Under SSA’s redesign plan, the DCM—a single decisionmaker located at either an SSA or a DDS office—would be solely responsible for processing the initial disability claim and making the decision, thereby assuming functions currently performed by at least three federal and state workers. The DCM would also serve as a single, personal point of contact for claimants. Recognizing the complexity of the DCM position responsibilities, the redesign plan calls for implementing several new support features that SSA considers critical to the DCM position: (1) SSA plans to develop a simplified decision methodology that would provide a less complex, more structured approach for DCMs to use when deciding claims. As part of the redesign plan, SSA expects to team its claims representatives and DDS disability examiners so they can process claims in a coordinated manner. Work Group Established to Define Parameters of DCM Test

To develop parameters for conducting and evaluating the DCM test, SSA assembled a work group consisting of representatives from SSA and DDS management, claims representatives and disability examiners, and federal and state union members. However, the testing proposed by the DCM work group may leave untested an important feature of the position. Concerns About the DCM Position

Concerns have been raised about the DCM position since the DPRT first proposed it in 1994. These concerns include the complexity of the responsibilities, compromises to safety and internal controls, salary differential between federal and state employees, and structure of field operations. Uncertainties Exist About Availability of DCM Staff

SSA expects to recruit the approximately 11,000 DCMs, which it estimates will be needed, from its current staff of federal claims representatives and state disability examiners. However, some of these staff may be unwilling or lack the necessary skills to assume DCM responsibilities. In addition, SSA has not yet developed plans for providing technical and clerical support staff for the DCM position. GAO Comments

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Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO assessed the Social Security Administration's (SSA) establishment of the disability claim manager (DCM) position, focusing on: (1) SSA efforts to test and implement the position; (2) major concerns about the position; and (3) SSA efforts to staff the position.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) as envisioned by SSA, DCMs would be solely responsible for processing and approving initial disability claims, assume functions currently performed by at least three federal and state workers, and serve as a single, personal point of contact for claimants; (2) SSA has several initiatives under way to team claims representatives and disability examiners so that they can coordinate claims processing functions and prepare for transition to the DCM position; (3) although it has not yet implemented other initiatives and support features that are critical to the DCM position, SSA has decided to proceed with plans to test the DCM position; (4) a three-phase testing plan proposed by an SSA work group of management representatives, claims representatives, disability examiners, and federal and state union members may leave some important DCM features untested and does not have the support of all work group members; (5) concerns raised about the DCM position include the complexity of DCM responsibilities, compromises to safety and controls, salary differential between federal and state workers, and impact on field operations; and (6) SSA expects to recruit DCMs from its current staff of federal claims examiners and state disability examiners, but some staff may be unwilling or lack the necessary skills, and SSA has not developed a plan for providing technical and clerical support for DCMs.