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May 15, 2003

Provide Input on SSI & SSDI

From: Justice-For-All - May 15, 2003

SOCIAL SECURITY


Dear Colleague,

We are considering updates and revisions to the rules we use to evaluate
immune system disorders in both adults and children who apply for, or
receive, Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security
Income payments based on disability. Before we start to revise the
rules, we are asking interested people and organizations to send us
their comments and suggestions. We're contacting the American
Association of People with Disabilities to make you aware of this
opportunity and to encourage you to send us comments and suggestions.

How can you find out more about this invitation to send us comments?

On May 9, 2003, we published in the Federal Register an Advance Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) that invites all interested people and
organizations to send us comments and suggestions for updating and
revising the rules we use to evaluate immune system disorders in both
adults and children. (68 FR 24896) The rules are in our Listing of
Impairments and in certain other regulations we describe in the ANPRM.

The electronic version of this ANPRM is available in the Federal
Register at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html. It is
also available on our Internet site, Social Security Online:
http://www.ssa.gov/regulations/.

What should you comment about?

As we explain in the ANPRM, we're interested in any comments and
suggestions you have for revising sections 14.00 and 114.00 of our
listings. For example, we are interested in knowing if:

* You have concerns about any of the current listings for adults or
children; such as whether you think we should change any of our criteria
or whether you think a listing is difficult to use or understand.

* You would like to see our listings include something that they do
not include now.

In addition to your comments about our regulations, we are also
interested in any ideas you have about how we may be able to improve our
programs for people who have immune system disorders, especially those
who would like to work full-time or part-time with supports.

What is the deadline for sending in your comments?

We need your comments no later than July 8, 2003.

We are attaching a list of the other people and organizations we are
notifying about this ANPRM. We invite you to share this information with
any other interested people and organizations that are not on the
attached list.


We look forward to receiving your comments, and as we begin drafting the
rules, we may contact you about issues relevant to your comments. If you
have any questions, our staff contacts are: Paul J. Scott
(Paul.J.Scott@ssa.gov) or Peggy Talley (Peggy.Talley@ssa.gov).


Sincerely,


Bill Anderson
Director, Office of Medical Policy
Office of Disability Programs
Social Security Administration

Attachment:

General
ACT UP
AIDS Action
AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
American College of Rheumatology
Arthritis Foundation
CAEAR Coalition
Gay Men's Health Council
Global Health Council
Human Rights Campaign
Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center
Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.
National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
National Association of People with AIDS
National Association of Social Workers
National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Marfan Foundation
National Minority AIDS Council
National Parent Network on Disabilities
Scleroderma Foundation
TASH
The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
The Council for Exceptional Children
University of Maryland Medicine

Legal
Sarah Bohr
California Protection and Advocacy
Center for Disability Advocacy Rights
Children's Defense Fund
Community Legal Services
Greater Boston Legal Services
National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems
National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives
New York City Legal Services
SSI Coalition
Tom Sutton

Government
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration
National Council on Disability

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