Background

This transmittal amends Hearings, Appeals and Litigation Law (HALLEX) manual sections I-5-6-3 and I-5-6-3A to update instructions relating to plea agreements from four individuals who orchestrated a scheme to assist applicants in submitting applications containing false claims and evidence to the Social Security Administration (SSA) in order to obtain disability benefits.

Explanation of Content and Changes

HALLEX I-5-6-3 – We updated information throughout to narrow the scope of evidence SSA must disregard in conducting redeterminations. We updated III.A.4 and IV.A.3. for consistency with instructions in HALLEX I-1-3-25. In IV.B., we created new sub-subsections to provide instructions for cases redetermined prior to May 2017 and cases redetermined May 2017 or subsequently.

HALLEX I-5-6-3A – We updated information throughout to narrow the scope of evidence SSA must disregard in processing pending cases. We updated III.B. and IV.A.2. for consistency with instructions in HALLEX I- 1-3-25. In IV.B., we created new sub-subsections to provide instructions for processing a request for review in which evidence was disregarded at another administrative level prior to May 2017 and for cases in which evidence was disregarded at another administrative in May 2017 or subsequently.

Date: November 27, 2017