My Medicare Hmo Has Discontinued My Coverage What Do I Do
A. You have 63 days from the time your HMO coverage ends to purchase supplemental insurance and be guaranteed coverage. During that period, no insurance company may deny you Medigap coverage based on your age or health status. However, prices may vary. For more information on Medigap, call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.
Additionally, you may want to contact the Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-852-7795.for assistance with exploring your options.
Plan For Compassionate And Responsive Service
Eliminating the hearings backlog and reducing the wait time to 270 days remains one of our agencys most critical priorities. We continue to make sustained progress towards this goal. Over the last three years, Congress has provided $290 million in special funding dedicated to reduce the hearings backlog. Through this extraordinary support, we accelerated our plan to eliminate the hearings backlog and reduce the average wait time to 270 days by the end of fiscal year 2021, one year earlier than projected in previous plans. Our progress stems from implementing improvements to the hearings business process, modernizing our information technology infrastructure, implementing important policy changes, and rallying our workforce to improve our ability to serve the public.
The 2018-2019 CARES Plan Update provides the latest information on continuing activities designed to reduce wait times and eliminate the hearings backlog. Since 2016, we hired close to 600 administrative law judges , and in FY 2018, we hired over 500 decision writers and over 170 other support staff in the hearings operation.
We have reduced the number of pending hearing requests each consecutive month since January 2017. In early March 2018, hearings pending dropped below 1 million for the first time since October 2014. As of March 2019, approximately 720,000 people were waiting for a hearing decision.
The CARES Plan remains a living document and will be modified and updated as appropriate.
Responsibilities Of The Adjudication Officer
General. Under the procedures set out in this section we will test modifications to the procedures we follow when you file a request for a hearing before an administrative law judge in connection with a claim for benefits based on disability where the question of whether you are under a disability as defined in §404.1505 is at issue. These modifications will enable us to test the effect of having an adjudication officer be your primary point of contact after you file a hearing request and before you have a hearing with an administrative law judge. The tests may be conducted alone, or in combination with the tests of the modifications to the disability determination procedures which we conduct under §404.906. The adjudication officer, working with you and your representative, if any, will identify issues in dispute, develop evidence, conduct informal conferences, and conduct any other prehearing proceeding as may be necessary. The adjudication officer has the authority to make a decision fully favorable to you if the evidence so warrants. If the adjudication officer does not make a decision on your claim, your hearing request will be assigned to an administrative law judge for further proceedings.
You or another party requests that the hearing continue, as provided in paragraph of this section
The Appeals Council decides to review the decision on its own motion under the authority provided in §404.969
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Local Social Security Offices
- One Empire Street, Providence, RI 02903 Tel: 877.402.0808
- 30 Quaker Lane, 1st Floor, Warwick, RI 02886-0111 Tel: 866.964.2038
- 4 Pleasant Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860 Tel: 866.931.7079
- Pavilion Plaza, 2168 Diamond Hill Road, Woonsocket, RI 02895 Tel: 877.229.3452
- 130 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840 Tel: 866.253.5607
What Is A Disability Adjudicator

Posted on 03.6.14
Because of the volume of disability claims it processes, Social Security uses a very structured procedure to evaluate every SSDI or SSI application it receives.
When you file your claim, an SSA intake clerk opens an electronic claims folder in your name. Thereafter your claim will be assigned to a claims representative located in your state. These claims representatives are called adjudicators and they are employed by your state government . 100% of the cost of the adjudication program is borne by the federal government .
The adjudicator in your case will gather medical and vocational evidence and has the authority to approve or deny your claim based on very specific guidelines. Adjudicators work directly with medical and psychological consultants to better understand the documentation in your claims file.
Your adjudicator can also refer you out to a consultative evaluation with a medical doctor or psychologist in an effort to further develop your file.
Generally the initial application adjudication process takes between three and six months. If the adjudicator denies your claim, she will mail out a denial notice along with an explanation of what factors went into her decision. If you disagree with the adjudicators conclusion that you are not disabled, you must file an appeal called a request for reconsideration within 60 days from the denial notice date.
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Social Security Office Of Disability Adjudication
Local government office – Fort Bend County | Texas
Social Security Office of Disability Adjudication is located in Fort Bend County, Texas, United States. Address of Social Security Office of Disability Adjudication is 9945 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77036, USA. Social Security Office of Disability Adjudication has quite many listed places around it and we are covering at least 52 places around it on Helpmecovid.com.
Office Of Appellate Operations :
The Office of Appellate Operations , through its Appeals Council , serves as the final level of administrative review within the agency. Led by OAOs Executive Director, and consisting of administrative appeals judges and appeals officers , the AC considers appeals from hearing level decisions. It also performs quality review, policy interpretations, and court-related functions.
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Information About Ssa’s Hearings And Appeals Operations
The Office of Hearings Operations and the Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight are responsible for holding hearings, issuing decisions, and reviewing post-hearing appeals for claims filed under Titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act, as amended. Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, and Baltimore, Maryland, these components make up one of the largest administrative adjudication systems in the world.
OHO directs a nationwide field organization of administrative law judges who conduct impartial “de novo” hearings and make decisions on appealed determinations involving retirement, survivors, disability insurance and supplemental security income benefits. Through its Appeals Council in the Office of Appellate Operations, OARO reviews ALJ decisions on appeal by claimants, or on its own motion, and processes cases appealed to federal court. The Deputy Commissioners for OHO and OARO are the agency officials responsible for administration of this enormous adjudicative system.
OHO and OARO have two case processing/adjudication components that are headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia – the Office of the Chief Administrative Law Judge and the Office of Appellate Operations.
Offices Of Disability Adjudication And Review
In the New York region, there are currently 16 Offices of Disability Adjudication and Review with a total staff of 685, including the administrative law judges, staff attorneys, decision writers, paralegal and clerical staff. Additionally, administrative law judges may use video technology at other sites such as local Social Security offices to conduct hearings if needed.
You can find more information about the New York Region Hearings Offices at our Hearing Office Locator page.
Please send us any you have about our web site.
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What Is A Medically Determinable Impairment
A medically determinable physical or mental impairment is an impairment that results from anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities which can be demonstrated by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques. A physical or mental impairment must be established by medical evidence consisting of signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings, not only by the individual’s statement of symptoms.
Definition Of A Disability
The definition of “disabled” for adults is the same for all individuals whether applying for disability benefits under Title II or under Title XVI. The law defines disability as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
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Who We Are And What We Do

Disability Determination Services is an agency of the state of Alaska. Under Social Security regulations, the DDS disability specialists, contract physicians, and psychologists determine eligibility of Alaskan applicants for two disability programs:
- Social Security Disability Insurance
- Supplemental Security Income
The Alaskan DDS has one branch office, located in Anchorage, AK, to serve disability applicants of Alaska. Anchorage’s Disability Determination Services employs 32 people and receives over 100 new claims each week. The following claims are processed in the Anchorage DDS:
- Initial Applications
- Continuing Disability Reviews: Periodic reviews to determine if those who are on benefits still qualify.
- Disability Hearings: Face to face informal hearings as part of the appeal of Continuing Disability Review cessation
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Adding A Critical Case Designation
In the OHO RO, the Regional Chief Administrative Law Judge or the Regional Management Officer is responsible for designating critical cases. The RMO is the primary point of contact for all inquiries on TERI, VPAT, MC/WW, and CAL cases.
In the HO, the Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge or the HOCALJ’s designee with express delegation from the HOCALJ) is responsible for designating critical cases. The HOCALJ is the ultimate point of contact for critical cases and ensuring that procedures are followed, even if the HOCALJ has delegated critical case designation authority to another manager.
NOTE:
If the case has been assigned to an ALJ when the HO is first notified of the critical case allegation, but the assigned ALJ is absent or unavailable for more than 24 hours, the HOCALJ or an individual designated by the HOCALJ will add the critical designation. If the ALJ is on prolonged leave, see HALLEX I-2-1-55 F for situations when a HOCALJ may reassign a critical case to a different ALJ.
Approximately One Million Americans Are Waiting For A Decision On Their Eligibility For Disability Benefits
WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker called on the U.S. Social Security Administration to address the growing backlog of disability hearings that is preventing millions of Americans from accessing potentially lifesaving benefits. In a letter to the Acting SSA Commissioner Nancy Berryhill, Booker called for a thorough assessment of the entire disability benefits adjudication process and inquired about factors leading to the backlog and any efforts to address it.
Our Social Security system provides crucial income security for many vulnerable Americans, but with an increase in applications and a growing backlog, millions are waiting for their critical lifesaving and earned benefits, Booker wrote. Between FY16 and FY17, over 18,700 people died nationwide while waiting to receive a hearing date for their disability benefits. This is simply unacceptable and Americans deserve better.
Nationally, there is a growing backlog for disability hearings before an Administrative Law Judge , which is one of the final steps in the appeal process. In 2017, individuals applying for disability benefits waited an average of 596 days to plead their case before an ALJ, nearly double the average wait time from 2012. In New Jersey, the average processing time is even longer, with claimants waiting more than 700 days to appear before an ALJ.
The full text of the letter is as follows:
Baltimore, MD 21235
Dear Commissioner Berryhill:
Sincerely,
Cory A. Booker
United States Senator
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Hearings And Appealsthe Administrative Review Process
If a person disagrees with a decision made on a claim for Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income claim, there are several administrative appeal steps they may follow. Appeals must be requested in writing, within specified time periods. All letters sent to claimants contain the specific information needed to appeal.
There are four basic appeal steps:
Operational And Administrative Support:
In addition to OHO’s and OAROs case processing and adjudication components, three operational/administrative support components also support the hearings and appeals mission.
- The Office of Budget, Facilities, and Security oversees OHOs budget and financial management programs, property and space management, physical security operations, and field operational needs such as workload management.
- The Office of Electronic Services and Systems Integration provides support for all issues pertaining to the integration of electronic disability initiatives into OHOs business processes, administers information technology advances cutting-edge electronic services, and oversees systems security.
- The Office of Executive Operations and Human Resources oversees all matters related to training, human resources, professional development, employee and labor relations, audits, and OHO-related Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act requests.
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Ssa Organizational Manual: Chapter Tl
Social Security Field Offices
SSA representatives in the field offices typically complete applications for disability benefits through interviews, either in person or by telephone. Applications can also be submitted by mail or over the internet. The application and related forms ask for a description of the disabled individuals’ impairment, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of treatment sources, and other information that relates to the alleged disability.
The field office is responsible for verifying non-medical eligibility requirements, which may include age, employment history, marital status, and other Social Security coverage information. The field office sends the case to the DDS for an evaluation of the individuals’ eligibility based on medical and vocational factors.
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Scheduling A Hearing When Necessary
When a critical case is ready for scheduling, the employee responsible for workup or development will create a To Do Item in CPMS or HACPS, or hand-carry a paper case to the scheduling employee for priority scheduling.
The scheduling employee will schedule critical cases in the first available open hearing slots after consultation with the claimant, representative, and any expert witnesses . If previously scheduled hearing slots become available due to cancellation or rescheduling, the slots will be offered to claimants with designated critical cases. If there are less than 75 days before the hearing date, the case will be scheduled only if the claimant or the claimant’s appointed representative is willing to waive the right to the 75-day advance notice of hearing in writing. For instructions regarding obtaining a waiver of advance notice of hearing, see HALLEX I-2-3-25.