O'Brien & Feiler

In-person appointments at SSA field offices are back in a limited way. Have a look at the link below. https://www.ssa.gov/coronavirus/

The SSA is moving forward with plans to offer a Microsoft Teams option for video hearings. This is a step forward, though I do not believe that telephone hearings will be going anywhere for many SSI Claimants due to a general lack of broadband internet access.

The upcoming election could have significant repercussions for the life and health of Social Security.

Being disabled is a struggle. Securing disability benefits when disabled should not be.

Beware of telephone scammers pretending to be from Social Security or another government agency. If you receive a scam call, hang up and report the call to OIG.SSA.gov.

O'Brien & Feiler lawyers have the experience and technology to assist the disabled with SSI / SSDI remotely. Call 844-OBF-WINS today to find out how.

More uncertainty about SSA employees working remotely, but given the current COVID-19 situation, it may be awhile before these questions are answered.

The Georgia Supreme Court issued a ruling in the Bowden III case. This case has wide ranging implications for the use of provider chargemaster rates in certain billing practices.

Georgia Hospitals and Physicians will want to be aware of new rules regarding surprise medical billing that appear to be headed our way in 2021. Contact O'Brien & Feiler to prepare for these changes and to have expert representation at the arbitration table.

2:40pm - OBF PHONES ARE NOW UP AND RUNNING. 10/4/2019 - OBF is experiencing phone issues that should resolve by 12:00p today. Please contact us through our website in the meantime. We apologize for any inconvenience.

O'Brien & Feiler attorneys work diligently to make life a little less complicated for the disabled. The OBF team provides comprehensive assistance to disabled individuals and their families as they navigate giant government bureaucracies. Attorney consultations are free, and legal fees are only charged if OBF wins for you. Visit https://www.OBFlegal.com or call 770.579.0799

COVID-19 may be causing long term disabling conditions in some patients.

May pleasure walk with you, may luck smile upon you, and may joy be at home in your heart.

For justice, for kindness, for togetherness. Today we remember Martin Luther King, his legacy, and his hope for our future.

Happy New Year from your friends at O'Brien & Feiler. May your 2019 be the best year yet!

This will be an interesting case for anyone who is headed toward a disability hearing. Very often the job counts produced by Vocational Experts contain a considerable amount of subjectivity. This case will include consideration of this issue and may result in changes regarding how job counts are presented and defended.

A few words about O'Brien & Feiler's response to the COVID-19 situation.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend." -Melody Beattie Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving from all of us at O'Brien & Feiler.

The Law Firm of O’Brien & Feiler is pleased to announce that Thomas O’Brien has been named a 2020 Super Lawyer. This is Thomas O’Brien’s first year on the Super Lawyers list of Top Social Security Disability Attorneys in Georgia, though he was previously designated as a Super Lawyers Rising Star.

Social Security benefits will increase by 1.6% starting in January of 2020. Want to know what you new benefits will be? Open a "my Social Security" account at SSA.gov. In December of 2019, notices will be sent through this portal to Retirement, Surviviors and Disability beneficiaries.

We would like to highlight one of our Bronze Level sponsors, O'Brien & Feiler!! Thank you for your support of the Friends of Chesnut Foundation!! Thomas O'Brien... and the legal team at O'Brien & Feiler are thrilled to support The Friends of Chesnut Foundation. O'Brien & Feiler attorneys help disabled people obtain Social Security Disability / SSI benefits and are accredited by the Veterans Administration to assist former servicemembers with VA claims. They also assist hospitals and physicians with insurance matters including Medicaid Eligibility and Liability Claim Resolution. To contact O'Brien & Feiler, please call 770.579.0799 or visit https://OBFlegal.com. See more

Disability Attorney Thomas O'Brien was recently quoted in a Business News Daily article entitled "5 Ways to Manage Your Chronic Illness at Work".

O'Brien & Feiler is pleased to make this free Medicaid Eligibility Webinar available through Hometown Health's Healthcare Solutions Free Training Center. The linked session provides insight into in-sourcing Medicaid eligibility, presumptive eligibility, and the efforts that some hospitals are taking in order to be closer the Medicaid eligibility process.

For O'Brien & Feiler's clients who are veterans, here is an easy online tool to calculate or simulate your VA disability rating percentages, even if you have a bilateral condition.

Fiscal Year 2018 is now complete. Social Security Disability Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) statistics have now been updated to include a full year of data. View judge and office approval percentages by visiting O'Brien & Feiler online.

By developing the descriptions of a Claimant's Past Relevant Work, the Composite Jobs Rule may become helpful at preventing a denial at Step 4 of the Sequential Disability Evaluation process.

Social Security Disability can lessen the early retirement benefits reduction for those who stop working early due to health reasons. OBF Disability Attorney Thomas O'Brien shares thoughts about this strategy.

Georgia State University continues to do wonderful things.

Knowing the impact of transferable skills on a disability/SSI case is extremely important for Claimants who performed skilled work.

OBF celebrates 62 years of Disability Insurance protecting workers.

If you are considering filing for SSDI benefits, thoughtful preparation of your claim will give it the best chance to succeed. Here are some thoughts regarding items to address.

After a denial at the initial application for disability, Claimants should prepare for the next level of appeal...reconsideration. Here is some information about that step.

Turning ALJs from employees into political appointees is concerning, and certainly does nothing to reflect the recent SCOTUS decision in the Lucia case.

O'Brien & Feiler Attorney Michael Kleinman provides some insight on things to avoid when seeking disability benefits.

OBF Attorney Michael Kleinman discusses unique attributes and approaches relating to different types of disability claims.

O'Brien & Feiler is proud to introduce OBF TV - a video library with information that will help those pursuing disability. Our first two videos discuss particulars about ALJ Hearings and the interaction between AOD, File Date, and Back Pay.

Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits may provide a better support system for individuals who became disabled before turning 22. Learn more about DAC benefits at O'Brien & Feiler.

"Atrophy (shrinkage) of brain lesions correlates with physical disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), new research reports." #MS #InTheNews

The Workers Compensation Offset can affect monthly Social Security Disability Benefits. Find out how in Attorney Michael Kleinman's latest OBF blog entry.

The Disability Appeals process take a long time. Here is O'Brien & Feiler's list of 10 things to do during this wait.

Have an ALJ Disability Hearing in your Future? Check out OBF's 10 Things to Know...

OBF shares 10 things you should know before filing a claim for Social Security Disability/SSI.

The SSA's Five-Day Rule has widespread implications for Claimants having their cases heard by ALJs. Make sure all of your records are considered by adhering to the Five-Day Rule.

The weight assigned by SSA adjudicators to records from treating physicians changed in 2017. Find out how this could affect disabled applicants.

O'Brien & Feiler has enhanced their website by adding the ability to examine the decision percentages of all Social Security Administrative Law Judges. Have a hearing coming up? Visit to learn more about your judge.

O’Brien & Feiler is pleased to be welcomed as the sole Medicaid Eligibility Business Partner by HomeTown Health. Thomas O’Brien from OBF is at The 18th Annual Spring Conference which is currently underway in Savannah, GA. For more information from the legislative update, please visit the OBF legal post below.

OBF is a proud sponsor of Patient Access Week! One lucky Patient Access team member will win an opening day gift basket with Braves tickets. #AtlantaBraves #openingday #OBFsupportsthecommunity

See everything you can do online with my Social Security: http://ow.ly/Tctk30iahyb

Wherever you go and whatever you do, may the Luck o' the Irish be there with you.

To prevent heart disease and increase awareness, O'Brien & Feiler is proudly participating in American Heart Month.

Georgia State Law's Erin Fuse Brown wrote about a widespread roadblock to state healthcare reform in the New England Journal of Medicine. #gsulawvoice https://goo.gl/rjfjE7

Filing for Disability or SSI can be difficult and confusing. O'Brien & Feiler can help. #disabilitysimplified

Yet another version of the same old story. Long waits for cases to be heard cause unimaginable hardship on the disabled and their families.

I agree with the sentiment of the article, but in the highly politicized environment in which we find ourselves, I wonder if we are better off holding out for awhile longer.

Students diagnose clients' legal health in the Georgia State Law HeLP clinic: http://ow.ly/cRnR30h9LsV

Today we give thanks for family, friends, and our many, many blessings. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Disabled individuals are waiting longer and longer to have their cases heard in an environment which is increasingly challenging. Something has to change.

Some very important differences between these programs.

More than 1 in 10 Georgia adults has diabetes. This National Diabetes Month, learn how to manage your diabetes for a longer, healthier life. http://bit.ly/2yIlwQ3

The unfortunate truth of the state of disability in the United States. Long odds and long waits.

Only 35 days left! The Health Insurance Marketplaces are open for business. Despite federal efforts this year to change the Affordable Care Act, you can still b...uy health insurance through the state Health Insurance Marketplaces and financial help to lower monthly premiums and out of pocket health care costs is still available. Visit www.healthcare.gov to find the plan that is best for you and your family. If you have enrolled before, be sure you are still enrolled in a plan that best meets your needs since health plans and prices change every year. Free help is available by calling 1-800-318-2596 or by visiting localhelp.healthcare.gov. Please note - the federal government announced the website www.healthcare.gov will be shut down for 12 hours most Sundays during Open Enrollment. If the website is not available, don’t give up. Return to the website at another time to continue shopping for plans and enroll in coverage.

Today we thank and honor all who served.

This incredible athlete born without the ability to walk defied the odds and became a gold medal-winning champion

We are often asked, What’s the best age to start receiving retirement benefits? The answer - there’s no one best age for everyone and, ultimately, it’s your choice. This will help: http://ow.ly/GbJL30fLNor

These students hail from more than 10 countries where the rule of law and the language are often different than the U.S. legal system. They are enrolled in ...one of the law school’s more unusual cross-curricular courses, combining linguistics and U.S. law. Read more: http://ow.ly/pavV30gnP7C See more

With the opening of its new Georgia State University College of Law's Legal Analytics Lab, Georgia State University is positioning itself at the forefront of la...w’s data revolution. From analyzing contracts to tracking litigation metrics, data mining, machine learning & artificial intelligence are revolutionizing the practice & study of law. See more

Check out Georgia State Law's bar passage rate for the Class of 2017: http://ow.ly/3Ir430ghfte #gsulawgrad2017