Audience:

:

A. Policy - responsibilities

Office of Disability and International Operations (ODIO), Office of International Operations (OIO), is responsible for:

• Claims filed by or on behalf of individuals who use a foreign address (see DI 43505.001);

• Taking claims and making disability determinations when the primary individual is using a foreign address;

• Assisting Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) when necessary;

• Claims filed under the international social security agreements (totalization).

B. Policy - performs DDS functions

ODIO, OIO's foreign disability examiners (FDE's) perform the full range of DDS functions. FDE's develop and adjudicate:

1. Develop and adjudicate

1. Initial claims

2. Continuing disability review (CDR) cases

3. Reconsideration of initial denials

4. Pre-hearing development of reconsidered cessations

5. Certain claims based on totalized earnings

2. Process assistance requests

FDE's process assistance requests from:

1. Department of State,

2. ODAR, and

3. Foreign agencies with which we have reciprocal agreements.

C. Policy - performs ODO/PSC function

FDE's, with assistance of claims adjudicators and earnings review examiners, also perform various ODO/PSC functions. These functions are:

• Screen and route cases alerted for a medical CDR.

• Develop, adjudicate and review substantial gainful activity determinations for initial and continuing cases.

• Screen, process and review annual CDR enforcements.

• Implement Administrative Law Judge, Appeals Council and Court decisions and remands for all PC8 jurisdiction cases.