Background

In March 2008, the Office of Appellate Operations (OAO) began using a new case processing system. This system, the Appeals Review Processing System (ARPS), replaced both the mainframe system (Office of Hearings and Appeals Case Control System (OHACCS)) and the standalone system (Appeals Case Processing System (ACAPS)) for Court level cases handled by the Disability Program Review branches. We are updating HALLEX sections to replace references to OHACCS and ACAPS with ARPS references.

Also, within ODAR's Office of Management, the component formerly known as the Division of Congressional and Public Inquiries has been re-named the Congressional and Public Affairs Branch (CPAB).

In addition, the Social Security Administration has announced a new initiative designed to quickly identify diseases and other medical conditions that invariably qualify under the Listing of Impairments based on minimal objective medical information. This initiative is called the Compassionate Allowance (CAL) initiative. We are updating HALLEX to refer to this new initiative. Also, we are updating sections that refer to the Military Service Casualty Case (MSCC) procedures.

Explanation of Content and Changes

This transmittal revises I-4-3-43 to incorporate reference to the new OAO processing system (ARPS); the Congressional and Public Affairs Branch (CPAB); and to the new CAL initiative, as well as reference to the MSCC process.

Date: December 16, 2008