Disability Determination Services
The evaluation of claims for the federal disability program is administered through the Illinois Bureau of Disability Determination Services (BDDS), which determines the eligibility of Illinois citizens to receive benefits under the Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability programs. The BDDS' budget is 100% federally funded by the SSA. Employees at BDDS understand these benefits are crucial for citizens looking to build a secure foundation for their lives.
The mission of the Illinois Bureau of Disability Determination Services (BDDS) is to make accurate, timely disability decisions based on objective medical documentation, and as appropriate, consideration of vocational history, including age, education, and previous work experience.
Each claim received by the IL BDDS is subject to strict Social Security Administration (SSA) requirements for quality control, accuracy measures, confidentiality, and processing time parameters. The final decision of disability is made based on objective evidence by highly trained adjudicators in collaboration with a professional medical consultant.
The IL DDS strives daily to make both accurate and timely decisions for all IL citizens who apply. Each disability application received by the BDDS is thoroughly reviewed employing precise SSA requirements and the disability determination is made utilizing objective evidence coupled with information received from the applicants and those who know them.
BDDS Program Highlights
For FY2022, the Illinois BDDS had the 4th highest Production Per Work Year (PPWY) in the country, trailing only Texas, Kansas, and Indiana. PPWY is the official federal measurement of DDS productivity, calculated by dividing total case clearances by total personnel usage.
Illinois' PPWY of 316.0 was 37.5% higher than the national average of 229.8, despite our transition to a new case processing system during FY2022. BDDS are doing more production per person with less staff. BDDS hopes to attain pre-COVID production again with more staffing and additional functionality of the new case processing system in FY 2023.
BDDS Ranked number one in the Chicago region in the Federal Quality Assurance Accuracy Rate in FY 22. The Federal Quality Assurance Accuracy is Social Security Administration's highest level of review and is critical to the integrity of the claim.
| FY 2022 |
Goal |
Actual
Clearances |
| Initials |
49,350 |
50,414 |
| Reconsiderations |
13,437 |
15,359 |
| Continuing Disability Reviews |
23,355 |
23,248 |
| Other |
10,153 |
10,512 |
| Total: |
96,295 |
99,533 |
| National Rate |
Regional Rate |
Illinois Rate* |
| 93.9% |
93.9% |
95.7% |
Our Hearings Unit saw a significant positive change in their workload. Since April 2022, after SSA released a new policy mandating either phone hearings or video hearings, the IL DDS closed more hearing cases than any other state in our 6-state region.
Video Mental Status Exams have become a regular option for our claimants who cannot attend in-person Consultative Exams. This video option has increased the effectiveness of BDDS by helping the Consultative Examiners and claimants with scheduling instantaneous appointment times and a reducing the amount of time to process a claim.
BDDS Looking Ahead... FY 23
In FFY 2023, SSA has given IL Disability Determination Services goals of the following types of cases:
| Case Type |
Service Goal
FY 2023 |
| Initials |
49,188 |
| Reconsiderations |
18,691 |
Continuing Disability
Review |
21,715 |
| Other Case Types |
7,755 |
Continuing Disability Reviews are promoted by SSA as their Integrity Goal for the FY 2023.
Program Development in FY23 for IL BDDS will include:
- Recruitment and Retention activities to be able to assist more IL Citizens.
- Continue with in-house training of new examiners and provide longer one-on-one mentorship until proficiency is gained. Adjudicating a disability case is challenging especially with the ever-changing environment and enhancements to the case processing system.
- Further in-house training to maximize new releases to the new case processing system.
- Process enough of the case types from the SSA IL Field Offices
BDDS Program Success Story
John was diagnosed with COVID in 12/23/21. He was hospitalized for almost 5 months, ultimately enduring a double lung transplant. John applied for disability benefits and was awaiting assignment when he had a change of address. He was connected with a manager who not only took down his address information but looked deeper into his application. That manager had the claim assigned immediately to an IL DDS Adjudicator, Brandon. Brandon took on the painstaking work of reviewing the voluminous medical records received with the file. The medical records topped out at 18,289 pages. Brandon completed the claim one day later, providing John a fully favorable determination.
Benefits Planning
In FY22, more than 100 individuals who receive SSI or SSDI contacted a benefits planner to understand how working will affect their benefits. Anyone who gets Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and wants to work can receive free benefits planning services.
In FY22, Illinois launched a disability benefits website. Disability Benefits 101 gives you tools and information on employment, health coverage, and benefits. You can plan ahead and learn how work and benefits go together.
Program Services
Our staff can:
- Explain how all of your benefits will be affected if you go to work,
- Give you a written report that show how earnings from your job will change your benefits,
- Tell you about other community services that can help you,
- Be available to answer any questions you have about your benefits, even after you go to work,
- Provide ongoing benefits management, which can include a new analysis if you get a raise, and
- Make a referral to help you resolve any legal barriers related to employment, such as employer accommodations that will help you do your job.
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance
The goal of the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program is to enable beneficiaries with disabilities to receive accurate information, and use that information to make a successful transition to work. Each WIPA project has Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWIC) who will:
- provide in-depth counseling about benefits and the effect of work on those benefits;
- conduct outreach efforts to beneficiaries of SSI and SSDI (and their families) who are potentially eligible to participate in federal or state Work Incentives programs; and
- work in cooperation with federal, state and private agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve SSI and SSDI beneficiaries with disabilities.
