Opinion ID: 6323722
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the ssa’s regulatory scheme regarding

Text: SUBSEQUENT DISABILITY CLAIMS Because this appeal requires a detailed understanding of the SSA’s procedures related to the filing of subsequent disability claims, we begin by reviewing the administrative scheme. For the period from 1999 through 2011, the SSA’s procedures permitted a claimant to have two applications for the same type of disability benefits pending at the same time. See Procedures for Handling Requests to File Subsequent Applications for Disability Benefits, SSR 11-1p, 76 Fed. Reg. 45,309, 45,310 (July 28, 2011) (“SSR 11-1p” or the “ruling”). Under these procedures, if an ALJ denied a claimant’s application for disability benefits and she sought review of that decision from the Appeals Council, she also could file a new application with the SSA under the same title seeking the same type of benefits. Id. The agency would process the claimant’s second disability claim while she continued to pursue administrative review of her initial claim. Id. Over time, the SSA saw an increase in the number of claimants who both sought Appeals Council review and filed subsequent disability claims. Id. When a claimant had two applications seeking benefits under the same title and type pending at the same time, there was a risk of conflicting agency decisions, which the SSA then had to reconcile. Id. The SSA found that allowing claimants to have USCA11 Case: 21-10920 Date Filed: 03/16/2022 Page: 4 of 22