[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47218-47219]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22421]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Modifications to the Disability Determination Procedures; 
Disability Claims Process Redesign Prototype

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of a prototype involving modifications to the disability 
determination procedures.

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SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration (SSA) is announcing a 
prototype involving a combination of modifications to the disability 
determination process. Before proceeding to national implementation, we 
expect that this prototype will provide a body of information about 
what impact these modifications may have on agency operations, notice 
and other procedures, as well as the resulting quality and timeliness 
of decisions for the public.

DATES: Selection of cases to be included in the prototype will begin on 
or about October 1, 1999 and is expected to be concluded on or about 
December 31, 2001. If the Agency decides to continue the prototype 
beyond this date, another notice will be published in the Federal 
Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harry Pippin, Social Security 
Administration, Office of Disability, Disability Process Redesign 
Staff, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21235-6401, 410-
965-9203.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Current rules codified at 20 CFR 404.906 and 
416.1406 authorize us to test modifications to the disability 
determination procedures individually or in any combination. Under this 
authority, several tests have been conducted. We are now announcing a 
prototype that incorporates multiple modifications to the disability 
determination procedures employed by State Disability Determination 
Services (DDS) which have been shown to be effective in earlier tests. 
Specifically, the prototype incorporates a series of changes that 
improve the initial disability determination process by: providing 
greater decisional authority to the disability examiner and more 
effective use of the expertise of the medical consultant; ensuring 
appropriate development and explanation of key issues; increasing 
opportunities for claimant interaction with the decision maker before a 
determination is made; and simplifying the appeals process by 
eliminating the reconsideration step. Focusing initially on 10 states 
enables us to further refine the process and learn more about potential 
operational impacts before moving to national implementation. This 
strategy allows us to put the complete process together and ensure that 
the changes meet our goal of improved service to disability applicants.

[[Page 47219]]

    Use of an Adjudication Officer authorized under 20 CFR 404.906 and 
416.1406, will not be included in the prototype. However, along with 
the prototype, we will incorporate several initiatives to improve the 
hearings process, including administrative efficiencies designed to 
streamline case processing; structural changes in the management 
organization of hearings offices; improvements in automation and data 
collection; and implementation of a ``national workflow model'' that 
combines pre-hearing activities, a standardized pre-hearing conference, 
and processing-time benchmarks for various tasks.
    The prototype will be conducted in 10 states. For DDS branches 
listed here under Group I, all Social Security and Supplemental 
Security Income disability applicants will participate in the 
Prototype--with the exception of Social Security disability claims 
filed for purposes of Medicare entitlement only. In States listed under 
Group II, only those applicants whose disability claims are processed 
by the listed branch of the State DDS will participate. On a national 
basis, approximately 20 percent of applicants for disability benefits 
will participate in the prototype .

Group I

State of Alabama
    Department of Education, Disability Determination Services, 2545 
Rocky Ridge Lane, Birmingham, AL 35216
    Department of Education, Disability Determination Services, 2000 
Old Bayfront Drive, Mobile, AL 36652

State of Alaska
    Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Disability Determination 
Unit, 619 East Ship Creek Avenue, Suite 305, Anchorage, AK 99501

State of Colorado
    Department of Human Services, Division of Disability Determination, 
2530 South Parker Road, Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014-1641

State of Louisiana
    Department of Social Services, Office of Family Support, Disability 
Determination Services, 445 North 12th Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
    Department of Social Services, Office of Family Support, Disability 
Determination Services, 5905 Florida Blvd, Suite 3, Baton Rouge, LA 
70806
    Department of Social Services, Office of Family Support, Disability 
Determination Services, 2920 Knight Street, Suite 232, Shreveport, LA 
71105
    Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 
Suite 301, 3510 North Causeway Blvd., Metairie, LA 70002

State of Michigan
    Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 
608 W Allegan Street, Third Floor, Lansing, MI 48933
    Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 
MI Plaza Building, Tenth Floor, 1200 Sixth Street, Detroit, MI 48226
    Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 
315 E Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49684
    Department of Social Services, Disability Determination Services, 
151 South Rose Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007-4715
State of Missouri
    Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Dept of Elementary & 
Secondary Education, Section of Disability Determinations, 3024 West 
Truman Blvd., Jefferson City, MO 65109-0525
    Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Dept of Elementary & 
Secondary Education, Section of Disability Determinations, 1500 B. 
Southridge Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109
    Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Dept of Elementary & 
Secondary Education, Section of Disability Determinations, 1845 Borman 
Court, Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63146
    Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Dept of Elementary & 
Secondary Education, Section of Disability Determinations, 4040 Seven 
Hills Drive, Florissant, MO 63033
    Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Dept of Elementary & 
Secondary Education, Section of Disability Determinations, 8500 East 
Bannister Road, Kansas City, MO 64134
    Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Dept of Elementary & 
Secondary Education, Section of Disability Determinations, 3014 
Blattner Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
    Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Dept of Elementary & 
Secondary Education, Section of Disability Determinations, 2530 I. 
South Campbell, Springfield, MO 65807

State of New Hampshire
    Division of Adult Learning and Rehabilitation, Disability 
Determination Services, State Dept of Education Building JB, 78 
Regional Drive, Concord, NH 033301
State of Pennsylvania
    Bureau of Disability Determination, Room 200-Central Operations, 
1171 South Camerson Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104-2594
    Bureau of Disability Determination, 264 Highland Park Blvd., 
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
    Bureau of Disability Determination, 351 Harvey Avenue, Greensburg, 
PA 15605

Group II

State of California
    Department of Social Services, Disability and Adult Programs 
Division, 3435 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010

State of New York
    Division of Disability Determinations, 99 Washington Avenue, Room 
1239, Albany, NY 12260
    Division of Disability Determinations, 22 Cortlandt Street, 5th 
Floor, New York, NY 10007-3107

    Dated: August 24, 1999.
Sue C. Davis,
Director, Disability Process Redesign Team.
[FR Doc. 99-22421 Filed 8-27-99; 8:45 am]
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