Initial Expression of Interest / Screening Questions

Initial Expression of Interest / Screening Questions

Pilot Program for Participating in Administrative Law Judge Hearings by Using Privately Owned Video Teleconferencing (VTC) Equipment

20 CFR 404.9369(c) & 416.1436(c)

0960-NEW

SSA will publish a notice in the Federal Register to announce the private VTC Pilot and to solicit interested representatives to participate in the pilot study. Representatives who contact SSA about participating in the pilot will be asked the following initial screening questions:

• Contact information, including name, address and telephone or e-mail.

• The location(s) in which they plan to put the video equipment.

• Whether they already have video equipment and access to the public network or plan to purchase it after selection.

• A brief description of the geographic area and clientele they serve.

• Which hearing office(s) they generally work with and appear at.

• Which remote hearing sites they customarily appear at (if any).

• The approximate yearly caseload at each location.

• Their opinion on how having private video equipment in their office will help better serve their claimants.

• Has the representative read the entire FR Notice carefully and understand the pilot requirements.

• Does not anticipate any problems complying with the requirements and claimant safeguards set out in the FR Notice and;

• Has the representative done some preliminary cost estimates to determine if this type of equipment is cost effective given the size of their practice and anticipated usage. 

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