these are very technical in nature. i hope the ordinary person can make sense of them and comment. --- Elizabeth Thiers <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > For your information, feel free to forward. > > Beth T. the OT > > -----Original Message----- > From: phys-sis Listmanager > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 4:02 PM > To: Recipients of 'phys-sis' suppressed > Subject: Request for Comments on SSA Disability > Listings > > From: "Leslie Jackson " > <[log in to unmask] > > > To reply: mailto:[log in to unmask] > To start a new topic: > mailto:[log in to unmask] To (un)subscribe: > mailto: [log in to unmask] > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > I apologize for the last minute notice, but wanted > to make sure you all knew > about an effort by the Social Security > Administration (SSA) to revise some > of it's impairment listings for determining > disability for Social Security > and SSI. The Listing is a very important part of the > disability > determination process because if a person can > establish that his/her > condition meets the requirements of a listed > impairment (and the person is > not working and earning over $830 per month in > 2005), SSA will find the > person eligible for benefits. Others whose > conditions are found not to meet > the listing are not denied at that stage but instead > have to go on to prove > that their condition is medically equivalent to the > listed impairment or > that, even though they don't meet or equal the > listing, based on their age, > education and work experience, their medical > condition(s) makes it > impossible for them to engage in substantial gainful > activity. > > SSA is in the process of reviewing and updating the > various listings. This > process of issuing advanced notices of proposed > rulemaking is relatively new > to SSA - it gives the public a chance to weigh in > about concerns with > specific listings before SSA staff issue the notice > of proposed rulemaking. > It is important to take these notices seriously and > to see them as an > important opportunity to inform SSA about concerns > with a particular listing > and whether it currently works, where the problems > are, and to answer other > questions SSA asks in the notices. > > In each case, both ADULT and CHILD listings are > under review. Each notice > is impairment-specific and comments from medical > experts and consumers will > be very important. The notices cover the following > four areas: > > 1. Neurological impairments > (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.go > v/2005/pdf/05-7357.pdf) - Listing sections 11.00 and > 111.00 (In addition to > general questions, there is a specific question > about criteria SSA should > use to define disabling epilepsy at the listing > level; there also is a > question about whether the neurological listings > "should continue to include > functional criteria that consider all aspects of > listed neurological > impairments such as motor and sensory deficits, > cognitive/behavioral > abnormalities, speech/language limitations, and > vision/hearing losses." And, > there is specific reference to a publication on > criteria for determining > disability related to multiple sclerosis.) > > 2. Language and speech disorders > (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.go > v/2005/pdf/05-7356.pdf) - Here, SSA is asking > whether they should create a > new body system in the listings that covers language > and speech disorders. > > 3. Respiratory impairments > (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.go > v/2005/pdf/05-7358.pdf) - Listing sections 3.00 and > 103.00 (In addition to > general questions, there are specific questions > about criteria that SSA may > want to incorporate to define disabling asthma at > the listing level and also > disabling bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BDP) at the > listing level.) > > 4. Hearing impairments and disturbance of > labyrinthine-vestibular function > (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.go > v/2005/pdf/05-7355.pdf)- Listing sections 2.00 and > 102.00 (Here, SSA asks > whether they should continue to have these listings > and, if so, whether > changes are needed. Also, are there criteria that > are not included now but > should be? SSA asks whether there should be > separate criteria for > individuals who have had cochlear implants? Should > there be a listing for > disturbance of labyrinthine-vestibular function in > children?) > > > In addition, for each of these four notices there > are questions related to > how SSA could better help people with these specific > impairments who want to > return to work or remain working. > > > What information is SSA looking for? > > In each of the advanced notice of proposed rule > making (ANPRM), SSA is > seeking views on how the current listing is working, > whether changes are > needed, and, if so, what changes are proposed and > why. In addition to the > focus on the specific listing in each of the > advanced notices, SSA is for > information that goes beyond the listing, seeking > information and > recommendations about how Social Security and SSI > could be better designed > to help people with the specific impairment who > would like to return to work > or remain in their jobs. SSA asks how their > regulations (and the statute, > should the commenter want to suggest statutory > changes) affect people with > the impairment who would like to work, full-time or > part-time, with > supports. > > You can post your comment on SSA's website at > http://policy.ssa.gov/pnpublic.nsf/LawsRegs. Click > on the section on notices > that are open for comment. The list of notices will > come up. Click on the > relevant notice. When you get to the page with the > relevant notice, at the > very bottom on the left, there is a little triangle > - if you click on it, it > will point down and you can then view below it any > comments that have been > filed. On the same page, there is a place to click > to submit your comment > as well. > > Don't worry if you can not respond to this advanced > notice - there will be > another opportunity for comment when SSA issues its > proposed rules. AOTA > will let you know when the proposed rules have been > published. > Leslie Jackson > __________________________________ Discover Yahoo! Use Yahoo! to plan a weekend, have fun online and more. Check it out! http://discover.yahoo.com/