Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2006

Outcomes of Applications for Disability Benefits

Note

The tables in this section provide data on the outcomes of applications for disability benefits. The data on applications are derived from the Social Security Administration's (SSA's) Disability Research File maintained by the Office of Disability Programs. Each year this file is updated with information about applications for disability benefits that is then used to determine the outcome of those applications. The outcome data in these tables are reported by year of filing and include decisions made through the administrative appeals process.

Table 58 shows the total number of applications filed in a year, the number denied for nonmedical reasons before a medical decision is made (technical denials), the number that are pending a final decision, the outcome of applications for which a medical allowance or denial was made, and award and allowance rates. Applications for which a medical allowance or denial decision was made but which were subsequently denied for nonmedical reasons are shown under the medical decision header as subsequent denials. The most common nonmedical reason for denying a claim is insufficient number of recent work credits.

The allowance rate is calculated by dividing the number of medical allowances (including subsequent technical denials) by the total number of medical decisions made for a 1-year cohort. The award rate is a broader program measure that is calculated as the number of allowances minus subsequent denials divided by total applications (minus pending claims) filed for a given year.

Claims that remain pending after 6 years are probably the result of imperfect data rather than excessive delays in the decisionmaking process. It is highly probable that decisions have been rendered on most of the older claims. For more recent years, the award and allowance rates will change as decisions are made on pending claims.

Tables 59–61 show the allowance rate for Social Security only and the Social Security portion of concurrent applications (which are claims for both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits). Each table shows a different level in the administrative decisionmaking process, that is, initial adjudicative, reconsideration, and hearing or higher level.

Beginning with 2000, the proportion of claims awarded at each level of the process changed as a result of the Prototype Process being tested in 10 states. Under this test, the reconsideration step of the appeals process was eliminated for applications filed October 1, 1999, or later. Elimination of the reconsideration level in these states results in a decrease in the aggregate proportion of claims awarded at this step.

This section also includes one table that shows the reason for medical allowance and one that shows the reason for medical denial (Tables 62 and 63). The reasons are derived from the sequential evaluation process used by decisionmakers. SSA maintains a list of impairments that are considered disabling under its regulations. An applicant can be found to be disabled if he or she

  • has a listed impairment,
  • has a severe impairment that is equal to a listed impairment,
  • has a severe impairment when medical and vocational factors are considered, or
  • had previously established entitlement to a disability benefit.

An applicant can be denied benefits if he or she

  • has an impairment that is not expected to last 12 months,
  • has an impairment that is not considered severe,
  • is able to perform his or her usual type of work,
  • is able to perform another type of work, or
  • has an impairment resulting from drug addiction or alcoholism, provides insufficient medical evidence, fails to cooperate, fails to follow prescribed treatment, does not want to continue development of the claim, or returns to substantial work before disability can be established.
Chart 11. Final outcome of disabled-worker applications, 1996–2005

The final award rate for disabled-worker applicants has varied over time, averaging nearly 48 percent for claims filed from 1996 through 2005. The percentage of applicants awarded benefits at the initial claims level averaged 31 percent over the same period and ranged from a high of about 35 percent to a low of 25 percent. The percentage of applicants awarded at the reconsideration and hearing levels are relatively constant, averaging 4 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Denied disability claims have averaged about 49 percent.

Area chart with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for Chart 11. Final outcome of disabled-worker applications, 1996–2005 (percent)
Year Initial
awards		 Reconsideration
awards		 Hearings
and
Appeals
Council
awards		 Pending
final
decision		 Medical
denials		 Technical
denials
1996 29.1 5.0 15.6 0.0 40.9 9.4
1997 30.6 5.1 16.0 0.0 38.6 9.7
1998 32.7 5.4 15.7 0.0 37.1 9.0
1999 33.9 4.9 15.9 0.2 35.8 9.3
2000 34.4 4.4 15.9 0.3 34.0 11.0
2001 34.9 3.9 15.3 0.4 33.2 12.3
2002 31.5 3.6 15.6 0.9 33.9 14.6
2003 28.1 3.2 13.6 3.1 31.5 20.6
2004 24.7 2.6 6.9 9.7 27.2 29.0
2005 25.0 1.8 1.6 15.1 29.0 27.6
 
SOURCE: Tables 58–63.
NOTES: Awards are calculated as medical allowances minus subsequent technical denials. Technical denials include both nonmedical decision technical denials and medical decisions that were subsequently denied for technical reasons.
The proportion of claims awarded at each level of the process is likely to change as a result of the Prototype Process being tested in 10 states. Under this test, the reconsideration step of the appeals process was eliminated for applications filed October 1, 1999, or later. Elimination of the reconsideration level in these states is likely to result in a decrease in the overall proportion of claims awarded at this step.
Table 58. Outcomes at all adjudicative levels, by year of application, 1992–2005
Year Total Pending
final
decision		 Technical
denials a		 Medical decisions Award
rate b
(percent)		 Allowance
rate c
(percent)
Denials Allowances
Medical Subsequent
nonmedical d		 Awards Subsequent
denials e
All disabled beneficiaries
1999 1,265,055 2,491 104,344 444,004 4,068 708,290 1,858 56.1 61.4
2000 1,364,396 3,787 136,106 456,284 3,838 762,442 1,939 56.0 62.5
2001 1,513,536 5,783 170,513 495,793 3,593 835,920 1,934 55.4 62.7
2002 1,716,221 14,207 230,953 575,886 4,087 888,988 2,100 52.2 60.7
2003 1,942,433 57,222 373,965 608,730 4,552 895,883 2,081 47.5 59.5
2004 2,252,229 209,319 615,924 616,901 5,902 802,501 1,682 39.3 56.4
2005 2,044,971 295,700 528,636 597,286 7,456 613,873 2,020 35.1 50.5
Workers
1992 1,310,004 0 130,885 481,439 5,725 689,111 2,844 52.6 58.8
1993 1,384,501 0 140,314 540,906 5,626 695,007 2,648 50.2 56.2
1994 1,383,092 0 130,240 573,158 5,506 671,791 2,397 48.6 53.9
1995 1,301,472 0 123,711 542,097 5,048 628,380 2,236 48.3 53.6
1996 1,313,818 0 116,988 537,482 5,011 652,221 2,116 49.6 54.8
1997 1,164,680 0 106,881 449,841 4,213 601,886 1,859 51.7 57.2
1998 1,138,101 0 96,737 422,096 4,213 613,010 2,045 53.9 59.2
1999 1,167,664 2,400 102,320 417,574 4,020 639,564 1,786 54.9 60.4
2000 1,265,214 3,662 134,000 430,477 3,803 691,400 1,872 54.8 61.6
2001 1,414,598 5,644 168,225 470,044 3,550 765,256 1,879 54.3 61.9
2002 1,609,612 13,884 228,346 546,393 4,030 814,910 2,049 51.1 59.8
2003 1,831,314 56,336 370,999 576,258 4,493 821,218 2,010 46.3 58.7
2004 2,138,679 206,834 611,911 581,625 5,849 730,832 1,628 37.8 55.6
2005 1,938,525 291,953 524,797 562,612 7,366 549,848 1,949 33.4 49.3
Widow(er)s
1999 40,055 52 1,173 9,668 17 29,108 37 72.8 75.1
2000 39,996 67 1,258 8,978 11 29,653 29 74.3 76.8
2001 40,238 73 1,344 8,688 13 30,101 19 74.9 77.6
2002 41,325 167 1,537 9,050 19 30,533 19 74.2 77.1
2003 41,473 458 1,643 9,509 25 29,794 44 72.6 75.9
2004 41,774 1,341 2,068 10,066 23 28,251 25 69.9 73.8
2005 38,679 2,033 1,882 10,040 29 24,669 26 67.3 71.1
Adult children
1999 57,336 39 851 16,762 31 39,618 35 69.1 70.3
2000 59,186 58 848 16,829 24 41,389 38 70.0 71.1
2001 58,700 66 944 17,061 30 40,563 36 69.2 70.4
2002 65,284 156 1,070 20,443 38 43,545 32 66.9 68.1
2003 69,646 428 1,323 22,963 34 44,871 27 64.8 66.2
2004 71,776 1,144 1,945 25,210 30 43,418 29 61.5 63.3
2005 67,767 1,714 1,957 24,634 61 39,356 45 59.6 61.5
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Disability Research file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Data for the initial and reconsideration levels are current through June 2006. Data for the hearing level or above are current through August 2006.
Because a number of applications remain pending for more recent years, the award and allowance rates will change over time. Cases can be pending at the initial or appellate levels and can include either medical or technical issues.
Data include decisions for Social Security–only applications and applications for both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI); they do not include SSI-only applications.
Data from 1992 to 1998 are available for disabled workers only.
a. Applications were denied for nonmedical reasons; therefore no decision was made on severity of impairment.
b. Rate determined by dividing awards by all applications minus pending claims for that year.
c. Rate determined by dividing medical allowances by all medical decisions for that year.
d. Applications were denied for nonmedical reasons after a decision was made that the applicant did not meet the medical severity criteria for disability benefits.
e. Applications were denied for nonmedical reasons after a decision was made that the applicant met the medical severity criteria for disability benefits.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or di.asr@ssa.gov.
Table 59. Medical decisions at the initial adjudicative level, by year of application and program, 1992–2005
Year All decisions Decisions on applications
for Social Security only		 Decisions on applications
for both Social Security and SSI
Total Allowances Allowance
rate a
(percent)		 Total Allowances Allowance
rate a
(percent)		 Total Allowances Allowance
rate a,b
(percent)
All disabled beneficiaries
1999 1,160,658 459,999 39.6 649,849 313,676 48.3 510,809 146,323 28.6
2000 1,228,209 501,946 40.9 688,194 340,331 49.5 540,015 161,615 29.9
2001 1,342,902 560,106 41.7 742,860 379,872 51.1 600,042 180,234 30.0
2002 1,485,009 576,919 38.8 795,050 386,247 48.6 689,959 190,672 27.6
2003 1,567,846 585,868 37.4 804,830 384,055 47.7 763,016 201,813 26.4
2004 1,633,620 597,008 36.5 801,613 383,111 47.8 832,007 213,897 25.7
2005 1,512,777 548,246 36.2 733,271 350,638 47.8 779,506 197,608 25.4
Workers
1992 1,179,119 436,715 37.0 558,741 248,385 44.5 620,378 188,330 30.4
1993 1,244,187 421,560 33.9 571,464 240,839 42.1 672,723 180,721 26.9
1994 1,252,852 390,785 31.2 591,408 233,059 39.4 661,444 157,726 23.8
1995 1,177,761 367,293 31.2 569,963 223,457 39.2 607,798 143,836 23.7
1996 1,196,830 384,167 32.1 593,992 237,474 40.0 602,838 146,693 24.3
1997 1,057,799 357,880 33.8 551,896 228,793 41.5 505,903 129,087 25.5
1998 1,041,364 374,376 36.0 550,775 238,989 43.4 490,589 135,387 27.6
1999 1,065,294 397,335 37.3 578,751 259,910 44.9 486,543 137,425 28.2
2000 1,131,135 436,605 38.6 615,373 284,388 46.2 515,762 152,217 29.5
2001 1,246,256 494,907 39.7 670,564 324,189 48.3 575,692 170,718 29.7
2002 1,381,018 508,659 36.8 718,564 327,949 45.6 662,454 180,710 27.3
2003 1,459,704 516,756 35.4 728,038 325,430 44.7 731,666 191,326 26.1
2004 1,524,126 528,976 34.7 728,511 326,783 44.9 795,615 202,193 25.4
2005 1,410,230 485,810 34.4 665,723 299,190 44.9 744,507 186,620 25.1
Widow(er)s
1999 38,882 24,933 64.1 29,602 21,291 71.9 9,280 3,642 39.2
2000 38,737 25,781 66.6 29,879 21,997 73.6 8,858 3,784 42.7
2001 38,894 26,242 67.5 30,284 22,458 74.2 8,610 3,784 43.9
2002 39,785 26,588 66.8 31,067 22,815 73.4 8,718 3,773 43.3
2003 39,827 26,054 65.4 30,372 22,274 73.3 9,455 3,780 40.0
2004 39,696 25,798 65.0 28,860 21,525 74.6 10,836 4,273 39.4
2005 36,785 23,685 64.4 26,724 19,824 74.2 10,061 3,861 38.4
Adult children
1999 56,482 37,731 66.8 41,496 32,475 78.3 14,986 5,256 35.1
2000 58,337 39,560 67.8 42,942 33,946 79.1 15,395 5,614 36.5
2001 57,752 38,957 67.5 42,012 33,225 79.1 15,740 5,732 36.4
2002 64,206 41,672 64.9 45,419 35,483 78.1 18,787 6,189 32.9
2003 68,315 43,058 63.0 46,420 36,351 78.3 21,895 6,707 30.6
2004 69,798 42,234 60.5 44,242 34,803 78.7 25,556 7,431 29.1
2005 65,762 38,751 58.9 40,824 31,624 77.5 24,938 7,127 28.6
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Disability Research file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Data are current through June 2006.
Because a number of applications remain pending for more recent years, the allowance rate will change over time.
Applications with a medical decision may be pending a final nonmedical decision or be subsequently denied for nonmedical reasons.
Data from 1992 to 1998 are available for disabled workers only.
SSI = Supplemental Security Income.
a. Rate determined by dividing medical allowances by all medical decisions for that year.
b. Rate for the Social Security portion only.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or di.asr@ssa.gov.
Table 60. Medical decisions at the reconsideration level, by year of application and program, 1992–2005
Year All decisions Decisions on applications
for Social Security only		 Decisions on applications
for both Social Security and SSI
Total Allowances Allowance
rate a
(percent)		 Total Allowances Allowance
rate a
(percent)		 Total Allowances Allowance
rate a,b
(percent)
All disabled beneficiaries
1999 398,185 61,143 15.4 210,358 34,724 16.5 187,827 26,419 14.1
2000 408,526 58,590 14.3 215,443 33,233 15.4 193,083 25,357 13.1
2001 435,157 58,417 13.4 222,277 32,590 14.7 212,880 25,827 12.1
2002 502,584 60,482 12.0 250,126 32,881 13.1 252,458 27,601 10.9
2003 542,435 60,471 11.1 258,287 31,725 12.3 284,148 28,746 10.1
2004 547,366 57,278 10.5 246,721 29,590 12.0 300,645 27,688 9.2
2005 407,315 36,446 8.9 182,034 19,137 10.5 225,281 17,309 7.7
Workers
1992 419,798 53,881 12.8 190,594 25,352 13.3 229,204 28,529 12.4
1993 469,151 58,275 12.4 206,606 27,306 13.2 262,545 30,969 11.8
1994 489,731 62,757 12.8 226,013 31,468 13.9 263,718 31,289 11.9
1995 458,036 60,584 13.2 218,950 31,563 14.4 239,086 29,021 12.1
1996 464,582 65,466 14.1 226,333 33,596 14.8 238,249 31,870 13.4
1997 403,212 59,978 14.9 206,135 33,373 16.2 197,077 26,605 13.5
1998 384,978 61,742 16.0 199,273 34,043 17.1 185,705 27,699 14.9
1999 385,409 57,808 15.0 203,696 33,192 16.3 181,713 24,616 13.5
2000 397,031 55,762 14.0 209,146 31,946 15.3 187,885 23,816 12.7
2001 423,981 55,822 13.2 216,179 31,420 14.5 207,802 24,402 11.7
2002 490,141 57,961 11.8 243,562 31,809 13.1 246,579 26,152 10.6
2003 529,278 57,885 10.9 252,179 30,711 12.2 277,099 27,174 9.8
2004 534,437 55,241 10.3 241,326 28,772 11.9 293,111 26,469 9.0
2005 398,183 35,250 8.9 178,207 18,612 10.4 219,976 16,638 7.6
Widow(er)s
1999 7,109 1,983 27.9 4,109 917 22.3 3,000 1,066 35.5
2000 6,353 1,574 24.8 3,854 738 19.1 2,499 836 33.5
2001 6,192 1,599 25.8 3,859 741 19.2 2,333 858 36.8
2002 6,415 1,435 22.4 4,014 667 16.6 2,401 768 32.0
2003 6,661 1,443 21.7 3,834 660 17.2 2,827 783 27.7
2004 6,230 1,133 18.2 3,261 515 15.8 2,969 618 20.8
2005 4,466 612 13.7 2,355 319 13.5 2,111 293 13.9
Adult children
1999 5,667 1,352 23.9 2,553 615 24.1 3,114 737 23.7
2000 5,142 1,254 24.4 2,443 549 22.5 2,699 705 26.1
2001 4,984 996 20.0 2,239 429 19.2 2,745 567 20.7
2002 6,028 1,086 18.0 2,550 405 15.9 3,478 681 19.6
2003 6,496 1,143 17.6 2,274 354 15.6 4,222 789 18.7
2004 6,699 904 13.5 2,134 303 14.2 4,565 601 13.2
2005 4,666 584 12.5 1,472 206 14.0 3,194 378 11.8
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Disability Research file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Data are current through June 2006.
Because a number of applications remain pending for more recent years, the allowance rate will change over time.
Applications with a medical decision may be pending a final nonmedical decision or be subsequently denied for nonmedical reasons.
A revised process was introduced on October 1, 1999, in 10 states, under which initial denials could be appealed directly to the hearing level without a reconsideration.
Data from 1992 to 1998 are available for disabled workers only.
SSI = Supplemental Security Income.
a. Rate determined by dividing medical allowances by all medical decisions for that year.
b. Rate for the Social Security portion only.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or di.asr@ssa.gov.
Table 61. Medical decisions at the hearing level or above, by year of application and program, 1992–2005
Year All decisions Decisions on applications
for Social Security only		 Decisions on applications
for both Social Security and SSI
Total Allowances Allowance
rate a
(percent)		 Total Allowances Allowance
rate a
(percent)		 Total Allowances Allowance
rate a,b
(percent)
All disabled beneficiaries
1999 261,346 189,006 72.3 143,002 112,016 78.3 118,344 76,990 65.1
2000 284,133 203,844 71.7 153,962 119,823 77.8 130,171 84,021 64.5
2001 306,406 219,331 71.6 161,117 126,039 78.2 145,289 93,292 64.2
2002 353,183 253,687 71.8 182,603 144,294 79.0 170,580 109,393 64.1
2003 341,932 251,625 73.6 172,624 139,964 81.1 169,308 111,661 66.0
2004 195,317 149,897 76.7 99,567 83,807 84.2 95,750 66,090 69.0
2005 37,326 31,201 83.6 21,260 18,998 89.4 16,066 12,203 76.0
Workers
1992 275,863 201,359 73.0 131,624 105,371 80.1 144,239 95,988 66.5
1993 310,655 217,816 70.1 143,997 112,593 78.2 166,658 105,223 63.1
1994 323,607 220,645 68.2 156,458 119,338 76.3 167,149 101,307 60.6
1995 301,917 202,739 67.2 150,882 113,781 75.4 151,035 88,958 58.9
1996 306,245 204,704 66.8 157,790 116,292 73.7 148,455 88,412 59.6
1997 267,275 185,887 69.5 141,008 107,367 76.1 126,267 78,520 62.2
1998 251,467 178,935 71.2 134,864 104,678 77.6 116,603 74,257 63.7
1999 257,301 186,207 72.4 139,930 109,831 78.5 117,371 76,376 65.1
2000 279,860 200,904 71.8 150,720 117,529 78.0 129,140 83,375 64.6
2001 302,156 216,406 71.6 157,867 123,739 78.4 144,289 92,667 64.2
2002 348,368 250,339 71.9 178,958 141,657 79.2 169,410 108,682 64.2
2003 337,564 248,587 73.6 169,635 137,765 81.2 167,929 110,822 66.0
2004 192,969 148,243 76.8 98,050 82,655 84.3 94,919 65,588 69.1
2005 36,777 30,737 83.6 20,842 18,633 89.4 15,935 12,104 76.0
Widow(er)s
1999 2,926 2,229 76.2 2,258 1,744 77.2 668 485 72.6
2000 3,038 2,327 76.6 2,345 1,821 77.7 693 506 73.0
2001 2,929 2,279 77.8 2,318 1,820 78.5 611 459 75.1
2002 3,222 2,529 78.5 2,545 2,029 79.7 677 500 73.9
2003 2,962 2,341 79.0 2,116 1,712 80.9 846 629 74.3
2004 1,666 1,345 80.7 1,150 951 82.7 516 394 76.4
2005 444 398 89.6 342 313 91.5 102 85 83.3
Adult children
1999 1,119 570 50.9 814 441 54.2 305 129 42.3
2000 1,235 613 49.6 897 473 52.7 338 140 41.4
2001 1,321 646 48.9 932 480 51.5 389 166 42.7
2002 1,593 819 51.4 1,100 608 55.3 493 211 42.8
2003 1,406 697 49.6 873 487 55.8 533 210 39.4
2004 682 309 45.3 367 201 54.8 315 108 34.3
2005 105 66 62.9 76 52 68.4 29 14 48.3
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Disability Research file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Data are current through August 2006.
Because a number of applications remain pending for more recent years, the allowance rate will change over time.
Applications with a medical decision may be pending a final nonmedical decision or be subsequently denied for nonmedical reasons.
A revised process was introduced on October 1, 1999, in 10 states, under which initial denials could be appealed directly to the hearing level without a reconsideration.
Data from 1992 to 1998 are available for disabled workers only.
SSI = Supplemental Security Income.
a. Rate determined by dividing medical allowances by all medical decisions for that year.
b. Rate for the Social Security portion only.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or di.asr@ssa.gov.
Table 62. Percentage distribution of final medical allowances, by year of application and reason for allowance, 1992–2005
Year Total Meets level
of severity
of listings		 Equals level
of severity
of listings		 Medical and
vocational
factors
considered		 Other a
Number Percent
All disabled beneficiaries
1999 708,290 100.0 33.0 5.9 27.0 34.1
2000 762,442 100.0 31.3 6.2 29.4 33.1
2001 835,920 100.0 30.1 6.1 30.2 33.5
2002 888,988 100.0 28.8 5.4 30.4 35.4
2003 895,883 100.0 28.1 5.3 32.2 34.4
2004 802,501 100.0 31.4 5.9 37.5 25.1
2005 613,873 100.0 37.5 6.5 43.6 12.5
Workers
1992 689,111 100.0 34.3 11.1 24.3 30.3
1993 695,007 100.0 34.3 8.7 23.6 33.4
1994 671,791 100.0 34.5 6.9 25.6 32.9
1995 628,380 100.0 34.5 6.7 26.8 31.9
1996 652,221 100.0 34.2 7.0 27.4 31.5
1997 601,886 100.0 35.0 7.5 26.4 31.0
1998 613,010 100.0 35.5 6.6 27.0 30.9
1999 639,564 100.0 33.6 6.3 28.3 31.8
2000 691,400 100.0 31.9 6.6 30.8 30.8
2001 765,256 100.0 30.7 6.4 31.6 31.3
2002 814,910 100.0 29.3 5.7 31.8 33.2
2003 821,218 100.0 28.6 5.5 33.8 32.1
2004 730,832 100.0 32.2 6.2 39.6 22.0
2005 549,848 100.0 39.0 6.9 46.7 7.4
Widow(er)s
1999 29,108 100.0 14.9 2.5 24.6 58.0
2000 29,653 100.0 12.8 2.5 26.3 58.4
2001 30,101 100.0 12.3 2.6 27.0 58.1
2002 30,533 100.0 11.5 2.1 26.6 59.8
2003 29,794 100.0 10.9 2.2 26.4 60.5
2004 28,251 100.0 10.9 2.1 28.2 58.8
2005 24,669 100.0 11.4 1.9 28.8 57.9
Adult children
1999 39,618 100.0 35.9 3.2 7.4 53.5
2000 41,389 100.0 35.0 3.1 7.3 54.7
2001 40,563 100.0 33.0 3.0 8.0 56.0
2002 43,545 100.0 31.8 2.9 7.6 57.7
2003 44,871 100.0 31.1 2.7 8.2 58.0
2004 43,418 100.0 32.1 2.9 9.1 55.9
2005 39,356 100.0 32.9 2.9 9.2 55.0
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Disability Research file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Data for the initial and reconsideration levels are current through June 2006. Data for the hearing level or above are current through August 2006.
Because a number of applications remain pending for more recent years, the numbers and percentages will change over time.
Applications with a medical decision may be pending a final nonmedical decision or be subsequently denied for nonmedical reasons.
Data include decisions for Social Security–only applications and applications for both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI); they do not include SSI-only claims.
Data from 1992 to 1998 are available for disabled workers only.
a. Includes applications for which the disability was previously established and those for which the basis for the determination is not available. The majority of applications for which the basis of determination is not available are cases allowed at or above the hearing level.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or di.asr@ssa.gov.
Table 63. Percentage distribution of final medical denials, by year of application and reason for denial, 1992–2005
Year Total Impairment
did not
or is not
expected
to last
12 months		 Impairment
is not
severe		 Able to do
usual
past work		 Able to do
other type
of work		 Other a
Number Percent
All disabled beneficiaries
1999 448,072 100.0 10.3 17.8 28.3 30.8 12.8
2000 460,122 100.0 10.1 17.2 28.3 30.4 14.0
2001 499,386 100.0 9.2 16.7 28.1 31.1 14.8
2002 579,973 100.0 8.5 17.1 28.2 31.3 14.8
2003 613,282 100.0 7.6 17.7 28.1 31.4 15.2
2004 622,803 100.0 7.1 18.4 27.3 30.6 16.6
2005 604,742 100.0 6.9 18.2 27.1 31.1 16.7
Workers
1992 487,164 100.0 10.7 22.9 28.4 29.6 8.4
1993 546,532 100.0 10.4 22.7 27.6 29.8 9.5
1994 578,664 100.0 10.2 21.5 25.9 28.8 13.6
1995 547,145 100.0 10.6 20.8 25.4 29.4 13.8
1996 542,493 100.0 10.2 19.6 24.7 30.6 14.8
1997 454,054 100.0 10.6 18.5 25.7 30.5 14.6
1998 426,309 100.0 10.8 18.3 27.8 30.9 12.2
1999 421,594 100.0 10.6 17.4 29.3 30.1 12.5
2000 434,280 100.0 10.4 16.7 29.3 29.8 13.7
2001 473,594 100.0 9.6 16.3 29.0 30.5 14.6
2002 550,423 100.0 8.8 16.8 29.2 30.6 14.6
2003 580,751 100.0 7.9 17.4 29.1 30.6 14.9
2004 587,474 100.0 7.4 18.1 28.3 29.8 16.4
2005 569,978 100.0 7.2 18.0 28.2 30.2 16.4
Widow(er)s
1999 9,685 100.0 5.6 29.1 31.8 22.7 10.8
2000 8,989 100.0 5.3 29.0 31.4 22.3 12.0
2001 8,701 100.0 4.6 27.6 31.1 22.9 13.6
2002 9,069 100.0 4.7 26.2 32.4 23.7 13.0
2003 9,534 100.0 4.2 26.5 32.7 23.3 13.4
2004 10,089 100.0 3.6 25.8 32.2 24.0 14.3
2005 10,069 100.0 3.8 24.7 32.8 24.3 14.4
Adult children
1999 16,793 100.0 3.1 22.7 0.7 53.3 20.2
2000 16,853 100.0 2.9 22.9 0.7 51.9 21.7
2001 17,091 100.0 2.5 21.3 0.9 52.9 22.3
2002 20,481 100.0 2.3 21.6 0.8 53.6 21.7
2003 22,997 100.0 2.0 21.8 0.7 53.5 22.0
2004 25,240 100.0 2.0 21.7 0.5 52.6 23.1
2005 24,695 100.0 2.0 21.0 0.4 52.9 23.8
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Disability Research file, 100 percent data.
NOTES: Data for the initial and reconsideration levels are current through June 2006. Data for the hearing level or above are current through August 2006.
Because a number of applications remain pending for more recent years, the numbers and percentages will change over time.
Applications with a medical decision may be pending a final nonmedical decision or be subsequently denied for nonmedical reasons.
Data include decisions for Social Security–only applications and applications for both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI); they do not include SSI-only claims.
Data from 1992 to 1998 are available for disabled workers only.
a. Applicant has an impairment resulting from drug addiction or alcoholism, provided insufficient medical evidence, failed to cooperate, failed to follow prescribed treatment, did not want to continue development of the claim, or returned to substantial work before disability could be established. Also includes cases denied at or above the hearing level for which the basis of determination is not available.
CONTACT: Clark Pickett (410) 965-9016 or di.asr@ssa.gov.