<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-05-10-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0960-AH51</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>201610</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>0960</CODE>
            <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Revisions to Rules Regarding the Evaluation of Medical Evidence</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>We are proposing several revisions to our medical evidence rules. The proposals include redefining several key terms related to evidence, revising our list of acceptable medical sources (AMS), revising how we consider and articulate our consideration of medical opinions and prior administrative medical findings, revising who can be a medical consultant (MC) and psychological consultant (PC), revising our rules about treating sources, and reorganizing our evidence regulations for ease of use. These proposed revisions would conform our rules with the requirements of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA), reflect changes in the national healthcare workforce and in the manner that individuals receive primary medical care, simplify and reorganize our rules to make them easier to understand and apply, allow us to continue to make accurate and consistent decisions, and emphasize the need for objective medical evidence in disability and blindness claims.</p>
</body>
</html>]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Proposed Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.1502</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.1512</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.1520b</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.1521 to 404.1523</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.1526 and 404.1527</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.1530</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.1546</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.902</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.912</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.920b</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.921 to 416.923</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.926 and 416.927</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.930</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.946</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 405(a)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 423(d)(5)(A)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 902(a)(5)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 1010(a)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 1382c(a)(3)(H)(i)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 1382c(a)(3)(H)(i)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, section 832</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>Yes</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <RPLAN_INFO>
            <STMT_OF_NEED><![CDATA[<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>These revisions would simplify and reorganize our rules to make them easier to understand and apply, allow us to make more accurate and consistent decisions, and emphasize the need for objective medical evidence in disability and blindness claims under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act.</p>
</body>
</html>]]></STMT_OF_NEED>
            <LEGAL_BASIS><![CDATA[<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>Administrative--not required by statute or court order.</p>
</body>
</html>]]></LEGAL_BASIS>
            <ALTERNATIVES><![CDATA[<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>Undetermined at this time.</p>
</body>
</html>]]></ALTERNATIVES>
            <COSTS_AND_BENEFITS><![CDATA[<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>Undetermined at this time.</p>
</body>
</html>]]></COSTS_AND_BENEFITS>
            <RISKS><![CDATA[<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>Undetermined at this time.</p>
</body>
</html>]]></RISKS>
        </RPLAN_INFO>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>09/09/2016</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>81 FR 62559</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>11/08/2016</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>01/00/2017</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>None</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <PUBLIC_COMMENT_URL>www.regulations.gov</PUBLIC_COMMENT_URL>
        <PRINT_PAPER>No</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>William</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Gibson</LAST_NAME>
                <MIDDLE_NAME>P.</MIDDLE_NAME>
                <TITLE>Social Insurance Specialist, Regulations Writer</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0960</CODE>
                    <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>410 966-9039</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>william.gibson@ssa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Office of Regulations and Reports Clearance, 6401 Security Boulevard,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Baltimore</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>21235-6401</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Joshua</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Silverman</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Technical Expert</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0960</CODE>
                    <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>410 594-2128</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>joshua.silverman@ssa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Office of Disability Policy, 6401 Security Boulevard,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Baltimore</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>21235-6401</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Cheryl</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Williams</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Office Director</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0960</CODE>
                    <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>410 966-4163</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>cheryl.a.williams@ssa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Office of Disability Policy, 6401 Security Boulevard,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Baltimore</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>21235-6401</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
