Social Security Administration April 18, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice provides advance notification of the requirement that, for claims with certified electronic folders pending at the hearing or Appeals Council levels, an appointed representative must access and obtain a claimant's folder through Appointed Representative Services (ARS) in matters for which the representative requests direct fee payment. Except under the limited circumstances described in this notice, we will no longer provide compact disc (CD) copies of the electronic folder to appointed representatives who request direct payment of fees. We are implementing this requirement to improve administrative efficiency, ensure that representatives can provide the best possible service to claimants by using the most up-to-date information in the claim(s) folder, and manage the unprecedented workload pending in the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR).