(1) A recent Social Security Administration In-
spector General report found that nearly half of the 
151,000,000 callers to field offices and the national 
800-number went unanswered. 
(2) In 2021, over 9,000,000 people received So-
cial Security disability insurance benefits. 
(3) According to the National Academy of So-
cial Insurance, over half of all beneficiaries rely on 
Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security for 
90 percent or more of their income. 
(4) Benefits are interrupted following the denial 
and often remain paused until a review—which can 
take anywhere from 14 to 22 months—is complete. 
(5) Since 2011, the number of beneficiaries in-
creased by more than 22 percent while over the 
same period, Social Security Administration’s oper-
ating budget fell by more than 17 percent, after ad-
justing for inflation. 
SEC. 3. SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS PROC-
ESSING REVIEW. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Com-
missioner shall conduct a review to— 
(1) identify— 
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(A) processing error trends of claims proc-
essors and the training needs of claims proc-
essors and case managers; 
(B) possible improvements to the proc-
essing of claims with respect to covered bene-
fits, including decision-making of claims proc-
essors; 
(C) the most common causes of overpay-
ments of covered benefits; and 
(D) the most common reasons for denying 
an application for a covered benefit; 
(2) evaluate— 
(A) any written or verbal instructions or 
training given to benefits counselors; 
(B) any guidance or regulation promul-
gated by the Commissioner that is related to 
determinations of eligibility for covered benefits 
and whether updates to such guidance are nec-
essary to provide claims processors with better 
resources to carry out the duties of such proc-
essors, including any guidance regarding the 
processing of claims for a covered benefit; and 
(3) after the training programs under section 4 
are established, identify improvements to the train-
ing programs with regard to— 
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(A) the processing of claims for a covered 
benefit; and 
(B) decision-making for claims processors 
when reconsidering the eligibility of a claimant 
for a covered benefit. 
SEC. 4. TRAININGS FOR CLAIMS PROCESSORS. 
(a) ANNUAL TRAINING PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the first review under section 3 is conducted, 
the Commissioner shall establish, and update on an 
ongoing basis, a national training program for 
claims processors who review claims for covered ben-
efits, including appeals of continuing disability re-
views. 
(2) PARTICIPATION.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date that the annual training program 
under paragraph (1) is established, the Commis-
sioner shall require that each claims processor par-
ticipates in such program at least once each year, 
beginning in the second year in which the claims 
processor carries out the duties of a claims processor 
for the agency. 
(3) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—The training estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
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(A) Training on the quality assurance 
standards established under section 6. 
(B) Disability etiquette training for case 
managers and claims processors to learn effec-
tive communication and empathy. 
(C) Training regarding internal commu-
nications to prevent overpayments and subse-
quent benefit denials. 
(b) ONGOING TRAINING PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the first review under section 3 is conducted, 
the Commissioner shall establish, and update on an 
ongoing basis, an ongoing training program for 
claims processors who review claims for covered ben-
efits, including appeals of continuing disability re-
views. 
(2) PARTICIPATION.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date that the ongoing training program 
under paragraph (1) is established, the Commis-
sioner shall require each claims processor to partici-
pate in such program on an ongoing basis, beginning 
in the second year in which the claims processor car-
ries out the duties of a claims processor for the 
agency. 
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(3) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.—The training pro-
gram established under paragraph (1) shall include 
the following: 
(A) Workshops with claims processors 
every 6 months. 
(B) Collaborative review of a complex case 
by all claims processors at a field office every 
2 months. 
(4) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
(A) COMPLEX CASE.—The term ‘‘complex 
case’’ means a case that— 
(i) has its processing time increased 
because of a mistake or error that is at-
tributable to the Social Security Adminis-
tration; 
(ii) has conflicting evidence from mul-
tiple health care providers; or 
(iii) involves an individual with a lapse 
for a period of time that is greater than 2 
weeks. 
(B) LAPSE.—The term ‘‘lapse’’ means, 
with respect to an individual receiving a covered 
benefit, a physical or mental impairment, as de-
termined by a health care provider, that pre-
vents the individual from providing information 
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required for a continuing disability review (as 
defined in section 201(g)(1)(A) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401(g)(1)(A)). 
(c) CONSULTATION REQUIRED.—When establishing 
the training programs described in subsections (a) and 
(b), the Commissioner shall consult with an entity that 
advocates for, and provides resources and information to, 
individuals with disabilities to assist such individuals in 
overcoming barriers to independent living, including an 
entity carrying out a community rehabilitation program 
(as such term is defined in section 7 of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 705)). 
SEC. 5. REPORTS. 
(a) REPORT ON BACKLOGS.—Not later than 180 
days after the date after the date of enactment of this 
Act, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Commissioner 
shall submit to Congress a report on the status of backlogs 
for determinations of eligibility for covered benefits and 
continuing disability review determinations, including, 
with respect to both such determination backlogs— 
(1) information on wait times for such deter-
minations; and 
(2) recommendations on streamlining and im-
proving the determination processes. 
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(b) REPORT ON ACCESSIBILITY.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, and on an 
annual basis thereafter the Commissioner shall submit to 
Congress a report that includes— 
(1) a plan to ensure that all services at the So-
cial Security Administration, including appeals of 
covered benefit denials, are in a format that is ap-
propriate for the specific needs of individuals with 
disabilities, such as audio versions of notifications, 
large print and braille options, and easy-to-read in-
formation; and 
(2) the amount of funding needed to carry out 
the plan described in subparagraph (A). 
SEC. 6. QUALITY ASSURANCE STANDARDS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Commissioner shall establish, and update 
on an ongoing basis, quality assurance standards to stand-
ardize how staff at field offices assist claimants, which 
shall include— 
(1) guidelines on how to answer questions of 
claimants in a timely and polite manner; and 
(2) a process for a claimant to submit feedback 
to the Commissioner on whether the claims proc-
essor who processed the application of such claimant 
met such standards. 
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SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COVERED
BENEFIT.—The term ‘‘covered 
benefit’’ means— 
(A) a disability insurance benefit under 
section 223 of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 423); and 
(B) a supplemental security income benefit 
under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1381 et. seq). 
(2) 
COMMISSIONER.—The 
term 
‘‘Commis-
sioner’’ means the Commissioner of the Social Secu-
rity Administration. 
(3) CONTINUING
DISABILITY
REVIEW.—The 
term ‘‘continuing disability review’’ has the meaning 
given the term in subsection (g)(1)(A) of section 201 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401(g)(1)(A)). 
SEC. 8. SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AMENDMENTS. 
(a) ADDITIONAL REVIEW.— 
(1) TITLE II AMENDMENT.—Section 205(b)(1) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(b)(1)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘Any such decision by the 
Commissioner of Social Security which involves a de-
termination of disability and which is in whole or in 
part unfavorable to such individual’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘In the case of any such decision that 
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involves a determination of disability and that is in 
whole or in part unfavorable to such individual, the 
Commissioner shall require a person, other than the 
person who made the initial unfavorable determina-
tion, to review the initial decision and make a rec-
ommendation as to whether the initial decision 
should be modified. The Commissioner shall make a 
final decision in accordance with such recommenda-
tion. Any such final decision which is in whole or in 
part unfavorable to such individual’’. 
(2) 
TITLE
XVI
AMENDMENT.—Section 
1631(c)(1)(A) 
of 
such 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1383(c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘Any such 
decision by the Commissioner of Social Security 
which involves a determination of disability and 
which is in whole or in part unfavorable to such in-
dividual’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘In the case of 
any such decision that involves a determination of 
disability and that is in whole or in part unfavorable 
to the individual, the Commissioner shall require a 
person, other than the person who made the initial 
unfavorable determination, to review the initial deci-
sion and make a recommendation as to whether the 
initial decision should be modified. The Commis-
sioner shall make a final decision in accordance with 
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the recommendation. Any such final decision that is 
in whole or in part unfavorable to the individual’’. 
(b) MODERNIZATION
OF
INFORMATION
SUBMIS-
SION.—Part A of title XI of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1301 et. seq) is amended by inserting after section 
1143 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1143A. MODERNIZATION OF INFORMATION SUBMIS-
SION. 
‘‘With respect to any information required to be sub-
mitted by an individual to the Social Security Administra-
tion regarding a proceeding or determination for a benefit 
under title II or a supplemental security income benefit 
under title XVI, the Commissioner shall accept such infor-
mation in the following ways: 
‘‘(1) Email. 
‘‘(2) Fax machine, until December 31, 2045.’’. 
(c) SOCIAL SECURITY WAGE REPORTING APP.—Part 
A of title XI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301 
et. seq) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1150D. SOCIAL SECURITY WAGE REPORTING APP. 
‘‘The Commissioner of the Social Security Adminis-
tration shall ensure that an individual who receives a dis-
ability insurance benefit under section 223 may use the 
SSA Mobile Wage Reporting App for the purpose of track-
ing the wages and employment of such individual.’’. 
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(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect 2 years after the date of en-
actment of this section. 
Æ 
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