[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 50 (Friday, March 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 12264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6408]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Testing Modifications to the Disability Determination Procedures; 
Single Decisionmaker Model Test Site Continuation

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of the continuation of a test site and the duration of 
the test involving a single decisionmaker.

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SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration is announcing the 
continuation of a test that it has been conducting under the final 
rules published in the Federal Register on April 24, 1995 (60 FR 
20023), as well as the location and duration of that test. Those final 
rules authorize the testing of 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 of the test involving the use of a single 
decisionmaker who may make the disability determination without 
requiring the signature of a medical consultant. This notice also 
announces the designated test site and the duration of the test.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 24, 1995, we published final rules 
in the Federal Register authorizing us to test different modifications 
to the disability determination procedures. The tests are designed to 
provide us with information so that we can determine the effectiveness 
of the concepts in the models in improving the disability process.
    Under this test, a single decisionmaker may make disability 
determinations without generally requiring a medical consultant to sign 
the disability determination forms that we use to certify the 
determination. On May 3, 1996, we announced in the Federal Register our 
intent to begin tests, on or about May 1, 1996, of the procedures to be 
conducted by a single decisionmaker (61 FR 19969). We also explained 
that we would select cases for the evaluation for approximately six 
months and might continue to process cases for another six months. In 
that announcement, we identified nine test sites in seven states. We 
are now planning additional testing of the single decisionmaker model; 
and at this time, we are announcing a continuation of testing at one 
site. We plan to continue testing the single decisionmaker model on or 
about February 24, 1997. We will continue the test for approximately 
fourteen months. We will publish another notice in the Federal Register 
if we extend the duration of the test. Continued testing of the single 
decisionmaker model will be conducted at the following location:
    <bullet> North Carolina Division of Social Services, Disability 
Determination Services, 321 Chapanoke Road, Raleigh, NC 27603.
    Not all cases received in the test site listed above will be 
handled under the test procedures. However, if a claim is selected to 
be handled by a single decisionmaker as part of the test, the claim 
will be processed under the procedures established under the final 
rules cited above.
Carolyn W. Colvin,
 Deputy Commissioner for Programs and Policy.
[FR Doc. 97-6408 Filed 3-13-97; 8:45 am]
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