[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-23968]


[Federal Register: September 28, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Social Security Administration


Supplemental Security Income Program; Notice of Title XVI 
Continuing Disability Reviews

AGENCY: Social Security Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of Title XVI Continuing Disability Reviews.

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SUMMARY: The Commissioner of Social Security announces that continuing 
disability reviews of persons receiving payments under title XVI 
because of disability or blindness will begin October 1, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Fulmer, Social Security 
Administration, 3-A-10 Operations Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21235, (410) 965-9053.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 221(i) of the Social Security Act 
(the Act) requires that the eligibility of all persons with 
nonpermanent impairments receiving benefits because of disability must 
generally be reviewed at least once every three years. Section 221(i) 
also requires that the eligibility of persons having permanent 
impairments be reviewed at such times as the Secretary determines to be 
appropriate.
    In the preamble to the final regulations on ``Supplemental Security 
Income for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled; Determining Disability and 
Blindness Frequency and Notice of Continuing Eligibility Reviews,'' 
published May 7, 1986 (51 FR 16818), we stated on page 16819 that, 
although section 221(i) of the Act does not mandate periodic 
eligibility review of persons receiving Supplemental Security Income 
(SSI) payments under title XVI because of disability or blindness, the 
final regulations extended the periodic continuing disability review 
procedures to title XVI blind and disabled recipients. This extension 
was within the Secretary's regulatory authority under title XVI of the 
Act, sections 1631(d)(1) and 1633, and was in accord with the 
legislative history of the 1980 Amendments to the Act which added 
section 221(i). Report No. 96-408 of the Senate Committee on Finance at 
page 61 states:

    The committee believes that such [periodic review] procedures 
should be applied on the same basis to the DI and SSI programs.

    We stated in the preamble to the final regulations published on May 
7, 1986, that we would review the eligibility of persons receiving 
payments solely under title XVI because of disability or blindness with 
the same frequency as we review the eligibility of persons receiving 
disability benefits under title II. We also stated that this would 
establish consistency in the operation of the SSI and Social Security 
disability programs. We announced that when we began the periodic 
review of these cases would depend on such considerations as the 
backlog of pending reviews, the projected number of new applications, 
and the availability of resources needed to ensure careful and accurate 
reviews. We further stated on page 16820 of the preamble that before we 
began the periodic reviews of SSI cases, we would notify the public of 
the beginning date of the review program by publication of a notice in 
the Federal Register.
    In accordance with this statement, this notice is to inform the 
public that the periodic continuing disability reviews of persons 
receiving SSI payments under title XVI because of disability or 
blindness will begin October 1, 1994. These reviews will be conducted 
under regulations codified at 20 C.F.R. 416.989 et seq. When we begin a 
review of a recipient's continuing eligibility to SSI payments, we will 
notify the recipient of the review pursuant to these regulations.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: Program No. 93.807, 
Supplemental Security Income)

    Dated: September 22, 1994.
Shirley S. Chater,
Commissioner of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 94-23968 Filed 9-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-P