Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Hearing Loss

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Social Security Administration 20 CFR Part 404 [Docket No. SSA-2008-0016] RIN 0960-AG20 AGENCY: Social Security Administration. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. SUMMARY: We propose to revise the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving hearing loss. We apply these criteria when you claim benefits based on disability under title II and title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The proposed revisions reflect current medical knowledge, treatment, and methods of evaluating hearing loss, as well as our adjudicative experience since the publication of the current rules. DATES: To be sure that your comments are considered, we must receive them by October 14, 2008. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any one of four methods—Internet, facsimile, regular mail, or hand-delivery. Commenters should not submit the same comments multiple times or by more than one method. Regardless of which of the following methods you choose, please state that your comments refer to Docket No. SSA-2008-0016 to ensure that we can associate your comments with the correct regulation: 1. Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov . (This is the most expedient method for submitting your comments, and we strongly urge you to use it.) In the Comment or Submission section of the webpage, type “SSA-2008-0016,” select “Go,” and then click “Send a Comment or ( printed page 47104) Submission.” Th…