In 2021, the SSA denied over 709,000 initial disability benefit claims without assessing the applicant’s health, known as “technical denials.” These denials may result from nonmedical eligibility issues, such as an insufficient work history for SSDI qualification or financial resources exceeding the SSI limit. However, they can also stem from inaccurate or incomplete paperwork.
Simple errors, like unanswered questions or missing information requests, can lead to processing delays.
The prevalence of technical denials has increased significantly in recent years. In 2001, there was one technical denial for every 8.4 SSDI applications, according to SSA data. By 2021, this ratio had shifted to about 2.4 to 1, based on the most recent detailed data on claim outcomes available.