The Division of Disability Determinations is responsible for making the determination of medical eligibility for Florida citizens who apply for disability benefits under the U.S. Social Security Administration disability programs (Social Security Disability-Title II and Supplemental Security Income-Title XVI), and under Florida’s Medically Needy Program.Â
It is also responsible for the periodic continuing disability review of all disability beneficiaries to determine if they continue to meet medical eligibility criteria.
Application for Disability
Applications for Social Security disability benefits are filed at the local Social Security Administration field office or online. The application is forwarded to the Division of Disability Determinations for a review of medical eligibility.Â
Applications for benefits under the Medically Needy Program are made at a local office of the Florida Department of Children and Families. For both programs the claim is then returned to either the U.S. Social Security Administration or the Florida Department of Children and Families for a final determination of technical (non-medical) eligibility and effectuation of any benefits due the claimant.
Bureau of Medical Disability Program Operations
Program operations is responsible for the principal mission of the division, which is the actual processing and adjudication of claims for disability. This bureau ensures an effective and efficient workflow process that enables the division to meet federally and state mandated production, cost and quality goals.Â
Program operations constitutes the largest segment of the division, representing 85% of total division staffing.
Quality Assurance
This unit is responsible for claims accuracy assurance through rigorous internal claim reviews, federal review data analysis, and special targeted studies.
Bureau of Medical Disability Administrative Services
This bureau is responsible for providing administrative support functions, including budget, facilities management, purchasing, finance and accounting, human resources management, and security.
Bureau of Medical Disability Information Services
This bureau is responsible for the administrative oversight and management of all Information Technology functions to include the Local Area Network, Wide Area Network, servers, workstations, printers, iSeries, Helpdesk, Legacy System Application, application development, web publishing, systems security, access control, and all other overall system related tasks in the support of the processing of disability cases.
Bureau of Medical Disability Program Services
This bureau is responsible for coordinating the analysis and dissemination of federal and internal policies and procedures; congressional and critical case inquiry responses; training development; and processes requests for consultative examinations from administrative law judges in the Social Security Administration’s Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (hearings).