[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 88 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25263-25264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12153]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Testing Modifications to Initial Disability Claim Procedures and 
Disability Determination Procedures; Test Sites for Disability Claim 
Manager Positions

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of test sites and the duration of tests involving a 
disability claim manager.

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SUMMARY: SSA is announcing the locations and the duration of additional 
tests that it will conduct under the current rules at 20 CFR 404.906 
and 416.1406. Those rules authorize the testing of several 
modifications to the disability determination procedures and disability 
claim 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 test sites and duration of tests involving use of a disability 
claim manager (DCM).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Fussell, DCM Test Lead, Office 
of the Commissioner, Disability Process Redesign Team, Social Security 
Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21235, 
410-965-9230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Current regulations at Secs. 404.906 and 
416.1406 authorize us to test several different modifications to the 
disability determination procedures. In our regulations, we explained 
that prior to commencing each test or group of tests, we would publish 
a notice in the Federal Register describing the model(s) that we will 
test, where the test sites will be and the duration of the tests. SSA 
is announcing the locations and the duration of tests involving a DCM 
that it will conduct under the authority of these regulations. On or 
about May 11, 1998, we will begin testing the DCM process at the test 
sites listed below (some of which are located at federal sites and some 
of which are located at state sites).
    Under SSA's Plan for a New Disability Claim Process approved by the 
Commissioner of Social Security in September 1994 (the disability 
redesign plan), the DCM will be the focal point for medical and non-
medical claim activities from the time an initial claim for disability 
benefits is filed until an initial determination is made on the claim. 
The DCM may be either a State agency employee or a Federal employee and 
may be assisted by other individuals. When an application for benefits 
based on disability is handled by a DCM, the DCM will explain the 
disability programs and how we determine whether all the requirements 
for disability benefits are met. The DCM will explain what will be 
expected of the applicant during the claims process and provide 
information or assistance to the applicant, as necessary. The DCM will 
also provide information regarding the claimant's right to 
representation and will provide appropriate referral sources for 
representation.
    The DCM will manage the case from intake to point of determination. 
He/she may work in a team environment with access to experts such as 
medical or vocational consultants and technicians such as specialist 
coaches for advice and guidance. A Claims Support Specialist (CSS) may 
also provide assistance in the non-medical aspects of the disability 
workload for the Federal and State DCM. DCM cases will be limited to 
initial adult title II and title XVI disability claims that can be 
fully processed through SSA's automated systems.
    The DCM will make the initial disability determination, after any 
appropriate consultation with a medical or psychological consultant, 
and will obtain the forms used to certify the medical consultant's 
concurring signature on the disability determination to SSA. The DCM 
will also determine whether other conditions of eligibility (for 
benefits for disability cases associated with programs administered by 
SSA) are met. However, when the DCM is a State agency employee, a 
Federal employee will make the final determination regarding whether 
the other conditions for

[[Page 25264]]

entitlement to benefits are met (as required by law).
    We will continue the tests for approximately 36 months. We plan to 
test the use of a DCM in 35 sites located in 15 states. The sites 
selected represent a mix of geographic areas and case loads. We will 
publish another notice in the Federal Register if we extend the 
duration of the test or expand the test sites. For the purpose of these 
tests, a DCM will be either an employee of the State agency that makes 
disability determinations for SSA or an SSA employee. The testing of 
the DCM in the sites listed below are separate from, and in addition 
to, the testing of the Full Process Model which we previously announced 
on April 4, 1997 (62 FR 16209, 62 FR 16210) and August 1, 1997 (62 FR 
41457). Tests of the DCM position will be held at the following 
locations:

Social Security Administration, Field Office, 2600 Mount Ephraim Ave, 
Camden, NJ 08104
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 22 Sussex Street, 
Hackensack, NJ 07302
Social Security Administration, Field Office, Capitol Center Bldg., 2nd 
Floor, 50 East State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 52 Charles Street, New 
Brunswick, NJ 08901
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 970 Broad Street, Room 
1035, Newark, NJ 07102
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 3733 W University 
Boulevard, Suite 100, Jacksonville, FL 32217
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 1395 S Marietta Parkway, 
Building 100, Room 130, Marietta, GA 30067
Social Security Administration, DCM Unit, 100 West Capitol Street, Room 
401, Jackson, MS 39201
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 9 St. Emanuel Street, 
Mobile, AL 36602
Social Security Administration, Field Office, Worthman Mall, Suite 235, 
5800 Fairfield Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46807
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 575 N Pennsylvania 
Avenue, Room 617, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 6951 E 30th Street, 
Indianapolis, IN 46219
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 2715 W Monroe Street, 
Springfield, IL 62704
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 1673 S 9th Street, 5th 
Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 4120 Oakwood Hills 
Parkway, Eau Claire, WI 54701
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 850 Nebraska Avenue, 
Kansas City, KS 66101
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 210 Walnut Street, 
Federal Building, Room 293, Des Moines, IA 50309
Social Security Administration, DCM Unit, 1616 Champa Street, 4th 
Floor, Denver, CO 80202
Social Security Administration, DCM Unit, 46 West 300 South, Suite 100, 
Salt Lake City, UT 84104
Social Security Administration, DCM Unit, 301 South Park, Room 138, 
Helena, MT 59626
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 7227 North 16th Street, 
Suite 190, Phoenix, AZ 85020
Social Security Administration, Field Office, McNamara Building, Room 
1550, 477 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226
Social Security Administration, Field Office, 525 Munson Avenue, 
Traverse City MI 49686
State of New Jersey, Division of Disability Determination, 506 Jersey 
Avenue, New Brunswick NJ 08901
State of Alabama, Division of Disability Determinations, 2545 Rocky 
Ridge Lane, Birmingham AL 35216
State of Georgia, Dept of Human Resources, Div of Rehab Srvcs, 
Disability Adjudication Sec., 330 W Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur GA 
30030
State of Florida, Div of Voc Rehab, Div of Disability Determinations, 
4140 Woodcock Drive, Jacksonville FL 32254
State of Wisconsin, Div of Voc Rehab, Disability Determination Bureau, 
1st Floor Olds Seed Building, 722 Williamson Street, Madison WI 53703
State of Indiana, Div of Aging & Rehab, Disability Determination 
Bureau, 225 New Jersey Street, Indianapolis IN 46204
State of Illinois, Dept of Rehab Srvcs, Bureau of Disab Determination 
Srvcs, 100 N 1st Street, 5th Floor, Springfield IL 62702
State of Michigan, Disability Determination Services, 315 East Front 
Street, Traverse City MI 49684
State of Michigan, Disability Determination Services, 1200 Sixth 
Street, 10th Floor, Detroit MI 48226
State of Kansas, Dept of Social & Rehab Srvcs, Disability Deter & 
Referral Srvcs, Suite 100, 3640 SW Topeka Blvd., Topeka KS 66611
State of Iowa, Div of Voc Rehab Srvcs, Disability Determination 
Services, 510 East 12th Street, Des Moines IA 50319
State of Arizona, Disability Determination Services, 3310 N 19th 
Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85016

    Not all disability cases received in the test sites listed above 
will be handled under the test procedures. During the test, DCM cases 
will be randomly selected from initial adult title II and title XVI 
disability claims that can be fully processed through SSA's automated 
systems. When a claim is handled by a DCM as part of the test, the 
claim will be processed under the procedures established under the 
regulations cited above.

    Dated: April 30, 1998.
Sue C. Davis,
Director, Disability Process Redesign Team.
[FR Doc. 98-12153 Filed 5-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-P