The first method of applying for your SSDI Benefits is online. The Social Security Disability Administration website address is https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/ to apply online. Once you are on the webpage scroll down you will see Apply for Disability blue tab, then click on the tab to start entering your information. Be sure to write your pin number down that will appear because you cannot return to your original application without the pin number. If you do not have your pin number then you will have to go through application process over again. If you need a break from filling out the application, you can click on save and return later. That’s why it is important to write the pin number so you will be able to return back to your application.

The Social Security Disability application is a long process to fill out. I recommend you buy a 2 pocket folder to put all your medical records, test results, names addresses phone numbers of all your doctors, and names of all your medication. That way you have everything you need to start the application process. If you have any questions on the application you can call the National Social Security Disability Customer Service Line at 1800-772-1213 and they will be happy to answer them.

The second method of applying for SSDI is to call the National Social Security Disability Customer Service Line at 1800-772-1213 to request an application be mailed to you.

The third method is applying over the telephone 1800-772-1213 and gather all documents before calling.

After submitting your application, call Social Security Disability to see if they received your application. Normally it takes approximately 90 days before you hearing anything but be patient. Many people get denied the first time they apply. But do not let it discourage you because you can appeal the decision. Because you have a long road to travel like filling out an appeal application online, by phone, or request an appeal form be mailed to you. This is when the long waiting period comes. What I mean by long waiting period is waiting on a scheduled court date hearing for your appeal. You can look up your state to see how long you have to wait for a scheduled court date hearing for your appeal.

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The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Social Security Administration (SSA) issued its September, 2015 Audit Report entitled “The Social Security Administration’s Efforts to Eliminate the Hearings Backlog” in which it took SSA to task for its failure in its efforts in this regard.

As of March, 2015, the Social Security Disability Appeal hearing backlog (cases awaiting an initial hearing decision) totaled approximately one million with a processing time of 450 days. This is a far cry from the goal of 270 days previously set by SSA.

Four factors have been attributed to causing the enormous backlog:

•  An increase in hearing requests a decrease   in Administrative law judge (ALJ) productivity (14% from 2012 to 2014).

•  A decrease in senior attorney adjudicator decisions  A recent decrease in the number of available ALJs (decreasing from 1350 in 2013 to 1247 in 3/15).

•  At this time, SSA has not presented a long-term, multi-year strategy for reducing the growing hearings backlog and worsening timeliness. The agency had presented a 38 point tactical plan of which 21 initiatives were mere variations of prior efforts. Of the 38 short term hearing backlog initiatives, only 18 (47%) are ongoing with 17 being accomplished.

•  Whereas, hearing dispositions peaked in 2012 and have decreased continuously since that time while receiving a record number of hearing requests in 2011 (861,500).

This report mentioned that some managers reported that ALJ workloads have decreased ALJ productivity as it creates a disincentive to be productive so as not be labeled an “outlier.” This has resulted in 115,000 fewer dispositions over the past three years.