A friend just stumbled upon the fact that Social Security's ERE online system for attorneys and others representing claimants now allows access to their clients' files pending at the initial and reconsideration levels. Who know how long this may have been available but no one knew? I guess they were planning to make an announcement eventually.
Unlike at the hearing and Appeals Council levels, there's no way yet of accessing a list of cases pending at initial and reconsideration but this is still a step forward.
Finally!!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome, but it looks like there is now an issue with submitting evidence on ERE. When I try to upload a file to a claimant's e-folder, I get the error message "You must upload a file if you entered information about the file." I am selecting the PDF from my computer. It appears that SSA has changed the formatting of the upload site.
ReplyDelete@ 3:56
ReplyDeleteYou have to clear your browser's cookies the first time you want to upload something. We ran into the same issue at first. Once you clear the cookies, it works fine.
I also got access to a recon file today, but only the "E" and "F" sections.
ReplyDeleteIt is awesome that we now have access to some information at the lower levels. However, unfortunately, some information is being withheld. We can only see the E and F exhibits. Thus, we can't see the applications, nor the earnings records, which would definitely be helpful to see. Also if the case is at reconsideration level you can't see the non-examining doctor's report from the initial level, which would also be very helpful to see. It is very nice to have axis to those CE reports, though.
ReplyDeleteReceived an email about it last night. Was effective 9/19/20.
ReplyDeleteRelax Charles. This has become available in the last week.
ReplyDeleteI am a Non-Attorney Rep for some clients and Advocate for others, I looked at the ERE access for a client I am only an Advocate for and I do not have the ability to look at the file, only submit evidence. I am waiting on the cover sheet for another client I am signed on as Rep for to see if I have file access or not.
ReplyDeleteThis is great! It is awesome to have access to the Electronic Folder. We need to see the denials though. We need better real time status updates.
ReplyDeleteThis could be a total game changer if we can get Initial and Recon cases on the "Get Status Reports" button like we can for cases at OHO and AC. That would save thousands and thousands of calls to SSA and DDS. Glad to see access to the Electronic Folder but hoping for Status Report access soon. Silly that ARS/ERE has a 10 case per day limit for cases that the 1696 has been processed on. If SSA and DDS really want us to stop calling them for status updates they should remove this limit and give us status reports like they do for cases at OHO and AC. This is a GREAT step forward though! Very excited about this!
Are you only seeing the E and F sections, or are you seeing other sections with no documents to view? I know many cases make it to the HO level before most of this documentation actually gets added to the claim file, as the DO and DDS do more work directly in other parts of the overall system. OHO is where we start thinking more about Due Process and the need to document and exhibit everything before adjudicating.
ReplyDelete@12:33 Even if the other sections were empty we'd be able to see the sections. In this case the ONLY sections that appear are E and F. We know the B section exists at the DDS level as it contains the appt of rep. If the case is at RCN then we know the A section would have an INI DDE. Those sections are simply not available but we know they contain documents.
ReplyDeleteThis is great news. I'm mostly concerned about F at that level anyway. I need D before I face some of these judges.
ReplyDeleteHey all, We're having an issue with ERE uploads, we got past the cookies clearing but it seems anything we uploaded since Monday hasnt been received by OHO. Tracking my submissions, theyre all stuck in "processing". Just wondering if this is happening to anyone else too? thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteJust out of curiosity, what is in the "C" section that is excluded? I've never found a definitive answer.
ReplyDeleteC section is identified as temporary development. It is essentially cover letters, duplicates, and other documents that are not considered in the adjudication. Spoor. It is purged automatically upon case closure.
ReplyDeleteThe C section is a medical procedure! :P
ReplyDeleteSeriously, its a temporary section where duplicates or other unneeded files are moved. an example is requests for evidence from sources that provided the requested evidence. it is purged by systems processes at some point after the case is closed. it is not "immediate" as one poster suggested, sometimes its more than weeks later.