At a recent conference Jackie and I attended for NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives) on May 12, 2011, the Social Security Deputy Commissioner stated the following:
- The waiting period for a decision in all cases averages about one year. This includes the average for all cases at the agency through hearing level.
- Staff attorneys have issued about 46,000 decisions in 2010. A staff attorney is a senior attorney at SSA office of Disability Adjudication and Review who is authorized to make a decision without requiring a claimant to wait for a hearing date. This decision, which is called an on-the-record decision (OTR) would eliminate the estimated year waiting period for a hearing.
- Autoimmune diseases or disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis are now being considered in the category of "Compassionate Allowance Cases". Any case which is now at hearing level and involves a medical condition which involves a "Compassionate Allowance" will receive streamlined processing.
- SSA is trying to streamline decisions for all Wounded Warriors.
From the Social Security Administrative Law Judge Perspective (ALJP)
At a recent conference Jackie and I attended for NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives) on May 12, 2011, a Social Security ALJ stated the following:
According to the Social Security Office of Disability of Review the senior staff attorney program is permanent. This means that senior staff attorneys can assist ALJ's by issuing fully favorable hearing level decisions without the need for a claimant to wait at least a year for a hearing. The ALJ will then sign off on the decision with a notice of dismissal which means that the hearing is not required.
- The virtual screening unit (VSU) program randomly selects hearing level cases to see if they can be settled without the need for a formal hearing or the weight time to appear before an ALJ.
- Social Security Administration has set up National Hearing Centers and Hearing Offices with physical or virtual infrastructure to speed up the hearing process.
- Fully electronic claim folders are now in place nationwide at all Hearing Offices.
- Social Security has hired additional ALJ's to improve productivity.
- In 2011, 518,058, new social security disability cases were filed.
- In 2011, 216,508, hearing level cases were in backlog which numbers down in prior years.
- In 2010, 426 days was the national average of processing time at the hearing's level.
