The Social Security Administration (SSA) is currently in the testing stages for changing the way typical Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims are processed in hopes to improve the disability determination process. With this current initiative, claimants in 10 prototype states do not have their claims evaluated at the “Request for Reconsideration” stage.
The 10 prototype states are: Alabama, Alaska, California (only Los Angeles North and Los Angeles West Branches), Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania.
The typical DIB or SSI claim has four levels of appeal. These steps are the Initial Application, Request for Reconsideration, Hearing by Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and a review by the Appeals Council. With the prototype, if a claimant is denied on their Initial Application they will then need to file their Request for Hearing by ALJ right away.
According to the Prototype Operations Manual the purpose of the test is to help the SSA make the right decision earlier in the process and improve the consistency of decisions among disability examiners.
For more information on the program, please view POMS DI 12015.100 Disability Redesign Prototype Model.
