CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY PROGRAM, September 13, 2012
SOME OF THE FACTS ELICITED AT THE HEARING:
2.5 million Social Security Disability/SSI applications per year
1,300 Adminstrative Law Judges
700,000 appeals to the ALJ hearing level per year
Initial approval rate: 33% [Which means an initial denial rate of 67%]
On reconsideration: 14% approval rate, which comes out to about 3% of the initial applicant pool
Before the hearing level about 36% of the applicants are approved [which means 64% of applicants are denied through the first two stages of the application and appeal process].
Before 2011: 61% approved at the hearing level. In 2011: 56% approved at the ALJ level [which means 44% are denied]
Appeals Council: 22% cases overturned [which means 78% of the appeals are denied]
Federal Court Appeals: 3% of cases allowed