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SSA Announces New Centralized Mail Process for Hearings Operations

Date:

Dear Colleague:

Social Security's Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) is pleased to announce the OHO Centralized Mail process, a streamlined method for processing paper mail sent to hearing offices. You can now use the unique post office box for each hearing office where all incoming mail will be scanned by a contractor. Scanned documents that include a barcode cover sheet upload automatically to the hearing case files and are immediately available for our staff to take the appropriate action. The Centralized Mail process will enhance customer experience at the hearing level by improving the speed and efficiency of processing paper mail.

We began implementing this initiative across OHO this month, and have helpful information available for appointed representatives as we implement this initiative in the Office of Hearings Operations:

  • For cases with an electronic folder, continue to use the Appointed Representative Services (ARS) to upload documents to the electronic folder pursuant to Federal Register Notice (FRN), 85 FR 62779.
  • When sending paper mail to a hearing office's unique post office box, always include the claimant's barcode cover sheet that was included with the acknowledgement letter as the first page.
  • The optical scanner will use the barcode cover sheet to associate the sent mail to the appropriate section of the electronic folder.
  • When the barcode cover sheet is unavailable, include the claimant's identifying information so the office can associate the documents with the correct claim.
  • For cases without an electronic folder, please send all mail for cases pending at the hearing level to the unique post office box for the specific hearing office. Refer to the Hearing Office Locator website for each office's unique post office box: https://www.ssa.gov/appeals/ho_locator.html.

Thank you for your support as we continue to improve service delivery at the hearing level.

If you have questions regarding this process, please contact OHO.HQ.ARS@ssa.gov.

Sincerely,

Dawn Bystry
Acting Associate Commissioner
Office of Strategic & Digital Communications
OEA.Net.Post@ssa.gov
@SSAOutreach