Assessing SSA's Region I Pilot Program

At the request of the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Office of the Chairman studied the impact of the pilot program in Region I which, according to 20 C.F.R §§ 405.316, 405.331, both requires notice of the ALJ hearing 75 days prior to the hearing date, and closes the evidentiary record five days before the hearing date absent a showing of good cause.  The report reviewed and analyzed SSA’s statute and current regulations, as well as past regulatory initiatives; compared Region I with other Regions; and gathered information from affected groups both within and outside of the agency.  Based on the research conducted, the report presented options available to SSA regarding future actions to improve the disability adjudication process with respect to noticing of hearings and closure of the evidentiary record.

Contacts:

Implementation Contact

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