Disability Law Commons^™

The Medical Improvement Standard: An Ounce Of Presumption Is Worth A Pound Of Cure, Diane Jankowski

Cleveland State Law Review

Massive termination of Social Security disability benefits has stirred considerable controversy over the procedure employed to separate wrongfully-terminated, deserving recipients from malingerers. After meeting the statutory definition of "disability," most recipients are not automatically granted continuous benefits. Rather, the Social Security Administration undertakes periodic investigations to determine whether recipients continue to remain eligible for disability compensation. Procedural questions concerning terminations were settled by a 1982 Amendment to the Social Security Act that mandated face-to-face reconsideration hearings. Problems remained, however, regarding which party bore the burden of proof in presenting evidence of continued disability. Although this Note will briefly outline the …