§ 416.1002. Definitions.

For purposes of this subpart:

Act means the Social Security Act, as amended.

Class or classes of cases means the categories into which disability claims are divided according to their characteristics.

Commissioner means the Commissioner of Social Security or his or her authorized designee.

Compassionate allowance means a determination or decision we make under a process that identifies for expedited handling claims that involve impairments that invariably qualify under the Listing of Impairments in appendix 1 to subpart P of part 404 of this chapter based on minimal, but sufficient, objective medical evidence.

Determination of disability or disability determination means one or more of the following decisions:

(a) Whether or not a person is under a disability;

(b) The date a person's disability began; or

(c) The date a person's disability ended.

Disability means disability or blindness as defined in sections 1614(a) (2) and (3) of the Act.

Disability determination function means making determinations as to disability or blindness and carrying out related administrative and other responsibilities.

Disability program means the Federal program for providing supplemental security income benefits for the blind and disabled under title XVI of the Act, as amended.

Initial means the first level of disability or blindness adjudication.

Other written guidelines means written issuances such as Social Security Rulings and memoranda by the Commissioner of Social Security, the Deputy Commissioner for Programs and Policy, or the Associate Commissioner for Disability and the procedures, guides, and operating instructions in the Disability Insurance sections of the Program Operations Manual System that are instructive, interpretive, clarifying, and/or administrative and not designated as advisory or discretionary. The purpose of including the foregoing material in the definition is to assure uniform national application of program standards and service delivery to the public.

Quick disability determination means an initial determination on a claim that we have identified as one that reflects a high degree of probability that you will be found disabled and where we expect that your allegations will be easily and quickly verified.

Regulations means regulations in this subpart issued under sections 1102, 1631(c) and 1633(a) of the Act, unless otherwise indicated.

State means any of the 50 States of the United States and the District of Columbia. It includes the State agency.

State agency means that agency of a State which has been designated by the State to carry out the disability determination function.

We, us, and our refers to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

[46 FR 29211, May 29, 1981, as amended at 56 FR 11021, Mar. 14, 1991; 62 FR 38454, July 18, 1997; 72 FR 51178, Sept. 6, 2007; 75 FR 62683, Oct. 13, 2010]