will it be yet another effort to fix the system that can be added to the list of others that didn't work.

While parts of the program are encouraging, the focus on a "quick" decision gives this attorney a chill up the spine due to the emphasis on fast rather than fair. All of my clients are tired of waiting for decisions, but all would rather wait than get a speedy unfair decision.

Technology is the keystone.

keystone

(n.)

The central wedge-shaped stone of an arch that locks its parts together.

Just as the last piece placed in the top of the arch in St. Louis, the keystone must fit and hold together the entire structure. We can only hope. Computers were supposed to save us time and make the 4-day work week the norm. Did they?

This "revised" Social Security Disability process has been dubbed DSI. Like any good government thing - it has initials. The actual name is Disability Service Improvement process. The website for DSI is: http://www.ssa.gov/disability-new-approach/

For Nebraska, the latest estimate I have heard is 2 years before the process gets here. We'll see.

Haller on radio 09/15/2006

I will be on the call-in radio show: "Ask a Lawyer" on September 15, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. Be sure to tune in to 91.5 F.M. & call in with a question or a comment.

On September 15th only, to talk to Haller in Omaha on the radio, call (402) 557-2777

8th Circuit NOSSCR Conference (NCLE)- August 9-11, 2006

If you handle, as an attorney or representative, more than one Social Security disability hearing per decade, be sure to reserve your spot at the seminar in August. Great lineup of talks. Many great speakers, several of them nationally known. Somehow, even I got on the list of speakers!

For further information, FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW (or copy and paste it into your browser) to see the brochure

http://www.nebar.com/education/calendar.htm

Interesting Fact:

“SSA has reduced its average processing time for initial disability claims by about two weeks since 2001. While applicants waited on average 106 days for a decision in 2001, SSA improved the wait in 2005 to 93 days.” Source: the “2007 President's Budget” Proposal http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2007/ssa.html

Not bad. It only took four years to shave 13 days from the wait!

New Medicaid Citizenship Documentation Required

Prior to July 1, 2006, Medicaid recipients were required to sign a statement declaring they were a U.S. citizen to meet the Medicaid citizenship requirement. However, passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 changed this rule. Beginning July 1, 2006 all Medicaid recipients will have to provide documentation verifying both citizenship and identity.

People who receive Medicare or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are exempt from this requirement. Qualified immigrants, those with documentation that gives them status to receive Medicaid, are subject to a different process and are not affected by these new requirements.

Homeland Security will no doubt be happy about this new requirement ... HHS workers will not.

Independence Day

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary"

So began, on July 4, 1776, the revolution that guaranteed our independence today. We are so blessed. From tyranny and despotism to laws created by the people for the people. Three branches of government that balance each other, and have survived the test of time.

How true this simple statement, now more than 200 years old, is:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Take time today, and often, to reflect and enjoy this independence that is the envy of the world.

VA LAPTOP RECOVERED

Less than an hour ago, the following was reported at washintonpost.com:

"Authorities announced the recovery today of computer equipment stolen from an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, saying that the sensitive personal information of 26.5 million veterans and military personnel appeared intact."

Eight Years

This month marks the 8th anniversary of hiring myself. I went solo in June 1998 without any support staff. I have been using Amicus Attorney the entire time and credit that legal software for keeping me organized. My business has been blessed thanks to referrals from clients and lawyers. I am very grateful.

Haller Law Office, P.C., L.L.O.

So begins this blog journey ...