[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 248 (Thursday, December 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78462-78463]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30805]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2013-0054]


Open Government: Use of Genetic Information in Documenting and 
Evaluating Disability; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On November 26, 2013, we announced in the Federal Register 
that we were soliciting ideas and comments about the use of genetic 
information in the disability determination process via an online 
forum. We stated that the forum would be open until December 26, 2013. 
We are extending that deadline until January 16, 2014.

DATES: The forum will be open for your ideas and comments until January 
16, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl A. Williams, Office of Medical 
Listings Improvement, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235-6401, (410) 965-1020. 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: 
    On November 26, 2013, we announced in the Federal Register that we 
were soliciting ideas and comments about the use of genetic information 
in the disability determination process via an online forum that would 
be open until December 26, 2013.\1\ We have

[[Page 78463]]

decided to extend that deadline until January 16, 2014.
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    \1\ 78 FR 70617.
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    We would like the public's ideas and comments regarding how we 
should use genetic information within the disability decision process. 
Under our current, long-standing policy, we do not purchase genetic 
testing to evaluate disability. However, we do consider all evidence in 
the record, including genetic testing and other genetic medical 
evidence, when we make a determination or decision of whether you are 
disabled.\2\
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    \2\ 20 CFR 404.1512-404.1513, 404.1520, 416.912-416.913, and 
416.920.
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    We solicited the public's ideas and comments on the use of genetic 
information in order to obtain innovative ideas that we could use to 
improve the disability determination process. Your comments are 
important to us and we encourage you to share your ideas on any and all 
related issues. Some of the specific issues we would like information 
on include:
     What role should genetic specialists have in providing 
medical evidence?;
     Should we use direct-to-consumer genetic test results, and 
if so, how should we use those results?;
     How useful is genetic information in determining prognosis 
and progression of an impairment?;
     What role should genetic information have in the 
continuing disability review process?;
     Can we make determinations regarding known genetic 
conditions in the absence of genetic test results, and if so, how 
should we do so?;
     What privacy safeguards should we apply when we obtain and 
use genetic information?; and
     Are there any related issues that may inform our future 
policies?

How To Participate

    The forum is open to all members of the public. To submit your 
ideas and comments, please go to http://www.ssa-disabilityideas.ideascale.com and go to the Campaign entitled ``Genetic 
Information.'' You must register at the site before you are able to 
submit your ideas and comments. Although we will consider all of the 
ideas and comments we receive, we will not respond to them. Since we 
will moderate the ideas and comments we receive during regular business 
hours, your ideas and comments may not be viewable immediately. In most 
cases, your ideas and comments should be viewable within two business 
days.
    Include only information that you wish to make publicly available. 
Please do not include any personal information, such as Social Security 
numbers or medical information.

Arthur R. Spencer,
Associate Commissioner, Office of Disability Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-30805 Filed 12-24-13; 8:45 am]
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