Handle the claim or inquiry to completion as though your office were the resident
office. Include in the development documentation (a signed statement or RC) showing
the claimant's preference for nonresident office case processing. Handle the case
per GN 00904.048 if the claimant has appointed a representative. Tally claims on the district office
weekly report for control purposes. Inform the claimant that your office will handle
the claim to completion but that, in the future, he/she will be contacted by the office
servicing his/her home address.
In preparing the SSA-450C (Claims Input Data) enter in the “ST” block, the State, county, and DO code of the resident office since this item must
always agree with the claimant's address.
If the claim is being disallowed or forwarded unadjudicated or conditionally adjudicated,
make an entry on the SSA-3428-U2 or SSA-3601. Showing the resident office on these
forms in addition to your own office will enable the processing center to route any
post-entitlement notices to the resident office.
In disability claims, handle as explained above and, in addition, enter the nonresident
office address on the SSA-831-U5. DO NOT show the resident office address on this
form.
After preparing a dummy SSA-250 for your files, send the SSA-250 to the resident office
immediately explaining under remarks, “Claimant filed with this office. (See GN 00904.064D.)” Identify your office in the top margin on the front of the form. Upon receipt of
the SSA-250 the resident office should promptly send any lead forms, proofs, correspondence,
etc., to the nonresident office and file the SSA-250 in the 250 file.
If contact with the claimant is needed during development of the claim, the nonresident
office should contact the claimant directly. If contact is necessary with other than
the claimant in the service area of another office, follow the rules in GN 00904.080 through GN
00904.095. When requesting assistance of the resident office, indicate that the claimant prefers
contact with your office per GN 00904.064D.
If before or during the filing of a claim with the resident office, the claimant expresses
a preference to contact another office, provide the services in C. above normally
provided by the nonresident office. Enter in remarks on the reverse of the SSA-250,
“Claimant prefers to contact your office, see GN 00904.064D.” Prepare a dummy SSA-250 for use in the event that future actions are received relating
to this claimant.