[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 247 (Thursday, December 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71326-71327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34138]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Testing Modifications to the Disability Determination Procedures;
Federal Processing Center Testing
AGENCY: Social Security Administration.
ACTION: Notice of the continuation of testing involving modifications
to the disability determination procedures.
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SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration (SSA) is announcing the
continuation of testing that it has been conducting under the current
rules at 20 CFR 404.906, 404.943, 404.966, 416.1406, 416.1443, and
416.1466. Those rules authorize the testing of
[[Page 71327]]
several modifications to the disability determination procedures that
we normally follow in adjudicating claims for disability insurance
benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (the Act) and claims
for supplemental security income (SSI) payments based on disability
under title XVI of the Act. This notice announces the continuation and
duration of the testing in a federal processing center. This notice
also announces that the selection of cases for this testing will be
from a different state.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harry Pippin, Disability Models Team
Leader, Office of Disability, Disability Process Redesign Staff, Social
Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland
21235, 410-965-9203.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Current regulations at 20 CFR 404.906,
404.943, 404.966, 416.1406, 416.1443, and 416.1466 authorize us to test
different modifications to the disability determination procedures. On
August 1, 1997, we published in the Federal Register (62 FR 41457) a
notice that described the use of four features of the testing
modifications to the disability determination procedures, plus two
features designed to maximize the resources of a federal processing
center. That notice announced that testing of this model would take
place at the Social Security Administration's Office of Disability and
International Operations in Baltimore, Maryland. Testing was to begin
on or about August 11, 1997, and selection of approximately 1,000
claims filed by telephone by residents of Kentucky was to continue for
approximately one year with cases processed for an additional six
months. We stated that we might choose to extend the duration of the
test to obtain additional data, and that we would publish another
notice in the Federal Register if we decided to extend the duration. We
incorporated a fifth modification to the integrated model to the
disability determination procedures on September 23, 1997 (62 FR
49598).
We are now announcing that testing in the Office of Disability and
International Operations (now called the Office of Central Operations),
at 1500 Woodlawn Drive, Baltimore, MD 21241, will be extended for a
period of up to one additional year to obtain further data. This test
will combine the five process modifications plus the two features
designed to maximize the resources of a federal processing center.
While selection of Kentucky cases has stopped, the Office of Central
Operations continues to adjudicate cases that have been selected
already. The Office of Central Operations now will select approximately
400 claims filed by residents of Nevada. Adjudication of the Nevada
cases will begin on or about December, 1998. We will continue to select
the Nevada cases for at least four months, and may continue to have
cases processed for an additional six months after case selection ends.
We will publish another notice in the Federal Register if we extend the
duration of the test or if we select cases from a different state.
Dated: December 15, 1998.
Susan M. Daniels,
Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-34138 Filed 12-23-98; 8:45 am]
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