Federal old-age, survivors, and disability insurance; listing of impairments--mental disorders--SSA. Proposed rules

These proposed amendments revise the medical evaluation criteria for mental disorders for the disability program in title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act. No substantial revisions have been made to these criteria since 1979. The proposed revisions reflect advances in medical treatment and in methods of evaluating certain mental impairments, and will provide up-to-date medical criteria for use in the evaluation of disability claims based on mental disorders.     

Federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance; determining disability and blindness; extension of expiration dates for several body system listings. Social Security Administration (SSA). Final rule

SSA adjudicates claims at the third step of its sequential evaluation process for evaluating disability using the Listing of Impairments (the Listings) under the Social Security and supplemental security income (SSI) programs. This final rule extends the dates on which several body system listings will no longer be effective. We have made no revisions to the medical criteria in these listings; they remain the same as they now appear in the Code of Federal Regulations. These extensions will ensure that we continue to have medical evaluation criteria in these listings to adjudicate claims for disability based on impairments in these body systems at step three of our sequential evaluation process.     

Federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance (1950- ); determining disability and blindness; extension of expiration date for cardiovascular system listing--Social Security Administration. Final rule

We are extending the expiration date of the cardiovascular system listing found in appendix 1 of part 404, subpart P, from June 6, 1991, to June 6, 1992. We have made no revisions in the medical criteria in the cardiovascular listings; they remain the same as they now appear in the Code of Federal Regulations. We are presently considering revisions to update the medical criteria contained in part A and part B of the listing, and any revised criteria will be published as a proposed rule when we have completed our review. Insofar as Medicare eligibility is based on entitlement to disability insurance benefits under title II of the Act, this proposed regulation affects the Medicare program. To the extent that Medicaid eligibility is based on title XVI eligibility, this proposed regulation affects the Medicaid program.     

Extension of the expiration data for several body system listings. Final rule

We use the Listing of Impairments (the listings) at the third step of the sequential evaluation process when we evaluate your claim for benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). This final rule extends until July 1, 2008, the date on which the listings for eight body systems will no longer be effective. Other than extending the effective date of the listings, we have made no revisions to the listings; they remain the same as they now appear in the Code of Federal Regulations. This extension will ensure that we continue to have the medical evaluation criteria in the listings to adjudicate disability claims involving these body systems at the third step of the sequential evaluation process.     

Extension of the expiration date for several body system listings. Final rule

We use the Listing of Impairments (the listings) at the third step of the sequential evaluation process when we evaluate your claim for benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). This final rule extends until July 3, 2006, the date on which listings for four body systems will no longer be effective and extends until July 2, 2007, the date on which the listings for eight body systems will no longer be effective. Other than extending the date during which the listings will be effective, we have made no revisions to the listings; they remain the same as they now appear in the Code of Federal Regulations. This extension will ensure that we continue to have the medical evaluation criteria in the listings to adjudicate disability claims in these body systems at step three of the sequential evaluation process.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Final rules

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II or title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revision provides that we will find you disabled if you have medical evidence showing that you have ALS. Because of this change, we are also adding guidance about ALS to our listings. We are also adding ALS to the list of specific impairment categories in our regulation that provides for presumptive disability payments under title XVI.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating genitourinary impairments. Final rules

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving genitourinary impairments. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revisions reflect advances in medical knowledge, treatment, and methods of evaluating genitourinary impairments.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating skin disorders. Final rules

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving skin disorders. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revisions reflect advances in medical knowledge, treatment, and methods of evaluating skin disorders.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating cardiovascular impairments. Final rules

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving cardiovascular impairments. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revisions reflect advances in medical knowledge, treatment, and methods of evaluating cardiovascular impairments.     

Extension of expiration date for the respiratory body system listings. Social Security Administration (SSA). Final rule

We adjudicate claims at the third step of our sequential evaluation process for evaluating disability using the Listing of Impairments (the Listings) under the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. This final rule extends until July 2, 2002, the date on which the respiratory body system listings will no longer be effective. We have made no revisions to the medical criteria in these listings; they remain the same as they now appear in the Code of Federal Regulations. This extension will ensure that we continue to have medical evaluation criteria in the listings to adjudicate claims for disability based on impairments in the respiratory body system at step three of our sequential evaluation process.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating malignant neoplastic diseases. Final rules

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving malignant neoplastic diseases. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revisions reflect advances in medical knowledge, treatment, and methods of evaluating malignant neoplastic diseases.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating visual disorders. Final rules

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving visual disorders. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revisions reflect our program experience and advances in medical knowledge, treatment, and methods of evaluating visual disorders.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating impairments that affect multiple body systems. Final rules

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving impairments that affect multiple body systems. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revisions reflect current medical knowledge, methods of evaluating impairments that affect multiple body systems, treatment, and our adjudicative experience.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating immune system disorders. Final rules

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving immune system disorders. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revisions reflect our adjudicative experience, as well as advances in medical knowledge, treatment, and methods of evaluating immune system disorders.     

Revised medical criteria for evaluating digestive disorders. Final rule

We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving digestive disorders. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revisions reflect advances in medical knowledge, methods of evaluating digestive disorders, treatment, and our program experience. We are also removing listings that are redundant because they only refer to other listings, and we are making other conforming changes.     

Evidentiary requirements for making findings about medical equivalence. Final rules

We are revising our regulations that pertain to the processing of claims for disability benefits under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). These revisions make the language in the rules we use under title II of the Act for making findings about medical equivalence consistent with the language in the rules that we use under title XVI of the Act. These revisions also clarify our rules about the evidence we use when we make findings about medical equivalence for adults and children. We are also updating and clarifying our rules that explain the Listing of Impairments (the listings) and how your impairment(s) can meet a listing.     

Federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance and Supplemental Security Income for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled; medical and other evidence of your impairment(s) and definition of medical consultant. Social Security Administration. Final rules

We are revising the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability regulations regarding sources of evidence for establishing the existence of a medically determinable impairment under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). We are doing this to clarify and expand the list of acceptable medical sources and to revise the definition of the term "medical consultant" to include additional acceptable medical sources.     

Forensic psychiatry and malpractice

This paper concerning the last 87 malpractice cases referred to the Department of Psychiatry and Law, Menninger Clinic, includes 57 suits against mental health practitioners and/or institutions, and 30 nonpsychiatric suits against general hospitals, surgeons, obstetricians, etc. A patient was available for interview in only 12 percent of the psychiatric cases; in 88 percent we reviewed medical records and consulted with attorneys. In the psychiatric cases the crucial question was whether a generally accepted standard of care was breached. The inherent problems of applying appropriate criteria to standards of care by practitioners and institutions are discussed. In half the psychiatric cases we found no significant deviation from acceptable clinical performance; in half we concluded that negligent practice had occurred. We did see a litigant for evaluation in 90 percent of the nonpsychiatric cases. The main issue involving them concerned harm or disability related to presumed negligence by medical personnel. How we evaluate such cases and apply disability criteria is discussed.     

道路交通事故受伤人员后期医疗费评估的法医学探讨

目的　探讨 13 71例交通事故中受伤人员后期医疗费的影响因素 ,并为此类案例后期医疗费的法医学评估积累经验。　方法　设定影响因素参数为“评估时间、是否评残及后期有无手术” ,并行卡方检验。　结果　评估时间在 1月内者为 475例 ,3月内者 1118例 ;评估时间的不同、是否评残及后期有无手术等因素对后期医疗费的影响有显著性意义 (P <0 .0 1)。　结论　后期医疗费的法医学评估是必要的 ,原则上应依据“普及价格”并考虑多种影响因素综合评估     

Social Security benefits and supplemental security income; disability termination hearings at the reconsideration level--SSA. Notice of proposed rulemaking

We are proposing regulatory changes to carry out a requirement of Pub. L. 97-455 (enacted on January 12, 1983). That legislation requires several changes in the procedures used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to conduct periodic reviews of disability cases for continuing eligibility. The proposed regulations would implement Sections 4 and 5 of the new law, which require SSA to make a face-to-face evidentiary hearing available in connection with the reconsideration of any initial determination that an individual receiving disability benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (the Act) is not now disabled. We also propose to make the new reconsideration procedure available in blindness and disability termination cases in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program under title XVI of the Act, pursuant to the Secretary's broad rulemaking authority in the SSI program. Although Congress has not specifically required that we do so, it is customary to extend legislative improvements in the title II disability program to comparable SSI cases, since the medical eligibility requirements in both programs are quite similar. Moreover, the proposed inclusion of SSI blindness and disability termination cases would promote effective program administration by providing a uniform appeal procedure in the two programs. We believe that this new procedure will make the reconsideration level more meaningful in blindness and disability termination cases, that beneficiaries affected by these termination decisions will be better served and that the overall quality of the decisionmaking process will also be improved.