|
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
THE FISCAL YEAR 2005 BUDGET
PRESS RELEASE
The attached document is based on the President's budget scheduled
for delivery to the Congress on February 2, 2004, and should
not be released until 10:30 AM that day.
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
FY 2005 BUDGET
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
|
(Current law
dollars in millions)
|
| 2003
Actual
| 2004
Estimate
| 2005
Estimate
|
+/-
|
OUTLAYS
|
$509,835
|
$533,709
|
$557,005
|
+$23,296
|
|
Summary
The President’s $557 billion budget for the Social Security Administration
(SSA) reflects the Administration’s commitment to the programs that
SSA administers. These include Old-Age, Survivors and Disability
Insurance (OASDI) financed by the Social Security trust funds, and
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) funded from general revenues.
The budget request supports the Agency’s mission of promoting the
economic security of the nation’s people.
At $557 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2005, total outlays for all
SSA-administered programs are projected to increase by over $23
billion, or 4.4 percent, from the FY 2004 estimate. This increase
is attributed primarily to annual cost-of-living adjustments of
2.1 percent in January 2004 and an estimated 1.3 percent in January
2005, for both the OASDI and SSI programs. Additionally, the number
of individuals receiving benefits from the OASDI and SSI programs
continues to increase.
The President's budget proposes a 6.6 percent increase in administrative
resources to $8.997 billion (excluding Medicare Reform Administrative
Expenses), which will allow SSA in FY 2005 to:
- Pay benefits to more than 52 million people every month;
- Process almost 6 million claims for benefits;
- Take applications for and issue 18 million new and replacement
Social Security number (SSN) cards after obtaining and evaluating
evidence of identity;
- Process 267 million earnings items to maintain workers' life-long
earnings records;
- Handle approximately 52 million phone calls to SSA's 800-number;
and
- Issue 136 million Social Security Statements to advise workers
how much they have contributed to Social Security and provide
estimates of future benefits.
SSA is also facing new responsibilities
as it prepares to play an important role in the implementation of
the Medicare prescription drug law recently signed by the President.
SSA will withhold the premiums for this program from beneficiaries'
Social Security checks, and also help determine eligibility of low-income
seniors for drug benefit subsidies.
SSA
SUMMARY
|
|
(Current law outlays in millions)
|
| 2003
Actual
| 2003
Estimate
| 2005
Estimate
|
+/-
|
Trust Fund Programs
|
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI)
|
$402,698
|
$417,293
|
$430,628
|
+$13,335
|
Disability Insurance (DI)
|
$71,982
|
$78,973
|
$84,435
|
+$5,485
|
Subtotal, Trust Fund Programs
|
$474,680
|
$496,266
|
$515,086
|
+$18,820
|
General Fund Programs
|
SSI
|
$35,146
|
$37,431
|
$41,907
|
+$4,476
|
Special Benefits for Certain World War II Veterans
|
$9
|
$12
|
$12
|
- - -
|
Subtotal, General Fund Programs
|
$35,155
|
$37,443
|
$41,919
|
+$4,476
|
TOTAL, SSA
|
$509,835
|
$533,709
|
$557,005
|
+$23,296
|
Percentage Increase from FY 2004
|
+4.4%
|
|
ADMINISTRATIVE
BUDGET
(Appropriations in millions)
|
Limitation on Admin. Expenses
|
$7,885
|
$8,313
|
$8,878
|
+$565
|
Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
|
$82
|
$88
|
$92
|
+$4
|
Research
|
$38
|
$38
|
$27
|
-$11
|
Total Administrative Budget (excluding
Medicare Reform Administrative Expenses)
|
$8,005
|
$8,439
|
$8,997
|
+$558
|
Percentage Increase from FY 2004
|
+6.6%
|
Medicare
Reform Administrative Expenses1
|
N/A
|
$500
|
$100
|
|
Workyears
| |
|
|
|
SSA
|
65,343
|
65,395
|
67,414
|
+2,019
|
State Disability Determination Services (DDS)
|
14,700
|
14,440
|
14,360
|
-80
|
TOTAL, SSA/DDS
(excluding Medicare Reform)
|
80,043
|
79,835
|
81,774
|
+1,939
|
Medicare
Reform 2
|
N/A
|
945
|
3,914
|
+2,969
|
1
The $500 million for Medicare reform is available through
FY 2005. The $100 million is for a Medicare reform contingency
reserve, which will remain available through FY 2006.
2 Preliminary estimates pending operational implementation
plans. |
TRUST FUND PROGRAMS
Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
In FY 2005, OASDI outlays will increase by nearly $19 billion,
or 3.8 percent, over FY 2004. This increase can be attributed primarily
to the annualized effect of the January 2004 2.1 percent cost-of-living
adjustment (COLA) and the effect of the estimated 1.3 percent COLA
payable beginning in January 2005. In addition, the number of individuals
receiving benefits under the Social Security programs is expected
to increase by over 700,000. Combined OASDI Trust Fund income will
grow by about $48 billion in FY 2005 and will be approximately $693
billion or roughly 135 percent of yearly outlays.
OASDI
OVERVIEW
|
|
(Dollars in millions)
|
| 2003
Actual
| 2004
Estimate
| 2005
Estimate
|
+/-
|
Outlays
|
OASI Benefits
|
$396,597
|
$411,112
|
$424,297
|
+$13,185
|
DI Benefits
|
$69,789
|
$76,639
|
$81,821
|
+$5,182
|
Other 1
|
$8,294
|
$8,515
|
$8,968
|
+$453
|
TOTAL, Outlays (Current Law)
|
$474,680
|
$496,266
|
$515,086
|
+$18,820
|
Proposed
Legislation
|
-
- -
|
-
- -
|
-$3
|
-$3
|
TOTAL,
Outlays (Including Proposed Law)
|
$474,680
|
$496,266
|
$515,083
|
+$18,817
|
Income
|
OASI
|
$542,361
|
$555,369
|
$569,953
|
+$41,584
|
DI
|
$87,985
|
$89,966
|
$96,482
|
+$6,516
|
Total Income (Current Law)
|
$630,346
|
$645,335
|
$693,435
|
+$48,100
|
|
Proposed legislation
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
+$759
|
+$759
|
Total Income
(Including Proposed Law)
|
$630,346
|
$645,335
|
$694,194
|
+$48,859
|
|
1"Other"
includes administration, vocational rehabilitation, payments
to the Railroad Retirement Board, and demonstration projects.
|
OASDI Program Data
Social Security pays monthly cash benefits to retired and disabled
workers and their dependents, and
to survivors of deceased workers. Benefits are financed by payroll
taxes paid by employees, employers, and the self-employed, interest
on the Trust Funds and income taxes on higher income retirees.
Under authority provided by section 234 of the Social Security
Act, the budget includes $73.8 million for trust-fund financed
demonstration projects to test alternative methods of treating the
work activity of disability insurance beneficiaries and other variations
in limitations and conditions that apply to them.
The table below provides information on Social Security beneficiaries,
benefit payments and the payroll tax.
OASDI
BENEFICIARY and BENEFITS OVERVIEW
|
|
Fiscal Year
|
| 2003
Actual
| 2004
Estimate
| 2005
Estimate
|
+/-
|
Average Number of Beneficiaries
|
|
|
|
|
OASI
|
39,254
|
39,588
|
39,969
|
+381
|
DI
|
7,330
|
7,664
|
7,996
|
+332
|
TOTAL, Beneficiaries (in thousands)
|
46,584
|
47,252
|
47,965
|
+713
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Monthly Benefit
|
|
|
|
|
Retired Worker
|
$893
|
$915
|
$935
|
+$20
|
Disabled Worker
|
$831
|
$855
|
$878
|
+$22
|
|
Calendar Year
|
| 2003
| 2004
| 2005
| +/-
|
Projected COLA Payable in January
|
1.4%
|
2.1%
|
1.3%
|
|
Taxable wage base
(Maximum earnings recorded)
|
$87,000
|
$87,900
|
$89,700
|
+$1,800
|
FICA tax rate
(Employers and employees each,
excluding 1.45% Hospital Insurance (HI) portion)
|
6.20%
|
6.20%
|
6.20%
|
- - -
|
SECA tax rate
(Self-employed, excluding 2.9% HI portion)
|
12.40%
|
12.40%
|
12.40%
|
- - -
|
|
Totals may not
add due to rounding.
|
Legislative Proposals Related to OASDI
The Administration has several proposals that will improve the
integrity of the OASDI programs:
- Dedicated administrative funding of
$561 million to ensure continuation of cost-effective continuing
disability reviews. SSA has generated government-wide savings
of approximately $10 for each $1 spent on such activities. SSA's
2002 continuing disability reviews are expected to yield $6 billion
in lifetime program savings.
- The ability to independently verify
whether beneficiaries have pension income from employment not
covered by Social Security. These pensions are designed as a substitute
for Social Security and, as such, the law requires Social Security
benefits be reduced.
- Closing the loophole in Social Security
law that allows some State and local government workers to avoid
substantial offsets in Social Security benefits by lengthening
the time in covered employment required to be exempt from the
Government Pension Offset (GPO).
- Improving overpayment recovery by
expanding cross-program recovery authority and allowing SSA to
withhold a larger sum in the case of bigger one-time payments.
- Requiring States to provide SSA with
timely death information in an electronic form. The anticipated
program savings will be used to offset State costs.
The President's
FY 2005 budget also proposes legislation to compensate the Social
Security Trust Funds for the equivalent of payroll taxes on deemed
wages posted to the Social Security earnings records of uniformed
service personnel in 2000 and 2001.
GENERAL FUND PROGRAMS
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
The SSI program provides standard benefit rates for low-income
aged, blind and disabled individuals and couples, as well as disabled
children. Amounts paid to recipients generally vary from the standard
benefit rate depending on income (e.g., earnings and Social Security
benefits), and living arrangements (e.g., residence in one's own
home, in the household of another person, or in a nursing home that
meets Medicaid standards).
SSI
OVERVIEW
|
|
(Dollars in millions)
|
| 2003
Actual
| 2004
Estimate
| 2005
Request
|
+/-
|
Federal Benefits1
|
$32,535
|
$34,285
|
$38,363
|
+$4,078
|
Other 2
|
$2,611
|
$3,146
|
$3,544
|
+$398
|
TOTAL, SSI Outlays (Current Law)
|
$35,146
|
$37,431
|
$41,907
|
+$4,476
|
Proposed Law
|
---
|
---
|
-$24
|
-$24
|
TOTAL, SSI Outlays
(Including Proposed Law)
|
$35,146
|
$37,431
|
$41,883
|
+$4,452
|
|
1The
number of monthly check payments is 12 in FY 2003, 12 in FY
2004, and 13 in FY 2005.
2"Other" includes vocational rehabilitation, research,
reimbursement to the Trust Funds for administrative costs,
and the difference between advances and reimbursements for
State supplementation across fiscal years. |
SSI Program Data
The maximum monthly Federal benefit amount, adjusted for the 2.1
percent January 2004 COLA, is $564 for an individual and $846 for
a couple. This amount is projected to increase to $571 for an individual
and $857 for a couple when adjusted for the estimated 1.3 percent
COLA payable beginning in January 2005. States may choose to supplement
the Federal payment and have SSA administer these supplements.
The SSI account also funds costs related to successful vocational
rehabilitation services provided to disabled SSI recipients, either
through reimbursement to State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies
or through payments to Employment Networks under the Ticket to Work
and Self-Sufficiency Program.
In addition, this account funds broad-based cross-program research
projects in the Social Security and SSI programs as well as projects
specific to SSI program issues. Research and demonstration projects
cover a wide range of topics, including: basic data about our programs
and their beneficiaries, analysis of proposals for Social Security
reform, testing various approaches for retaining disabled individuals
in the workforce and improving employment outcomes for disability
beneficiaries, promoting research in critical disability policy
research areas, and policy evaluation of important Agency initiatives.
SSI
BENEFICIARY AND BENEFITS OVERVIEW
|
|
(Recipients
in thousands) |
| 2003
Actual
| 2004
Estimate
| 2005
Estimate
|
+/-
|
Average Number of SSI Recipients
|
Federal Payments:
|
Aged
|
1,150
|
1,134
|
1,122
|
-12
|
Blind and Disabled
|
5,403
|
5,577
|
5,745
|
+168
|
Subtotal
|
6,553
|
6,711
|
6,867
|
+156
|
State Supplementary Payments
(with no Federal SSI payable)
|
283
|
291
|
296
|
+5
|
TOTAL, SSI Recipients (Current Law)
|
6,836
|
7,002
|
7,163
|
+161
|
|
Average Monthly Benefit
|
Aged
|
$285
|
$293
|
$300
|
+$7
|
Blind and Disabled
|
$432
|
$443
|
$450
|
+$7
|
All SSI Recipients
|
$406
|
$418
|
$425
|
+$7
|
|
Projected COLA Payable in January
|
1.4%
|
2.1%
|
1.3%
|
|
|
Legislative Proposals Related to SSI
SSA has placed a high priority on diligent management of the SSI
program, which provides benefits to the nation's neediest population.
We are pleased that the General Accounting Office (GAO) removed
the SSI program from its high-risk list of government programs considered
especially vulnerable to waste, fraud or abuse. In doing so, GAO
recognized SSA's efforts to improve the management of the program.
The President's budget continues to stress cost-effective efforts
to ensure proper expenditure of General Fund resources, and it reflects
plans and activities, including related legislative proposals, from
the Agency's SSI Corrective Action Plan issued June 2002.
The Administration is proposing to extend pre-effectuation review
provisions already in place for Social Security disability claims
to SSI adult disability and blindness cases. By providing a review
of high-risk SSI allowances, this provision, like its Title II counterpart,
improves the accuracy of initial decisions. Pre-effectuation review
yields significant ongoing program savings, well in excess of the
resources required to conduct the reviews.
For both Social Security and SSI, the President's budget proposes
dedicated administrative funding to ensure continuation of cost-effective
continuing disability reviews. Additional proposals will simplify
SSI administration, implement other elements of the SSI Corrective
Action Plan, and eliminate SSI dedicated accounts for children residing
with natural or adoptive parents.
The President's budget would also allow refugees and asylees to
receive SSI for eight years after entry into the country. Currently,
refugees and asylees who have not become citizens can only receive
SSI for seven years after entry. The proposal recognizes that some
individuals have been unable to obtain citizenship within seven
years due to a combination of processing delays and, for asylees,
statutory caps on the number who can become permanent residents.
The policy would continue through 2007.
Special Benefits for Certain
World War II Veterans
This program funds monthly benefits for certain veterans of World
War II who reside outside of the United States, and the administrative
costs of paying the benefits. The program applies to veterans who
served in the active military, naval or air services of the United
States, including Filipino veterans who served in the organized
military forces of the Philippines while those forces were in the
service of the U.S. Armed Forces, and who were eligible for SSI
as of December 1999. Veterans who meet these and other requirements
may be entitled to receive a special benefit for each month they
subsequently reside outside the United States. (These veterans are
not eligible for SSI since SSI benefits generally terminate when
an individual leaves the United States.) Special benefits are paid
only to the veteran.
Payments began in May 2000 to veterans who took advantage of the
new program and returned to their homeland. California has chosen
to supplement the Federal payment, which is administered by SSA
for the State.
SPECIAL
BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WWII VETERANS OVERVIEW
|
|
(Outlays in millions)
|
2003
Actual
| 2004
Estimate
| 2005
Estimate
|
+/-
|
Federal Benefits
|
$9
|
$10
|
$11
|
+$1
|
Administration
|
*
|
$2
|
$1
|
-$1
|
TOTAL, Special Benefits for Certain World War II Veterans
|
$9
|
$12
|
$12
|
- - -
|
Average Number of Beneficiaries (in thousands)
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
- - -
|
Average Monthly Benefit
|
$314
|
$325
|
$325
|
- - -
|
|
* Less than $500,000
|
LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
LAE
OVERVIEW
|
|
Dollars in millions
|
| 2003
Actual
| 2004
Estimate
| 2005
Request
|
+/-
|
Program
Financing
|
Base
|
$7,774
|
$8,193
|
$8,757
|
+$564
|
User Fee: SSI State Supplementation
|
$111
|
$120
|
$121
|
+$1
|
TOTAL,
LAE Appropriation (excluding Medicare Reform
Administrative Expenses)
|
$7,885
|
$8,313
|
$8,878
|
+$565
|
Percentage Increase from FY 2004
|
+6.8%
|
Medicare
Reform1
|
N/A
|
$500
|
$100
|
|
LAE
Workyears (excluding Medicare Reform)
|
64,772
|
64,773
|
66,789
|
+2,016
|
Medicare
Reform Workyears 2
|
N/A
|
945
|
3,914
|
+2,969
|
|
1 The $500
million for Medicare reform is available through FY 2005. The
$100 million is for a Medicare reform contingency reserve, which
will remain available through FY 2006.
2 Preliminary estimates pending operational implementation
plans. |
The Limitation on Administrative Expenses (LAE) account provides
resources for SSA to administer the OASDI programs, the SSI program,
certain health insurance functions, and the Special Benefits for
Certain World War II Veterans program. Funding for this account
is financed from the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. The
Trust Funds are subsequently reimbursed for the administrative expenses
of the SSI program, which are covered by General Funds, as well
as for other costs not related to the Trust Funds. Funds are included
for personnel costs and operating expenses such as equipment, space
and building services.
These resources are applied to: processing retirement, survivors,
disability and SSI claims; continuing to implement the Ticket to
Work and Self-Sufficiency Program; updating beneficiary eligibility
information; processing applications for Social Security numbers
and posting annual earnings to workers' records; operating a nationwide
800-number; continuing to educate the public on long-term financing
issues affecting solvency; and operating and improving SSA's automated
data processing and telecommunications systems. In addition, SSA
is facing new responsibilities as it prepares to play an important
role in the implementation of the Medicare prescription drug law
recently signed by the President.
At less than 2 percent of total outlays, SSA's administrative expenses
continue to be a very small portion of the Agency's overall spending.
The LAE budget is driven by the size of the programs we administer
- both in terms of the amount of work we do and the number of people
we need to do it - and by our continuing efforts to improve service,
efficiency and program integrity. This budget, which is an increase
of nearly 7 percent over FY 2004, supports our efforts to operate
at a high level of efficiency and provide responsive service. SSA
has set a goal of achieving at least 2 percent improvement in productivity
per year.
Commissioner Barnhart is committed to providing better service
to Americans. Her ongoing Service Delivery Assessment examines all
SSA programs and processes with fresh eyes, drawing on expertise
from front-line as well as headquarters staff. It identifies improvements
needed to meet each of SSA's operational responsibilities, such
as retooling business processes and leveraging technology. The Service
Delivery Assessment also recognizes that SSA must make the most
effective and efficient use of its funds in the face of competing
national priorities and constraints in government-wide resources.
Finally, it helps SSA address the challenge of serving record numbers
of beneficiaries at the same time that a large portion of SSA's
own workforce will be retiring.
We began the Service Delivery Assessment with a focus on the processing
of claims for Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental
Security Income benefits. SSA continues to be rated highly in public
satisfaction surveys in spite of growing workloads, and progress
has already been made in improving overall disability processing
times. However, individuals who initially are denied disability
benefits and who appeal have to wait almost an additional year before
a final hearing decision is made. To address this issue, SSA is
implementing several initiatives in 2004 and 2005, including replacing
its paper-driven disability claims process with a more efficient
electronic system.
The new electronic disability claims filing process is expected
to reduce processing times significantly over the long term. Rollout
(which is estimated to be completed nationally in 18 months) began
in January 2004. In the paper-driven process, when a claimant requests
a hearing, it often takes more than a month simply to locate the
claimant's folder and deliver it to the appropriate hearing office.
This will change with the new paperless process, and costs related
to locating, mailing, and storing paper files will be significantly
reduced.
Beyond 2005, SSA is developing an improved process to significantly
reduce processing times and improve decisional accuracy for initial
disability claims and hearings. Commissioner Barnhart outlined her
vision of a new approach for improving the disability process in
September 2003. This year will be a time for consultation with those
involved at every stage of the process, both within and outside
of SSA.
Commissioner Barnhart's Service Delivery Assessment to date is
reflected in each of the four strategic goals of the Agency's Strategic
Plan: service, stewardship, solvency and staff. To provide further
context for decisions on needed improvements outlined in the Strategic
Plan, SSA has developed a service delivery plan that identifies
the workload production goals over five years to accomplish the
Agency's strategic goals and objectives. SSA's budget is driven
by the Commissioner's service delivery plan, which was recently
updated based on current experience and resource availability, and
the Agency's Strategic Plan. SSA's budget also supports the President's
Management Agenda by emphasizing the President's five government-wide
management reforms. We are proud that we received the highest rating
possible, a green, for overall current status in financial management,
as well as green for progress in all five categories.
The President's budget will allow us to keep up with our key service
workloads, begin to reduce hearings backlogs, and process more continuing
disability reviews. It is imperative that we keep up with our work
since we are not only facing a record number of beneficiaries, but
major new responsibilities in implementing the historic Medicare
prescription drug law. The President's budget provides adequate
resources for SSA to:
- Improve service to citizens by reducing overall disability processing
times;
- Implement a new electronic disability process to provide faster
and more efficient service;
- Continue aggressive efforts to reduce erroneous payments and
collect related debt;
- Continue to improve productivity by at least 2 percent per year;
and
- Expand secure, citizen-friendly online service options on http://www.socialsecurity.gov,
available 24 hours a day.
The dedicated men and women of SSA will continue to do everything
in their power to give the American people the service they expect
and deserve. However, it is important to recognize that SSA is a
workload-driven organization and, therefore, the number of people
we have to "do the job" matters significantly. The President's
budget will allow SSA to maintain its progress in improving service
and efficiency, and meeting its long-term commitments to the millions
of Americans who depend on our Agency.
New Medicare Workloads
SSA will play a substantial role in the implementation of Public
Law 108-173, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and
Modernization Act of 2003 - specifically, the Medicare prescription
drug benefit. SSA is committed to the successful implementation
of the new law, which included $500 million for SSA's start-up costs
in FY 2004 and FY 2005. The Agency will use these funds to prepare
systems for implementation of the drug benefit and other program
changes in 2005. SSA will help:
- Identify low-income beneficiaries for enrollment in the program;
- Make low-income subsidy determinations;
- Calculate Part B premiums for high-income beneficiaries; and
- Withhold premiums appropriate to beneficiaries' selected plans.
Public Law 108-173 also includes a provision stating that responsibility
for conducting Medicare hearings must be transferred from SSA to
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sometime between
July 1 and October 1, 2005. HHS has signed an agreement to reimburse
SSA for the costs we will incur to continue to process Medicare
appeals until the transfer occurs.
SSI User Fees
The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33) authorizes SSA to
increase the user fee SSA charges the States for administering SSI
supplementation payments. For FY 2005, the fee will increase to
an estimated $8.90 per supplemental payment, from $8.77 in FY 2004,
based on the projected change in the June 2004 Consumer Price Index
from the previous year. A portion of the funds generated by this
user fee are available for SSA's administrative expenses through
the LAE account, subject to appropriation action. The LAE request
includes $121 million from SSI user fees in FY 2005.
OFFICE
OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
|
|
(Dollars in millions)
|
| 2003
Actual
| 2004
Estimate
| 2005
Request
|
+/-
|
TOTAL, OIG Budget Authority (Current Law)
|
$82
|
$88
|
$92
|
+$4
|
Percentage Increase from FY 2004
|
+4.5%
|
Workyears
|
571
|
622
|
625
|
+3
|
|
Summary
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is charged with protecting
the integrity of SSA's programs as well as promoting their economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness. OIG uses a combination of audits,
investigations, and inspections to investigate and prosecute fraud,
waste, and abuse in SSA's programs and operations.
SSA is engaged in an aggressive program to deter, detect, and investigate
fraud, and to prosecute individuals or groups committing fraud.
A strong OIG, working together with SSA employees in local offices,
is the most effective means we have to control fraud and abuse in
the programs we administer. To strengthen the OIG's capacity to
accomplish its mission of protecting the integrity of SSA's programs,
we have continued to increase the resources available to the OIG.
The FY 2005 budget increase of 4.5 percent to $92 million will
enable OIG to continue to aggressively pursue anti fraud activities
on a variety of fronts, including combating Social Security number
misuse, disability fraud through Cooperative Disability Investigation
Teams, and SSI fraud through the Fugitive Felon Project.
The SSN has become a vital aspect of American life and a link to
homeland security. Its reliability is a key element in protecting
against fraud and in protecting lives at home and abroad. In FY
2005, to further support the Administration's homeland security
initiatives, OIG will continue to fund the SSN Integrity Protection
Team. Beginning in FY 2004, this integrated team model will address
issues of SSN misuse and provide assistance to SSA, Congress, the
public, and other law enforcement while maintaining a primary focus
on protecting SSA's program and Trust Fund integrity.
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