Video Hearing (VH) Opt-Out Numbers and Rates for Hearing Requests Received FY 2024

This dataset contains counts of hearing request receipts in the months shown and objections to appearing at the hearing by video teleconferencing (VTC) known as “opt outs”.

When hearing offices receive a request for a hearing, they send an acknowledgement notice to the claimant and any representative.  With the acknowledgement, a form is provided to the claimant/representative with the opportunity to object to appearing by VTC , or to “opt out of”  a video hearing, within 30 days of receiving the notice (or later if good cause is found).

Considering the minimum 30-day wait time, mailing time, and hearing office processing time, we wait 90 days before reporting the opt out number and percentage for any given month.  This is why the data shown in the table reflect the receipts for work months completed at least 90 days ago.  It should be noted, though that, even with the 90 day lag time, some VH opt outs may continue to be recorded for receipts in any month.  As a result, the number of VH opt outs and the percentages shown are subject to change.

NOTE: In the interest of more efficient management information reporting, effective with the FY 2019 report, this report will use opt-out requests posted in a given month as compared to receipts in that same month to arrive at the opt-out rates. This is the same opt-out rate calculation method used for internal OHO reporting and means that we no longer need to wait for 90 days before reporting on opt-outs received.

Month	Receipts	VH Opt-Outs	% Opt-Out
October 2021	35,970	6,422	18%
November 2021	26,390	4,726	18%
December 2021	26,875	4,782	18%
January 2022	32,855	4,829	15%
February 2022	26,573	4,314	16%
March 2022	27,747	4,079	15%
April 2022	34,639	5,083	15%
May 2022	26,162	4,044	15%
June 2022	23,103	3,277	14%
July 2022	31,268	4,286	14%
August 2022	28,388	3,866	14%
September 2022 (52 Weeks) *	29,359	3,707	13%
September 2022 (53 Weeks) *	36,696	4,698	13%
FY 2022 (52 Weeks) *	349,329	53,415	15%
FY 2022 (53 Weeks) *	356,666	54,406	15%
FY 2023	355,565	59,262	17%
FY 2024	362,552	37,567	10%
* For FY 2022, each of the individual reports have a listing for the normal 52 week fiscal year and a second listing to include the extra 53rd week. Most fiscal years have just 52 weeks, however, some fiscal years have 53 weeks.