[9627] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Online Comments to U.S. Social Security Administration (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mark Boolootian)
Fri Jan 14 14:20:50 1994
From: booloo@framsparc.ocf.llnl.gov (Mark Boolootian)
To: com-priv@psi.com
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 1994 11:19:50 -0800 (PST)
I culled this from the Telecom digest:
>From: ao944@yfn.ysu.edu (Jack Decker)
Subject: Online comments to U.S. Social Security Administration
Date: 13 Jan 1994 05:11:38 GMT
Organization: Youngstown State/Youngstown Free-Net
[Although not strictly telecom related, I thought you might be
interested in seeing this.]
When I logged on to Youngstown Freenet tonight, I was greeted by
the login message (I guess this is called the "Message Of The Day"
in Unix circles) which contained the following blurb:
> UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU: The Congressional Office of Technology
> Assessment is conducting a multi-city "Teleforum" in which they are
> seeking your thoughts on the Social Security Administration for a
> study they are doing. Senior citizens (and those who someday expect
> to BE senior citizens) are invited to participate.
> Access the OTA TELEFORUM off the NPTN Special Projects on the main
> menu and join in this rather interesting application of teledemocracy
> at work ...
I entered the forum and was able to pull the following "about"
paragraphs. Two things to note: Apparently the "teleforums" are
available on five popular Freenet systems (the ones in Buffalo, NY;
Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; Tallahassee, FL; and Youngstown, OH) and I
would assume you need to have an account on one of those systems in
order to participate (Internet users can telnet to all these systems,
and they are accessible from many Gopher systems as well). Also, it
appears that the Social Security Administration is considering making
some or all of their services available via the Internet. This could
be good or bad depending on whether proper attention is paid to
privacy.
However, one thing that personally disturbs me is that they are
apparently at least considering elimination of mailing of checks to
individuals, in favor of disbursements via "Electronic Fund Transfers
or Electronic Benefit Transfers." My initial gut reaction to that is
that this could have some real negative effects on privacy and
individual liberty, because it would in effect force people to have an
account at some financial institution in order to receive benefits. I
won't comment further on that now because I haven't really thought
about all the implications of this yet.
Anyway, here's what I was able to pull off of Youngstown Freenet:
ABOUT THE OTA TELEFORUMS
Over the next five years the Social Security Administration (SSA)
intends to spend about $1.1 billion on information systems procurement
and modernization. Critics of SSA -- most notably the General
Accounting Office -- say that SSA does not have a solid justification
for this huge investment. That they have not shown that it will
result in improved service delivery, or an improved work environment.
To help settle this dispute both agencies turned to the
Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) to do a study of
the issue. The OTA, in turn, has asked the National Public
Telecomputing Network (NPTN) to set-up an electronic forum which would
allow YOU to express your opinions on the matter.
Here's how it works ...
When you enter the TeleForums you will be able to select any
(or all) of four issues to comment upon. The issues have to do
with:
1) SOCIAL SECURITY AND CUSTOMER INTERACTION
2) NETWORK ACCESS TO BENEFIT FILING SERVICES
3) DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS
4) YOUR GENERAL SATISFACTION WITH THE SSA
You then choose the issue you want to examine and READ THE FILE
CALLED "README." This file will contain a summary of the issue and
the kind of things we would like the discussions to focus on.
Each of these forums will be running simultaneously on NPTN
affiliates in five cities: Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO;
Tallahassee, FL; and Youngstown, OH. Thus, a comment from someone in
Cleveland might be intermixed with something from a user in
Tallahassee, followed by someone in Youngstown, or Denver, or Buffalo.
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU POST A COMMENT TO ANY OF THESE BOARDS IT WILL
NOT APPEAR IMMEDIATELY. Your posting will first be routed to the NPTN
machine in Cleveland for distribution to all five systems -- including
back to the system of origin. Thus, it might be several hours before
it is cleared for the network.
In summary ...
You are looking at one of the first attempts BY CONGRESS to use
this medium on a national scale to hold discussions on the policy
issues that are before it. Use it well.
If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to
contact Tom Grundner at: tmg@nptn.org or William Beasley at:
wab@nptn.org
<<< ISSUE #1: SOCIAL SECURITY AND CUSTOMER INTERACTION >>>
The general question in this area is:
How can the Social Security Administration improve customer
interactions by utilizing telecomputing technology?
You are free, of course, to comment on anything you'd like,
but some specific questions or issues might include:
* Should routine requests for such things as replacement
Social Security cards be made available via the telecom-
puting networks in addition to the present methods.
* Should informational materials such as explanations of
benefits be made available via the telecomputing networks.
* Should earnings record be available utilizing the tele-
computing networks.
* If any of the above were done, specifically how do you think
your life would be improved (or not-improved) by it?
* Are there issues of confidentiality, data security, and
privacy that bother you?
<<< ISSUE #2: NETWORK ACCESS TO BENEFIT FILING SERVICES >>>
The general question in this area is:
Could this new technology help the Social Security Administration
improve the process of filing for benefits?
You are free, of course, to comment on anything you'd like,
but some specific questions or issues might include:
* Should the Social Security Administration allow for the
filing of benefits via the telecomputing networks?
* Should the Social Security Administration utilize the
electronic networks to file for appeals and transfer records
and supporting documents in regard to the substantiation
of claims.
* If any of the above were done, specifically how do you think
your life would be improved (or not-improved) by it?
* Are there issues of confidentiality, data security, and
privacy that bother you?
<<< ISSUE #3: DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS >>>
The general question in this area is:
What do you think is the best way for the SSA to distribute
monthly benefits?
You are free, of course, to comment on anything you'd like,
but some specific questions or issues might include:
* Should the Social Security Administration continue to
mail checks to individuals or should all disbursements
be made via Electronic Fund Transfers or Electronic
Benefit Transfers?
* In order to spread the workload of the Social Security
Administration there is talk of changing the disbursement
of benefits from the first of the month to a staggered
payment date, i.e. 1st, 10th, 20th of the month. How would
this effect you? Would you find it acceptable?
* Should the Social Security Administration expand the use
of the EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) in co-operation
with other agencies.
* Should the Social Security Administration work toward
combining use of the EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer)
with various State government benefit programs?
* If any of the above were done, specifically how do you think
your life would be improved (or not-improved) by it?
* Are there issues of confidentiality, data security, and
privacy that bother you?
<<< ISSUE #4: GENERAL SATISFACTION WITH THE SSA >>>
The general question in this area is:
To what extent have you been satisfied with your interactions
with the Social Security Administration?
You are free, of course, to comment on anything you'd like,
but some specific questions or issues might include:
* In the past year did you have occasion to contact the Social
Security Administration? If so, tell us about that experience.
* How did you contact them
- In person visit to Social Security Administration Office
- Telephone Call to local Social Security Administration
- Telephone Call to 800 number of Social Security Admin.
- Postal Mail
- Community meeting with Field Representative of the
- Social Security Administration
- Other
* On a scale of 0 to 5 with 5 being the highest rating, how
would you rate your experience.
* How long did it take for you to receive a satisfactory answer
from the Social Security Administration?
* If you visited the local office in person how long did you
have to wait before you were seen?
* If you telephoned, did you have any problems getting to talk
to someone.
* If you mailed a letter, how long did you wait before you
received an answer?
* Was the information provided to you understandable?
* Would you be willing to utilize a telecomputing network to
contact the Social Security Administration?
* From your experience, how would you suggest the Social
Security Administration improve their service to you?
[End of information from Youngstown Freenet]
As of January 10, 1993 there were no messages yet in any of the four
forums, so I assume this is brand new. Remember, if you want to send
comments on any of these issues, you need to log onto one of the five
Freenet systems listed above. If you cannot do that for some reason,
I suggest contacting one of the two NPTN people mentioned (Tom
Grundner at: tmg@nptn.org or William Beasley at: wab@nptn.org) and
asking for advice. Whatever you do, don't send your comments to me,
because they will go nowhere from here!
Jack
