Social Security

Social Security Administration (SSA) Annual Data for
Spoken Language Preferences of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Medicare Claimants

Last updated on April 5, 2018

Background

The goal of the Social Security Administration (SSA) is to improve core services provided to the public and provide alternative methods for conducting business with the agency. In support of this goal, SSA is committed to providing equal access to services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals. The above datasets provide yearly volumes for spoken language preferences at the national level of individuals applying for Medicare benefits based solely on ESRD.

Dataset Index

Agency Program Description

The Social Security Act contains a provision that extends Medicare Part A and B coverage to individuals with end stage renal disease.

To qualify, the claimant must file an application for Hospital Insurance Benefits for Individuals with ESRD. We consider any signed request for, or inquiry about, Medicare on behalf of a specified ESRD patient an application filed as of the date of receipt by SSA, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), or the Railroad Board (RRB).

For additional information on ESRD, please go to: I Have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

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Data Collection Description

SSA collects language preference data when members of the public contact us to apply for Social Security and Medicare benefits and services. We use our electronic systems to capture this information. The Social Security Unified Measurement System (SUMS) provides work measurement data for all workloads processed throughout SSA. SUMS Counts Demographics Data (SCDD) is the data source for SSA’s LEP reports. SCDD is populated by associating the agency’s SUMS workload data with demographics data, which is housed in the SUMS client tables and is sourced by the Integrated Client Data Base. Demographics data includes spoken language, written language, age range and gender.

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Notes

• A federal fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. Most years our fiscal year workload reports contain 52 weeks since we include only full weeks, rather than cut off in the middle of a week. Every few years the reporting period is 53 weeks when we apply the end of week cutoff. Fiscal Year 2016 is a 53-week year for our workload reports.
• We provide both sets of data for 2016 since the 52-week data may be more appropriate for comparing 2016 to prior years that were 52-week reporting periods. This would be particularly relevant for looking at receipts and clearances, for example. The 53-week data may be more relevant for viewing the end of year status of workloads, especially pending cases and it represents the efforts achieved with the entire year’s resources.

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Data Dictionary — Fiscal Year 2016 Onward

Field A: Language preference of the claimant for oral communication.

Field B Onwards: Receipt Counts for each fiscal year beginning with 2016.

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Data Dictionary — Fiscal Year 2016, 52^nd & 53^rd weeks

Field A: Language preference of the claimant for oral communication.

Field B: Receipt Counts for Fiscal Year 2016 based on a 52-week reporting period.

Field C: Receipt Counts for Fiscal Year 2016 based on a 53-week reporting period.

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Data Dictionary — Fiscal Years 2011 - 2015

Field A: Language preference of the claimant for oral communication.

Field B – F: Receipt Counts for each fiscal year from 2011 through 2015.

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To learn more about our services, visit the SSA Multilanguage Gateway where you can read our Language Access Plan and obtain other publications.