Disability determination procedures: Testing modifications— Federal processing center testing; claim adjudication,

[Federal Register: December 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 247)]

[Notices]

[Page 71326-71327]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr24de98-110]

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Testing Modifications to the Disability Determination Procedures; Federal Processing Center Testing

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of the continuation of testing involving modifications to the disability determination procedures.

SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration (SSA) is announcing the continuation of testing that it has been conducting under the current rules at 20 CFR 404.906, 404.943, 404.966, 416.1406, 416.1443, and 416.1466. Those rules authorize the testing of

[[Page 71327]]

several modifications to the disability determination procedures that we normally follow in adjudicating claims for disability insurance benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (the Act) and claims for supplemental security income (SSI) payments based on disability under title XVI of the Act. This notice announces the continuation and duration of the testing in a federal processing center. This notice also announces that the selection of cases for this testing will be from a different state.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harry Pippin, Disability Models Team Leader, Office of Disability, Disability Process Redesign Staff, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235, 410-965-9203.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Current regulations at 20 CFR 404.906, 404.943, 404.966, 416.1406, 416.1443, and 416.1466 authorize us to test different modifications to the disability determination procedures. On August 1, 1997, we published in the Federal Register (62 FR 41457) a notice that described the use of four features of the testing modifications to the disability determination procedures, plus two features designed to maximize the resources of a federal processing center. That notice announced that testing of this model would take place at the Social Security Administration's Office of Disability and International Operations in Baltimore, Maryland. Testing was to begin on or about August 11, 1997, and selection of approximately 1,000 claims filedby telephone by residents of Kentucky was to continue for approximately one year with cases processed for an additional six months. We stated that we might choose to extend the duration of the test to obtain additional data, and that we would publish another notice in the Federal Register if we decided to extend the duration. We incorporated a fifth modification to the integrated model to the disability determination procedures on September 23, 1997 (62 FR 49598).

We are now announcing that testing in the Office of Disability and International Operations (now called the Office of Central Operations), at 1500 Woodlawn Drive, Baltimore, MD 21241, will be extended for a period of up to one additional year to obtain further data. This test will combine the five process modifications plus the two features designed to maximize the resources of a federal processing center. While selection of Kentucky cases has stopped, the Office of Central Operations continues to adjudicate cases that have been selected already. The Office of Central Operations now will select approximately 400 claims filedby residents of Nevada. Adjudication of the Nevada cases will begin on or about December, 1998. We will continue to select the Nevada cases for at least four months, and may continue to have cases processed for an additional six months after case selection ends. We will publish another notice in the Federal Register if we extend the duration of the test or if we select cases from a different state.

Dated: December 15, 1998. Susan M. Daniels, Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs.

[FR Doc. 98-34138Filed12-23-98; 8:45 am]

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