Modifications to the Disability Determination Procedures; End of the Single Decisionmaker Test and Extension of the Prototype Test, 63965 [2018-26803]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 12, 2018 / Notices
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Nancy A. Berryhill,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 2018–26858 Filed 12–11–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191–02–P
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
[Docket No. SSA–2018–0065]
Modifications to the Disability
Determination Procedures; End of the
Single Decisionmaker Test and
Extension of the Prototype Test
Social Security Administration.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:39 Dec 11, 2018
Jkt 247001
We are announcing the end of
the ‘‘single decisionmaker’’ test,
consistent with our notice in the
Federal Register in 2016, in which we
said that we would end the test by
December 28, 2018. This notice also
extends the separate ‘‘prototype’’ test
until its cessation in June 2020.
DATES: This notice is applicable on
December 12, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
William P. Gibson, Office of Legislation
and Congressional Affairs, Social
Security Administration, 6401 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235–6401,
(410) 966–9039, 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 https://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.
Under section 832 of the Bipartisan
Budget Act of 2015 (BBA),1 we are
required to end the single
decisionmaker test. On August 25, 2016,
we announced that we would conclude
use of the single decisionmaker test by
December 28, 2018. 81 FR 58544.
We ended the single decisionmaker
test on October 1, 2018, in the 19 States
and the territory of Guam that used this
test. There were nine States and the
territory of Guam that used single
decisionmaker as a stand-alone test. The
remaining 10 States used single
decisionmaker as part of a separate test
that we refer to as the ‘‘disability
prototype.’’ 64 FR 47218.
One feature of the prototype test
eliminates the reconsideration level of
our administrative review process. We
are continuing to make decisions in
these 10 States by maintaining the
elimination of the reconsideration level,
but as noted above, as of October 1,
2018, consistent with section 832 of the
BBA, we have been making
determinations by using medical
consultants in those States with the
prototype tests.
We will begin phasing out the
prototype test in January 2019 in the
following five States: New Hampshire;
SUMMARY:
1 Public
PO 00000
Law 114–74, 129 Stat. 584, 613.
Frm 00141
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
63965
New York; Louisiana; Colorado; and in
the part of California 2 where the
prototype test is currently being
conducted. This means that for the
residents in these locations who apply
for Social Security Disability Insurance
Benefits or Supplemental Security
Income, or both, and who receive an
initial denial determination on or after
January 1, 2019, the first step of the
appeals process will be to request a
reconsideration of that determination. If
we deny an individual at the
reconsideration step, they may then
seek further review of their claim by
requesting a hearing before an
administrative law judge.
We will eliminate the prototype test
in the remaining five States
(Pennsylvania; Alabama; Michigan;
Missouri; and Alaska) by June 26, 2020,
at which time the test will end. With the
end of the prototype test, we will return
to a national, unified disability process
that affords all disability claimants the
same appeal rights in all States.
Nancy A. Berryhill,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 2018–26803 Filed 12–11–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191–02–P
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SUMMARY:
2 California only includes the Los Angeles North
and Los Angeles West branches.
E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM
12DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 63965]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26803]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No. SSA-2018-0065]
Modifications to the Disability Determination Procedures; End of
the Single Decisionmaker Test and Extension of the Prototype Test
AGENCY: Social Security Administration.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are announcing the end of the ``single decisionmaker''
test, consistent with our notice in the Federal Register in 2016, in
which we said that we would end the test by December 28, 2018. This
notice also extends the separate ``prototype'' test until its cessation
in June 2020.
DATES: This notice is applicable on December 12, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William P. Gibson, Office of
Legislation and Congressional Affairs, Social Security Administration,
6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, (410) 966-9039, 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
https://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. Under section 832
of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA),\1\ we are required to end
the single decisionmaker test. On August 25, 2016, we announced that we
would conclude use of the single decisionmaker test by December 28,
2018. 81 FR 58544.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Public Law 114-74, 129 Stat. 584, 613.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We ended the single decisionmaker test on October 1, 2018, in the
19 States and the territory of Guam that used this test. There were
nine States and the territory of Guam that used single decisionmaker as
a stand-alone test. The remaining 10 States used single decisionmaker
as part of a separate test that we refer to as the ``disability
prototype.'' 64 FR 47218.
One feature of the prototype test eliminates the reconsideration
level of our administrative review process. We are continuing to make
decisions in these 10 States by maintaining the elimination of the
reconsideration level, but as noted above, as of October 1, 2018,
consistent with section 832 of the BBA, we have been making
determinations by using medical consultants in those States with the
prototype tests.
We will begin phasing out the prototype test in January 2019 in the
following five States: New Hampshire; New York; Louisiana; Colorado;
and in the part of California \2\ where the prototype test is currently
being conducted. This means that for the residents in these locations
who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits or
Supplemental Security Income, or both, and who receive an initial
denial determination on or after January 1, 2019, the first step of the
appeals process will be to request a reconsideration of that
determination. If we deny an individual at the reconsideration step,
they may then seek further review of their claim by requesting a
hearing before an administrative law judge.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ California only includes the Los Angeles North and Los
Angeles West branches.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We will eliminate the prototype test in the remaining five States
(Pennsylvania; Alabama; Michigan; Missouri; and Alaska) by June 26,
2020, at which time the test will end. With the end of the prototype
test, we will return to a national, unified disability process that
affords all disability claimants the same appeal rights in all States.
Nancy A. Berryhill,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 2018-26803 Filed 12-11-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P