Our clients often ask what steps they can take to help speed the processing of their claims. One option is ask for a congressional inquiry. A congressional inquiry is when a claimant contacts theirUSSenator orUSRepresentative, and asks them to contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) regarding their disability claim. A congressional inquiry can be requested for both Social Security Disability claims and Supplemental Security Income claims.
You can find the contact information for your congressperson on their website. A member of your congressperson’s staff will then contact SSA to determine the status of the claimant’s claim. The staff member typically contacts SSA by writing a letter or placing a phone call.
The effectiveness of the inquiry depends on what level your disability claim is at. At the Initial Application or Request for Reconsideration level the congressional inquiry has little impact. The processing time at this level is harder to expedite because the disability determinations services office has evaluate and work up your claim. This requires them to request and review your medical records.
The congressional inquiry can be effective when your claim is pending for hearing. After filing your Request for a Hearing it may be twelve to fifteen months before that hearing is scheduled. Asking for a congressional inquiry cannot guarantee the quicker processing of your claim but may speed up the scheduling of your hearing.
It is important to know that a congressional inquiry will never impact the outcome of the claim. The benefit of the inquiry is to help speed the processing. To reiterate your congressperson will not and cannot influence the decision made on your disability claim. You should also know that your attorney is not involved in a congressional inquiry; it is a process between a congressperson and their constituent, and each congressperson deals with an inquiry differently.
If you have any questions regarding a congressional inquiry please contact our office at (612) 332-3252 or toll-free at (877) 332-3252.
