A Plan for Improving the Disability Determination Process by Bringing It Under Complete Federal Management Should Be Developed

The most important step in considering claims for Social Security disability benefits is determining whether a claimant is disabled. State agencies carry out the disability determination process under contractual agreements with the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). In 1977, about 6.7 million disability beneficiaries received disability benefits of about $14.0 billion.