The MC and PC:
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Sign assessments and determinations; and
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Indicate that their signature completes the medical portion of the disability determination.
An MC, who is a physician, takes responsibility for the medical portion of the determination,
except in cases where a PC may perform this function.
A PC may perform this function when:
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A mental impairment is the only impairment in the claim; or
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There is a combination of a mental impairment with a physical impairment, but the
mental impairment alone justifies a finding of disability.
The MC or PC who is taking responsibility for the medical portion of the determination
signs the disability determination forms and all supporting documents relevant to
the determination that require a signature.
In cases where there is evidence of mental and physical impairment(s), and a PC reviews
the case, the PC evaluates only the mental impairment(s) and the MC evaluates the
physical impairment(s).
In cases where the combination of physical and mental impairments may be equivalent
to a medical listing, the MC and PC confer, both complete and sign an SSA-416 (Medical Evaluation), and one of the consultants takes overall responsibility to
sign the rationale supporting the equivalence. For additional information on the SSA-416,
see DI 24501.006.