ssa-3441-bk (08-2019 - 2020) Form 2019-2021

You mr. K you've gone through the initial claim level the reconsideration level and the hearings level what are you going to do next well my attorney told me that I could file another appeal that I could take it to the Appeals Council level and I plan to do that I have 60 days to file my appeal with the Appeals Council and do you think that's going to change things you know I I just don't know ELISA but I got to try so mr. K received some more bad news yes he has but so far all components of the Social Security Administration involved in the disability process have been thorough and have based their decisions on sound evidence now I know you spoke to mr. K after he received his notice from the administrative law judge what happened well after he got the decision mr. K discussed the results of the decision with his representative and decided to file a request for a review with the Appeals Council we were told that his representative prepared the appropriate request form and sent it to the Appeals Council the representative also sent some additional medical evidence to find out more I went directly to the Appeals Council offices the Appeals Council includes approximately 75 administrative appeals judges and approximately 45 appeals officers who are assisted by other support staff the largest workload of the Appeals Council is to review administrative law judge decisions and dismissals when a claimant appeals them however the Appeals Council can also review decisions on its own motion or at the request of another social security component when the Appeals Council reviews an administrative law judge decision an appeals analyst examines the decision and dismissal order and gives his or her recommendation about the claim to the administrative appeals judge or appeals officer there are several possible recommendations such as to deny the request for review or to grant the request for review and either remand the case back to the hearing office or issue an appeals council decision last year the Appeals Council received over 170,000 requests for review what happened to mr. Kay's request I spoke to Rita Johnson the administrative appeals judge who reviewed mr. Kay's claim can you describe the role of the Appeals Council in mr. Kay's claim yes Lisa mr. Kay gave me his permission to discuss his claim with you an appeals analyst exam mr. K's request for review the analysts considered the entire record and determined that the evidence supported the administrative law judges decision and that there was no other reason to grant the request for review she then prepared her recommendation to the Appeals Council and drafted a notice to deny the request mr. case submitted a great deal of evidence about his medical condition and he's gone through all these steps to seek additional review yet he's been consistently found to be not disabled how is that possible under our regulations there.