The Nation - News from Nov. 16, 1988

Social Security officials have proposed rules intended to tighten up the appeals process for elderly and disabled people who have been denied government benefits, agency spokesman Phil Gambino said. “We’re just looking to make faster, more accurate, better decisions,” he said. The “brainstorming idea” is in a preliminary stage and is expected to go through several governmental levels, with no decision expected before next spring, Gambino said. Under the proposal, people challenging the denial of benefits would be required to submit all of their evidence in advance of a hearing before an administrative law judge, he said. Now, evidence may be submitted during the hearing, but Gambino said the proposal would allow that only if new information arose too late to be produced ahead of time.