Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by willbes 1301 days ago
It depends on the intent of the rules being enforced.

An example given was a state wanted to spend less on low income benefits. They setup an overly complex computer system that decides eligibility and requires participants in the program to fill out multi page forms 100% accurately on a regular basis or their benefits are suspended immediately. There was no way to appeal this decision, only to re-apply.

Employees of the state agency no longer had any insight into why a form was rejected, and could not speed up the process to resubmit it because the participant had long term medical issues and needed potentially lifesaving prescriptions filled. As a result, many people who would otherwise be eligible for benefits had them denied.

This lead to a marked decrease in spending on social services and was considered a win by the state.

1 comments

My mother is on SSI due to disability and our experience has been that they'll deny but a re-application or appeal will eventually see it accepted.

Anyone going through this rigamarole, that's always my advice. Keep pressing, they'll eventually accept. It sucks, but you have to play the game.