Social Security Administration (SSA) Annual Data for
Disability Reconsideration Average Processing Time
(excludes technical denials)
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This dataset contains data for fiscal year(s) 2014 on and is currently available in the following format(s):
Background
We process disability claims for benefits through two programs: the Social Security disability insurance program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. An application for disability benefits can be filed online, in the local Social Security office, or by phone. We review the application to make sure some basic requirements for disability benefits are met. In some instances, including where the non-disability requirements are not met, the claim may be turned down as a technical denial and a medical determination is not made.
If the requirements are met, we send the disability application to the Disability Determination Services (DDS) office in the state in which the applicant resides. Using federal laws, regulations, and Agency policies and procedures, the state agency completes the disability decision for Social Security. In addition, the Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews a sample of initial disability claims prior to a final determination. Once these actions are completed, payment is made for allowances or notices are issued for denials.
When we make decision on your claim, we will send you a letter explaining our decision. If you do not agree with our decision, you can appeal it. The first level of appeal is reconsideration. A reconsideration is a complete review of your claim by someone who didn't take part in the first decision. That person will look at all the evidence used to make the original decision, plus any new evidence.
If you're appealing a decision about your medical condition, your reconsideration will be handled by a process we call case review. In this kind of reconsideration, we look at your case without meeting with you. But you have the right to see what's in your file before we look at your case. You can also give us more information about your case.
The data contained in these datasets show the overall cumulative number of elapsed days (including processing time for transit, medical determinations, and quality review) from the date of filing through the date payment is made or the denial notice is issued for all reconsideration claims that require a medical determination for fiscal years 2014 and later.
Dataset Index
Agency Program Description
To learn more about SSA's disability programs, go to: Benefits for People with Disabilities
For more information about the reconsideration process, go to: The Appeals Process.
For a description of the SSA Retirement Insurance Program, go to: Retirement Benefits
To learn more about SSA's disablity program technical denials, go to: SSA's disablity program technical denials
To learn more about SSI technical denials, go to: SSI technical denials
Dataset Description
This dataset provides the overall cumulative number of elapsed days (including processing time for transit, medical determinations, and SSA quality review) from the date of filing through the date payment is made or the denial notice is issued for all reconsideration claims that require a medical determination. The data includes annual processing time for fiscal years 2014 and later.
The average processing time is the total number of days to process all reconsideration disability claims requiring a medical determination divided by the total number of reconsideration disability claims requiring a medical determination that we process during a particular fiscal year.
Data Collection Description
We electronically collect elapsed time in days for every disability reconsideration case processed. We currently use our business intelligence capabilities to present the data that is in our data stores.
Notes
- A Federal Fiscal Year (FY) is the 12-month period that starts the Saturday after the last Friday of September and ends the last Friday of September. Most years our fiscal year workload reports contain 52 weeks since we include only full weeks, rather than cut off in the middle of a week. Every few years the reporting period is 53 weeks when we apply the end of week cutoff.
Data Dictionary
Fiscal Year (FY): The 12-month period that starts the Saturday after the last Friday of September and ends the last Friday of September.
Average Processing Time (days): The average processing (elapsed) time in days for reconsideration disability claims, including combined initial Title II disability and Title XVI blind/disabled determinations, excluding technical denials, for the FY.