I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8546 

To require the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration to take 

certain actions to improve the processing of claims and appeals for 

disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 23, 2024 

Mr. NEGUSE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Ways and Means 

A BILL 

To require the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration to take certain actions to improve the processing 

of claims and appeals for disability insurance benefits 

and supplemental security income, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Social Security Admin5 istration Processing Claims Improvement Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) A recent Social Security Administration In2 spector General report found that nearly half of the 

3 151,000,000 callers to field offices and the national 

4 800-number went unanswered. 

5 (2) In 2021, over 9,000,000 people received So6 cial Security disability insurance benefits. 

7 (3) According to the National Academy of So8 cial Insurance, over half of all beneficiaries rely on 

9 Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security for 

10 90 percent or more of their income. 

11 (4) Benefits are interrupted following the denial 

12 and often remain paused until a review—which can 

13 take anywhere from 14 to 22 months—is complete. 

14 (5) Since 2011, the number of beneficiaries in15 creased by more than 22 percent while over the 

16 same period, Social Security Administration’s oper17 ating budget fell by more than 17 percent, after ad18 justing for inflation. 

19 SEC. 3. SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS PROC20 ESSING REVIEW. 

21 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

22 of this Act, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Com23 missioner shall conduct a review to— 

24 (1) identify— 


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1 (A) processing error trends of claims proc2 essors and the training needs of claims proc3 essors and case managers; 

4 (B) possible improvements to the proc5 essing of claims with respect to covered bene6 fits, including decision-making of claims proc7 essors; 

8 (C) the most common causes of overpay9 ments of covered benefits; and 

10 (D) the most common reasons for denying 

11 an application for a covered benefit; 

12 (2) evaluate— 

13 (A) any written or verbal instructions or 

14 training given to benefits counselors; 

15 (B) any guidance or regulation promul16 gated by the Commissioner that is related to 

17 determinations of eligibility for covered benefits 

18 and whether updates to such guidance are nec19 essary to provide claims processors with better 

20 resources to carry out the duties of such proc21 essors, including any guidance regarding the 

22 processing of claims for a covered benefit; and 

23 (3) after the training programs under section 4 

24 are established, identify improvements to the train25 ing programs with regard to— 


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1 (A) the processing of claims for a covered 

2 benefit; and 

3 (B) decision-making for claims processors 

4 when reconsidering the eligibility of a claimant 

5 for a covered benefit. 

6 SEC. 4. TRAININGS FOR CLAIMS PROCESSORS. 

7 (a) ANNUAL TRAINING PROGRAM.— 

8 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year 

9 after the first review under section 3 is conducted, 

10 the Commissioner shall establish, and update on an 

11 ongoing basis, a national training program for 

12 claims processors who review claims for covered ben13 efits, including appeals of continuing disability re14 views. 

15 (2) PARTICIPATION.—Not later than 180 days 

16 after the date that the annual training program 

17 under paragraph (1) is established, the Commis18 sioner shall require that each claims processor par19 ticipates in such program at least once each year, 

20 beginning in the second year in which the claims 

21 processor carries out the duties of a claims processor 

22 for the agency. 

23 (3) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—The training estab24 lished under paragraph (1) shall include the fol25 lowing: 


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1 (A) Training on the quality assurance 

2 standards established under section 6. 

3 (B) Disability etiquette training for case 

4 managers and claims processors to learn effec5 tive communication and empathy. 

6 (C) Training regarding internal commu7 nications to prevent overpayments and subse8 quent benefit denials. 

9 (b) ONGOING TRAINING PROGRAM.— 

10 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year 

11 after the first review under section 3 is conducted, 

12 the Commissioner shall establish, and update on an 

13 ongoing basis, an ongoing training program for 

14 claims processors who review claims for covered ben15 efits, including appeals of continuing disability re16 views. 

17 (2) PARTICIPATION.—Not later than 180 days 

18 after the date that the ongoing training program 

19 under paragraph (1) is established, the Commis20 sioner shall require each claims processor to partici21 pate in such program on an ongoing basis, beginning 

22 in the second year in which the claims processor car23 ries out the duties of a claims processor for the 

24 agency. 


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1 (3) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—The training pro2 gram established under paragraph (1) shall include 

3 the following: 

4 (A) Workshops with claims processors 

5 every 6 months. 

6 (B) Collaborative review of a complex case 

7 by all claims processors at a field office every 

8 2 months. 

9 (4) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

10 (A) COMPLEX CASE.—The term ‘‘complex 

11 case’’ means a case that— 

12 (i) has its processing time increased 

13 because of a mistake or error that is at14 tributable to the Social Security Adminis15 tration; 

16 (ii) has conflicting evidence from mul17 tiple health care providers; or 

18 (iii) involves an individual with a lapse 

19 for a period of time that is greater than 2 

20 weeks. 

21 (B) LAPSE.—The term ‘‘lapse’’ means, 

22 with respect to an individual receiving a covered 

23 benefit, a physical or mental impairment, as de24 termined by a health care provider, that pre25 vents the individual from providing information 


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1 required for a continuing disability review (as 

2 defined in section 201(g)(1)(A) of the Social 

3 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401(g)(1)(A)). 

4 (c) CONSULTATION REQUIRED.—When establishing 

5 the training programs described in subsections (a) and 

6 (b), the Commissioner shall consult with an entity that 

7 advocates for, and provides resources and information to, 

8 individuals with disabilities to assist such individuals in 

9 overcoming barriers to independent living, including an 

10 entity carrying out a community rehabilitation program 

11 (as such term is defined in section 7 of the Rehabilitation 

12 Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 705)). 

13 SEC. 5. REPORTS. 

14 (a) REPORT ON BACKLOGS.—Not later than 180 

15 days after the date after the date of enactment of this 

16 Act, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Commissioner 

17 shall submit to Congress a report on the status of backlogs 

18 for determinations of eligibility for covered benefits and 

19 continuing disability review determinations, including, 

20 with respect to both such determination backlogs— 

21 (1) information on wait times for such deter22 minations; and 

23 (2) recommendations on streamlining and im24 proving the determination processes. 


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1 (b) REPORT ON ACCESSIBILITY.—Not later than 180 

2 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and on an 

3 annual basis thereafter the Commissioner shall submit to 

4 Congress a report that includes— 

5 (1) a plan to ensure that all services at the So6 cial Security Administration, including appeals of 

7 covered benefit denials, are in a format that is ap8 propriate for the specific needs of individuals with 

9 disabilities, such as audio versions of notifications, 

10 large print and braille options, and easy-to-read in11 formation; and 

12 (2) the amount of funding needed to carry out 

13 the plan described in subparagraph (A). 

14 SEC. 6. QUALITY ASSURANCE STANDARDS. 

15 Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 

16 of this Act, the Commissioner shall establish, and update 

17 on an ongoing basis, quality assurance standards to stand18 ardize how staff at field offices assist claimants, which 

19 shall include— 

20 (1) guidelines on how to answer questions of 

21 claimants in a timely and polite manner; and 

22 (2) a process for a claimant to submit feedback 

23 to the Commissioner on whether the claims proc24 essor who processed the application of such claimant 

25 met such standards. 


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1 SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) COVERED BENEFIT.—The term ‘‘covered 

4 benefit’’ means— 

5 (A) a disability insurance benefit under 

6 section 223 of the Social Security Act (42 

7 U.S.C. 423); and 

8 (B) a supplemental security income benefit 

9 under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 

10 U.S.C. 1381 et. seq). 

11 (2) COMMISSIONER.—The term ‘‘Commis12 sioner’’ means the Commissioner of the Social Secu13 rity Administration. 

14 (3) CONTINUING DISABILITY REVIEW.—The 

15 term ‘‘continuing disability review’’ has the meaning 

16 given the term in subsection (g)(1)(A) of section 201 

17 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401(g)(1)(A)). 

18 SEC. 8. SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AMENDMENTS. 

19 (a) ADDITIONAL REVIEW.— 

20 (1) TITLE II AMENDMENT.—Section 205(b)(1) 

21 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(b)(1)) is 

22 amended by striking ‘‘Any such decision by the 

23 Commissioner of Social Security which involves a de24 termination of disability and which is in whole or in 

25 part unfavorable to such individual’’ and inserting 

26 the following: ‘‘In the case of any such decision that 


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1 involves a determination of disability and that is in 

2 whole or in part unfavorable to such individual, the 

3 Commissioner shall require a person, other than the 

4 person who made the initial unfavorable determina5 tion, to review the initial decision and make a rec6 ommendation as to whether the initial decision 

7 should be modified. The Commissioner shall make a 

8 final decision in accordance with such recommenda9 tion. Any such final decision which is in whole or in 

10 part unfavorable to such individual’’. 

11 (2) TITLE XVI AMENDMENT.—Section 

12 1631(c)(1)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 

13 1383(c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘Any such 

14 decision by the Commissioner of Social Security 

15 which involves a determination of disability and 

16 which is in whole or in part unfavorable to such in17 dividual’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘In the case of 

18 any such decision that involves a determination of 

19 disability and that is in whole or in part unfavorable 

20 to the individual, the Commissioner shall require a 

21 person, other than the person who made the initial 

22 unfavorable determination, to review the initial deci23 sion and make a recommendation as to whether the 

24 initial decision should be modified. The Commis25 sioner shall make a final decision in accordance with 


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1 the recommendation. Any such final decision that is 

2 in whole or in part unfavorable to the individual’’. 

3 (b) MODERNIZATION OF INFORMATION SUBMIS4 SION.—Part A of title XI of the Social Security Act (42 

5 U.S.C. 1301 et. seq) is amended by inserting after section 

6 1143 the following: 

7 ‘‘SEC. 1143A. MODERNIZATION OF INFORMATION SUBMIS8 SION. 

9 ‘‘With respect to any information required to be sub10 mitted by an individual to the Social Security Administra11 tion regarding a proceeding or determination for a benefit 

12 under title II or a supplemental security income benefit 

13 under title XVI, the Commissioner shall accept such infor14 mation in the following ways: 

15 ‘‘(1) Email. 

16 ‘‘(2) Fax machine, until December 31, 2045.’’. 

17 (c) SOCIAL SECURITY WAGE REPORTING APP.—Part 

18 A of title XI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301 

19 et. seq) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

20 ‘‘SEC. 1150D. SOCIAL SECURITY WAGE REPORTING APP. 

21 ‘‘The Commissioner of the Social Security Adminis22 tration shall ensure that an individual who receives a dis23 ability insurance benefit under section 223 may use the 

24 SSA Mobile Wage Reporting App for the purpose of track25 ing the wages and employment of such individual.’’. 


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1 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

2 this section shall take effect 2 years after the date of en3 actment of this section. 

Æ 


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