Social Security Administration Takes Full Control of Medical Disability Reviews

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is transitioning the processing of medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) to its federal Disability Case Review (DCR) operations, a move that aims to enhance federal accountability and allow state Disability Determination Services (DDS) to concentrate on processing initial disability claims. This strategic shift, announced by the SSA, means the agency will now have complete oversight of all CDRs, including both medical and non-medical reviews.

This centralization is intended to improve the service provided to individuals receiving disability benefits by ensuring a more consistent and federally managed process for determining ongoing eligibility. CDRs are a crucial component of the SSA’s program integrity efforts, designed to verify that beneficiaries continue to meet the criteria for disability payments. By bringing these reviews entirely under its purview, the SSA asserts it can achieve greater operational efficiency and reduce improper payments.

The agency’s Disability Case Review site, which already possesses experience in handling initial disability claims, reconsiderations, and medical CDRs, will now manage these medical reviews nationwide. This reallocation of responsibilities is expected to enable state DDS offices to dedicate more resources and attention to expediting the adjudication of initial disability claims and reconsideration cases. Historically, state DDS offices have faced significant backlogs in processing initial claims. As of June 2024, over 1.26 million initial claims were pending. However, the SSA reports that through process improvements and operational focus, these backlogs have been reduced by more than 33 percent, standing at 831,000 as of February 2026. The ongoing collaboration between the SSA and state DDSs is projected to further accelerate processing times and continue to shrink these backlogs.

While medical CDRs will be handled by the federal DCR site, non-medical CDRs, which do not require the specialized expertise of medical reviews, will continue to be processed by the SSA’s existing network of field offices and processing centers. This division of labor aims to leverage the specific strengths and capacities of both federal and state entities to optimize the disability benefits system. The ultimate goal is to ensure that eligible individuals receive the critical support they need in a more timely manner, while also maintaining the integrity of the disability programs.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Social Security Administration

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