Summary: In April 1978, the Social Security Administration implemented a proposed regulation which affords persons making an oral inquiry about their possible eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits the same protection as a person making a written inquiry; that is, an opportunity to have their benefits computed from the date of inquiry provided they are found eligible after filing an application. Previously, SSI benefits were computed from the date the formal application was filed, regardless of the date of oral inquiry.
In order to remove the redundancy of processing, provide better protection of a claimant's filing date, and provide a method for detecting claimants who falsify eligibility information, the oral and written inquiry process should be incorporated into the existing SSI computerized system. This can be accomplished by eliminating the new oral inquiry questionnaire and using the formal application entering the information obtained into the SSI computerized system, allowing the SSI computerized system to issue the written notice of denial, and developing an automated methodology for field offices to obtain information on oral or written inquiries and any prior reasons for denial.
