The DO is responsible for disposing of material accumulated in developing an inquiry
where no claim is filed. This material will be retained or disposed of by returning
it to its source, sending it to DEBS (see B. below), or destroying it (see C. below).
Some of the material, such as a written request for benefits and the 6-month closeout
notice or the claimant's statement that they do not wish to file a claim, must be
kept in the DO for at least 6 months in accordance with GN 00204.030 before being destroyed.
When no claim is filed, the certified earnings record (hardcopy SSA-794 or MCER) may
be destroyed in the DO. Before taking this action, the CAPS orbit must be deleted.
Attach a route slip to file material being sent to DEBS. Route slip is to be addressed
to: 6100 Wabash Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. Include the following statement
in the remarks portion of the route slip, “Attached material is to be filed in Division of Certification and
Coverage's (DCC) Correspondence Files.”
Medical reports submitted by or through the NH may be returned if no application is
filed. However, any medical evidence which the NH has not seen should be sent to ODO
for filing instead of being returned to its source. See GN 01050.055 B. and GN 01050.110.
Never forward an application for benefits to DEBS. Also never forward material to
DEBS when it is known that a claims folder has been set up in a processing center
(i.e., there has been a prior action). If the material is not pertinent to the claim,
destroy it. For example, destroy certified E/R's which were requested in error or
were requested to determine if the NH could qualify for benefits or a recomputation.
If a DO has received a title XVI claims folder from the Data Operations Center (DOC)
and no subsequent claim is filed, the claims folder and any pertinent material must
be returned to the DOC by route slip stating: “No subsequent claim filed.”
The procedures described in the following subsections do not apply to earnings discrepancy
cases (see POMS Chapter RM 038).