Administrative Appeals Judge Gerald K. Ray and Professor Jeffery S. Lubbers ·
83 Geo. Wash. L. Rev. 1575 ·
This Article for the special issue on the Administrative Conference of the
United States (“ACUS”) focuses on how a collaboration between ACUS and
the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) has helped SSA use data analysis
to bring about significant improvements in the quality and consistency of disability
case review. SSA’s efforts to closely analyze numerous data points in
the disability adjudication process (encouraged by ACUS recommendations)
have produced information that has led to breakthroughs in how training is
provided and feedback is given to Administrative Law Judges and other key
staff, which has in turn led to improved productivity and accuracy of work
products. The data analyses have also helped inform the agency about differences
between agency and federal court interpretation of agency policies,
thereby helping to inform policy drafting discussions. These techniques advanced
by the SSA Appeals Council have potentially far-reaching applicability
to other federal and state government programs and could promote more
effective, efficient, and consistent government service at a lower cost in such
programs.
