The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA)

The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) is a nonpartisan body dedicated to providing expert advice and suggesting procedural improvements to the workings of federal agencies. The Conference comprises federal officials, academics, and private sector contributors.

In June of 2013, the ACUS issued a set of recommendations to the Social Security Administration (SSA) designed to streamline both the adjudication and appeals processes for Social Security disability decisions.  The Conference’s recommendations to the SSA include, but are not limited to the following:

-Standardizing the format for pre-hearing briefs

-Updating and expanding the use of video conferencing technology

-Increasing the issuing frequency of “Appeals Council Interpretations”

-Expanding the Appeals Council’s own motion review

-Publishing select Social Security disability and Appeals Council decisions in order to educate SSA employees and/or illuminate potentially ambiguous policy areas

-Adopting a more elastic approach to dealing with individual cases rather than giving overwhelming consideration to the treating source