Aspects of Disability Decision Making: Data and Materials

B. Allowances7. Combined DI and SSI Allowance Rates at Each Level of Adjudication—Fiscal Years 1986-201080%70%60%50%40%30%20%Initial LevelReconsideration LevelHearing Level (Dispositions)Hearing Level (Decisions)10%0%1986198819901992199419961998200020022004200620082010In the last 25 years, the percentage of claims adjudicated at the hearing level that are allowed hasbeen considerably higher than the percentage allowed by the State agencies at the initial level. The allowancerates for both levels have shown large variations, sometimes moving in tandem, sometimes not. TheProcess Unification Rulings of 1996, that provided adjudicators at every level of the process with the samedecision-making standards, could explain why the hearing level and initial level gap narrowed slightlybetween 1996 and 1998.The allowance rate at the hearing level includes all forms of Social Security and SSI cases reaching thehearing level, but the vast majority involves disability issues. It also includes decisions by ALJs and forsome years, senior attorneys. (Senior attorneys did not adjudicate cases in all years shown in the charts.)The solid green line shows allowance rates as a percentage of dispositions. These allowance rates includedismissals; i.e., cases disposed of without a hearing, usually because the claimant’s request for a hearingwas not filed timely or the claimant did not appear for the hearing. The dotted green line, on the otherhand, shows allowance rates as a percentage of decisions, which excludes dismissals.Note: Although the allowance rate is higher at the hearing level, the number of claims allowed is higherat the State agency level, as Chart 12 shows.12 Aspects of Disability Decision Making: Data and Materials