After the interview is complete, whats the next step?
There are four levels of appeal. You can: • Ask for reconsideration by another decision maker to determine whether the initial decision was proper. More than 90% of all reconsideration requests are denied. • Ask for an administrative hearing, which is a formal but private hearing before an administrative law judge. You may request a hearing before a judge if you disagree with the reconsideration decision. Such judges try hard to remain objective. In 2004, 64% of disability cases appealed to these judges were decided in favor of beneficiaries. • Ask for a review by the SSA Appeals Council. This council reviews decisions by administrative law judges. The council usually leaves judges’ decisions unchanged about 70% of the time. Note that SSA has begun to do away with this appeal step, starting in the New England region on August 1, 2006. Those applicants will have to go to federal court. • Appeal a denial of disability benefits to a U.S. Federal District Court. Although relatively few cas
