Social Security Disability: Collection of Medical Evidence Could Be Improved With Evaluations to Identify Promising Collection Practices

December 2008 The Government Accountability Office (GAO) sought to evaluate challenges Social Security Administration (SSA) and the state-level disability determination agencies, Disability Determination Services (DDSs), face in collecting medical records from claimants medical care providers, and challenges facing claimants in obtaining high-quality consultative exams. GAO also sought to assess SSA's progress made in moving from paper to electronic collection of medical evidence. To conduct the research, GAO surveyed 51 DDS directors, visited 5 state DDSs, reviewed sample case files, and interviewed officials with SSA, DDSs, and associations for claimants and providers . . .