Report from NOSSCR conference.

There are some interesting things I learned at the NOSSCR conference. It appears that SSA's plan to raise the ages in the grid rules will not be done. The theory was that with improvements in health care people are living longer and getting better medical treatment and therefore the ages in the Grid Rules needs to be raised to catch up with the times. It appears that they will not be raising the ages because it would have a negative impact on the poor in this country who do not have the advantage of the better medical treatment. It also appears as if SSA will continue to have an Appeals Council in some form. As part of the new process, Social Security is testing in the Boston area, the Appeals council was eliminated leaving no option to appeal an ALJ's decision except for a suit in federal court. I am glad to see it looks like they will keep the Appeals Council so that non-represented claimants can still make appeals without having to navigate a federal law suit.