Video Hearing (VH) Opt-Out Numbers and Rates for Hearing Requests Received FY 2022
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 2022 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.
Download this dataset in the XML format:
| 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 | 30,024 |
3,277 |
14% |
| July 2022 | 31,268 |
4,286 |
14% |
| August 2022 | 28,388 |
3,866 |
14% |
| September 2022 (09/23/2022) |
29,359 |
3,707 |
13% |
| September 2022 (09/30/2022) |
36,696 |
4,698 |
13% |
| FY 2022 (52 weeks) | 349,329 |
53,415 |
15% |
| FY 2022 (53 weeks) | 356,666 |
54,406 |
15% |
Disclaimer: These data are being made publicly available for research purposes. Any findings and conclusions derived from analyses of these data are attributable to the researcher(s) and do not reflect those of the Social Security Administration.