If a record of foreign coverage was obtained to adjudicate a claim, document the claims file to show that the foreign coverage was considered. Foreign periods of coverage should be credited only to the extent they are needed to provide totalization insured status. There are two methods (manual method and observation method) used for determining and documenting that insured status is met for retirement and survivor claims. When determining and documenting insured status for disability benefits use the Disability Insured Status Calculator (DISCO).

Follow the guidelines below for the manual worksheet method.

Use the observation method when it is obvious from a quick review of the foreign coverage record that totalization insured status is met; i.e., the record shows far more foreign coverage than is needed.

Example: A NH requires 33 QCs to meet fully insured status. He has 30 QCs of U.S. coverage and the foreign coverage record displays 5 years of non-coinciding coverage.

TOTALIZATION INSURED STATUS WORKSHEET

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The DISCO program retrieves online earnings, NUMIDENT, and Supplemental Security Record data to produce DIB insured status calculations. DISCO determines whether a claimant is insured for title II benefits. The Disability Wizard Quality Management Tool (DIBwiz QMT) helps to establish proper EODs (Established Onset Dates) and to identify prior entitlement and title II (T2) insured status. The FO may use either of these tools to assess key technical entitlement issues, such as insured status, earnings, and prior filings.

Additional information on DISCO, DIBwiz, and other tools are available on the toolbar.

When coding foreign QCs in the DISCO program use the number “8”. The number “1” is used to code US QCs only.

For each year in which there is a U.S. and or a foreign QC:

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  Display a U.S. QC as “1.”

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  Display a foreign QC as “8.”

  • Display no QC as “N.”

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  Show QCs in proper order.

Example: There are US QC’s for the year 1969 through the year 1999 and Foreign QC’s for the year 2000 through the second quarter of the year 2019.

The following alerts have been added to the DISCO program to reflect the use of foreign QCs.

This alert will appear when the Modify QC pattern contains the number (8):

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  Totalization QCs involved refer to: GN 01703.100 Crediting Foreign Coverage, GN 01703.110 How To Document Insured Status Decisions GN 01701.140 Entitlement to Hospital Insurance (HI) in Totalization Claims.

This alert will appear when the Modify QC pattern contains the number (8) and MQGE is selected:

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  MQGE selected and Totalization QCs potentially involved. Totalization QCs cannot be used to establish premium-free HI refer to: GN 01701.140 Entitlement to Hospital Insurance (HI) in Totalization Claims, GN 01701.135 Totalization Benefits Payable by the United States.

This alert will appear whenever there is a totalization segment on the MBR:

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  Totalization data is present on MBR refer to: SM 00510.092 Totalization Data Line.