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DQB: DISABILITY QUALITY BRANCH

Social Security Disability Definitions

This information may help claimants with representation, as well as claimants who are not represented by an attorney or non attorney representative. Understanding how the Social Security Disability system works can make the difference between winning or not winning the continuing disability benefits and backpay to which a person is entitled. To win a claim for ongoing and past due benefits, claimants should learn about the disability process to improve their chances of winning.
The DQB, or disability quality branch, is the social security administration's version of quality control when it comes to the handling of social security disability and ssi-disability claims.

How does DQB enter into the disability process?



In this way: a random number of disability claims (for which decisions have already been rendered) are selected each month for "review" at each region's DQB. (in the southeastern region, DQB is located in Atlanta, Ga).

Cases pulled by DQB for review can remain there for an inordinate number of weeks or even months.

The obvious effect of this is that some cases are significantly delayed by DQB (decision letters cannot be mailed until DQB has finished reviewing a case).

But this is not the worst effect of the social security administration's approach to quality control.

Cases reviewed by DQB that are found to have technical errors, or are reversed entirely, are sent back to their originating DDS offices (Disability determination services) as "returns".

Managers at DDS view returns from DQB as black marks on their agency's processing statistics---and frown upon any examiner who has more than a minimal number of returned cases each year.

Moreover, since most returns tend to be cases that were originally slated for approval by examiners...the wider effect is to significantly discourage the number of approvals made by examiners.

Put another way, examiners are hesitant to stick their necks out for cases which might potentially come back to them as returns, covered in red ink checkmarks.

This, of course, is an issue that must be dealth with at some point, as regards social security disability reform. Because, ironically, it is the concept of "quality control", as it is currently administered by SSA, which subltly, and sadly, influences disability examiners to deny so many cases.

It is worth noting that cases that are heard by Administrative Law Judges have a significantly higher rate of approval---because ALJ's, unlike DDS examiners, cannot be called on the carpet for their decisions.

Note: Those who would seek to reform the social security disability system should look first at the quality control system used by SSA in their handling of disability claims.



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Additional Questions & Answers


  1. Filing for SSI

  2. Social Security Disability, SSI - How long does it take?

  3. Social Security Disability, SSI - What do I do I am denied?

  4. Social Security Disability, SSI - How do I do file appeal?

  5. Social Security Disability, SSI - How long will an appeal take?

  6. Social Security Disability, SSI - How many times do you have to appeal?


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  • When should you apply for social security disability benefits?

  • How to apply for Disability benefits offered by Social Security

  • How are Social Security claims for disability decided?

  • What evidence is used to decide a social security disability case?

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  • When should you decide to get representation?

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  • Does Social Security deny everyone the first time they apply?

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  • Can you win a social security disability case if you've used alcohol or drugs?

  • Does Social Security give backpay to everyone approved for disability?

  • Does Social Security deny disability claims to save money?

  • Does Social Security give you a disability decision in ninety (90) days?

  • Will a VA approval help my Social Security Disability Case?

  • What is the purpose of the medical exam that social security sends you to?

  • Should you use an attorney or non attorney to provide representation?













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