Annual Statistical Supplement, 2003

SSA Service Delivery

Table 2.F7 Accuracy rates and use of 800 telephone number, fiscal years 1998–2002
Item	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
	Accuracy rates (percent)
OASI payments
Index of dollar accuracy	99.8	99.6	99.6	99.9	a
Payment review/stewardship results
Excess payments	99.9	99.8	99.9	99.9	a
Underpayments	99.9	99.9	99.9	99.8	a
SSI payments ^b
Index of dollar accuracy ^c	93.9	94.2	94.0	91.4	a
Payment review/stewardship results ^d
Excess payments	93.5	94.3	94.7	93.3	a
Underpayments	98.8	98.3	98.6	98.8	a
Disability Insurance benefits ^e
Initial claims	93.7	94.3	94.2	93.9	94.2
Allowances	96.1	96.5	97.0	96.8	97.1
Denials	92.3	93.0	92.4	92.0	92.4
Reconsideration	91.6	92.3	92.2	91.0	90.5
Reversals of denials	95.6	96.0	96.9	96.8	95.9
Affirmations of denials	90.9	91.6	91.3	89.9	89.4
	National 800 number network (1-800-772-1213)
Number of calls received (millions)	78.9	78.7	76.3	74.8	62.3
Average time calls answered (minutes)	2.7	2.0	2.5	2.8	4.7
a. Data not available.
b. Excludes determinations of disability.
c. Prior to fiscal year 1999, percentages exclude errors of less than $5. Any payments to ineligible beneficiaries are included regardless of the dollar amount of the error.
d. Beginning with fiscal year 2000, the SSI payment review/stewardship results are reported as the percentage of payments free of preventable error.
e. Represents cases free of decisional and documentation errors.
SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Office of Finance, Assessment and Management, Office of Central Operations.
CONTACT: Bob Marks (410) 965-4527 or Phyllis Zemlak (410) 965-3073.