Signature Requirements for State Agency Medical and Psychological Consultants in Disability Determinations

We are revising the requirements of the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) regulations regarding the certifications required on the disability determination forms used by State agencies to certify determinations of disability. Present regulations require that, unless the disability determination is made by a State agency disability hearing officer, disability determinations made by a State agency will be made by a State agency medical or psychological consultant and a State agency disability examiner. This includes determinations made on technical, non-medical, rather than medical, grounds. We are revising our rules to remove the requirement that a medical or psychological consultant sign the disability determination forms used by the State agency to certify each determination, when there is no medical evidence to be evaluated. In such cases, the disability examiner may make the determination alone.