[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45010-45011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17753]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2013-0030]


Modifications to the Disability Determination Procedures; 
Extension of Testing of Some Disability Redesign Features

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of the extension of tests involving modifications to the 
disability determination procedures.

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SUMMARY: We are announcing the extension of tests involving 
modifications to disability determination procedures authorized by 20 
CFR 404.906 and 416.1406. These rules authorize us to test several 
modifications to the disability determination procedures for 
adjudicating claims for disability insurance benefits under title II of 
the Social Security Act (Act) and for supplemental security income 
payments based on disability under title XVI of the Act.

DATES: We are extending our selection of cases to be included in these 
tests from September 27, 2013 until no later than September 26, 2014. 
If we decide to continue selection of cases for these tests beyond this 
date, we will publish another notice in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Truhe, Office of Disability 
Programs, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, (410) 966-7203, for information about this 
notice. For information on eligibility or filing for benefits, call our 
national toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778, or 
visit our Internet site, Social Security Online, at http://www.socialsecurity.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Our current rules authorize us to test, 
individually or in any combination, certain modifications to the 
disability determination procedures. 20 CFR 404.906 and 416.1406. We 
conducted several tests under the authority of these rules. In the 
``single decisionmaker'' test, a disability examiner may make the 
initial disability determination in most cases without obtaining the 
signature of a medical or psychological consultant. We also conducted a 
separate test, which we call the ``prototype,'' in 10 States. 64 FR 
47218. Currently, the

[[Page 45011]]

prototype combines the single decisionmaker approach described above 
with the elimination of the reconsideration level of our administrative 
review process.
    We extended the time period for selecting claims for these tests 
several times. Most recently, we extended the time from September 28, 
2012 to September 27, 2013. 77 FR 35464. We are extending case 
selection for the prototype and the single decisionmaker tests until 
September 26, 2014. If we decide to end any part of these tests in any 
of the 10 States in which we are conducting the tests prior to 
September 26, 2014, we will publish another notice in the Federal 
Register.

    Dated: July 17, 2013.
Marianna LaCanfora,
Acting Deputy Commissioner for Retirement and Disability Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-17753 Filed 7-24-13; 8:45 am]
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