[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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