VIII. Summary of Management Improvement Goals for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Disability Programs

SSA is committed to fairly, effectively, and efficiently administering disability programs that protect millions of Americans and their families. To that end, SSA has a broad but comprehensive strategy that involves taking action in several areas. We will improve the management of the disability programs for our beneficiaries by addressing longstanding issues of improved administrative efficiency and greater consistency in our decisionmaking processes. We also will provide equal emphasis to safeguarding the integrity of the programs, improving return-to-work opportunities for people with disabilities, and increasing our understanding of disability issues through targeted research. The following table presents a holistic view, which cuts across all relevant strategic objectives, of the Agency's performance goals related to improving the SSDI and SSID programs. The means and strategies for achieving these performance goals are discussed under the relevant strategic objectives in Section V.

Objective: To promote policy changes, based on research and evaluation analysis, that shape the OASI and DI programs in a manner that takes account of future demographic and economic challenges, provides an adequate base of economic security for workers and their dependents, and protects vulnerable populations.
Performance Indicator FY 2001 Goal
  • Identification, development, and utilization of appropriate barometer measures for assessing the effectiveness of OASDI programs
  • Prepare summary and analysis on the barometer measures
  • Preparation of analyses and reports on the effect of OASDI programs on different populations in order to identify areas for policy change and develop options as appropriate
  • Prepare reports on:
    1. Effect of OASDI programs on various subgroups of beneficiaries, including women, minorities, and low-wage workers;
    2. Study on characteristics of people receiving DI benefits;
    3. Analysis of the effect of changes in Social Security retirement benefits on the DI program
  • Preparation of analyses and reports on demographic, economic, and international trends and their effects of OASDI programs in order to anticipate the need for policy change and develop options as appropriate
  • Prepare analyses on the following topics:
    1. Labor force transitions in the elderly population;
    2. Lump-sum payments from employer pensions;
    3. Differences across subgroups in saving;
    4. International retirement policy reforms (including information from the International Social Security Association study)
  • Preparation of research and policy evaluation necessary to assist the Administration and Congress in developing proposals to strengthen and enhance the solvency of OASDI programs
  • Prepare analyses on the distributional and fiscal effects of solvency proposals developed by the Administration, Congress, and other policy makers (we will analyze new proposals and/or modify analyses of previous proposals based on new data)
Objective: To promote policy changes, based on research and evaluation analysis, that shape the SSI program in a manner that protects vulnerable populations, anticipates the evolving needs of SSI populations, and integrates SSI benefits with other social benefit programs to provide a safety net for aged, blind and disabled individuals.
Performance Indicator FY 2001 Goal
  • Preparation of a report and completion of data collection on the SSI Childhood Disability Survey in order to assess the impact of welfare reform, identify areas of potential policy change, and develop options as appropriate
  • Complete interviewing for the first wave of the SSI Childhood Disability Survey
Objective: To promote policy changes, based on research and evaluation analysis, that shape the disability program in a manner that increases self-sufficiency and takes account of changing needs based on the medical, technological, demographic, job market, and societal trends.
Performance Indicator FY 2001 Goal
  • Increase in the number of DI adult worker beneficiaries who begin a trial work period
  • 10%
  • Increase in the number of SSI disabled beneficiaries, aged 18-64, who are working
  • 10%
  • Preparation of a research design to develop techniques for validating medical listings
  • Prepare a preliminary report on the development of the validation methodology
  • Preparation of reports on results of the National Study of Health and Activity in order to identify potentially eligible disabled populations, interventions that enable continued work effort among the disabled, and guide changes to the disability decision process
  • Initiate main study data collection
  • Prepare analysis of alternative return-to-work strategies
  • Design and initiate implementation of demonstration projects.
Objective: To raise the number of customers who receive service and payments on time
Performance Indicator FY 2001 Goal
  • Initial disability claims average processing time (days)
117 Days
  • Hearings average processing time (days)
208 days
  • Percent increase in PPWY in hearings process
14%
Objective: To make benefit payments in the right amount
Performance Indicator FY 2001 Goal
  • DDS net decisional accuracy rate
97%
  • DDS allowance performance accuracy rate
96.5%
  • DDS denial performance accuracy rate
93.5%
  • OHA decisional accuracy rate
87%
Objective: To become current with DI and SSI CDR requirements by 2002
Performance Indicator FY 2001 Goal
  • Percent of multi-year (FY 1996-2002) CDR plan completed
83%
  • CDRs processed
1,729,000
Objective: To aggressively deter, identify and resolve fraud
Performance Indicator FY 2001 Goal
  • OASDI dollar amounts reported from investigative activities
$55 million
  • SSI dollar amounts reported from investigative activities
$90 million
Objective: To increase debt collections by 7 percent annually through 2002
Performance Indicator FY 2001 Goal
  • OASDI debt collected
$1,364.1 million
  • SSI debt collected
$737.7 million