Alan Nussbaum Comment

If the focus of ACUS is to pay individuals who deserve benefits under existing laws perhaps considering making all social security employees, employees of the state in which they reside and making their benefits including retirement the responsibility of that state.Hearings could be held at the initial application stage of the proceedings and the Judge's would be subject to state ethics requirements.This concept might help deserving individuals receive benefits earlier and reduce the federal deficits at the same time.Elimination of reconsideration of denial and the appeals council should be on the chopping block.