Social Security: SSA's Processing of Continuing Disability Reviews

GAO discussed the status of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) continuing disability reviews (CDR) program. GAO noted that: (1) applications for disability benefits and SSA processing times for claims reached all-time highs in 1992; (2) SSA has moved resources away from performing CDR in order to keep up with the increase in initial disability claims; (3) during the past 6 fiscal years, SSA performed half of CDR required by law; (4) SSA data suggested that 30,000 ineligible persons remain on the disability rolls; and (5) SSA was able to better identify beneficiaries who should be given full medical CDR by combining responses from a questionnaire with certain statistical indicators.