Social Security is about to share with Americans their new Appendix 1 criteria. Appendix 1 represents a “recipe book” for finding the existence of disability without the need to speak to the claimant.
Social Security should be given very high marks for plain language and an attempt to be folksy and bring a sense of confidence to the process. Unfortunately, the new requirements are more difficult to satisfy, are narrower and will likely scare physicians away from the process.
It is not an attempt to find people disabled. It is a substantial barrier to the finding of disability without a hearing and consideration of vocational issues. It is unlikely that the new pulmonary regulations will be of any help to people whose lungs were damaged by the Covid-19 virus.
The process of rewrite no doubt has been in the works for several years. It is clear that the agency consulted someone and gave this new iteration considerable thought. The fact that it is less welcoming than its language suggests is more than business as usual.