BASIC (01-08)

DI 81010.215 The Comparison Point Decision (CPD) Date and Folder

A. The Comparison Point Decision (CPD) Date

The CPD date is the date that the Disability Examiner (DE), Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), or Administrative Appeals Judge (AAJ) signed on the most recent favorable SSA-831, SSA-832/833, or decision. The CPD date is the reference point for the medical development of the electronic Continuing Disability Review (eCDR). Comparison Point Decision - DI 28010.105 provides an overview of the CPD date and instructions for identifying the correct CPD folder. A paper CPD folder will have the SSA-831, SSA-832/833, or decision in the file.

NOTE: For folders that are lost or unable-to-locate the CPD date will be twelve months prior to the date of the interview.

If the CPD folder is a Certified Electronic Folder (CEF), then the CPD date is found on the SSA-831/832/833 in eView. To locate the 831/832/833:

1. Enter the beneficiary Social Security Number in eView; and

2. Select the Case Documents tab; and

3. Select Payment Documents/Decisions (Yellow Front); and

4. Review all of the 831/832/833s in the folder to identify the correct CPD; and

5. Find the 831/832/833 with the most recent favorable medical decision. Box 30 of the 831 contains the examiner signature and Box 31 contains the CPD date. Box 25 of the 832/833 contains the examiner signature and Box 26 contains the CPD date.

B. CPD Folder - General

The CPD folder contains the medical and vocational evidence from the most recent favorable medical decision finding that the individual was disabled or continued to be disabled. If this folder is paper, locate and send it to the Disability Determination Services (DDS) for CDR processing. It is essential that the paper CDP folder contain a FLAG so that subsequent paper folder handlers know that there is an electronic component to the office folder. Paper folders must follow the current eCDR during all steps of adjudication, review, and appeal. See Associating the CPD Folder with an eCDR - DI 81010.235 Associating the CPD Folder with an eCDR The following POMS sections contain instructions for locating potential CPD paper folders from different locations:

• Initially Obtaining the CPD Medical Folder (Initially Obtaining the CPD Medical Folder - DI 13015.030)

• Title XVI Medical Folder(s) - FO Location (Title XVI Medical Folder(s) - FO Location - DI 13015.035)

• Folder in WBFSO/FRC, DDS, or ODAR Locations - FO Actions (Folder in WBFSO/FRC, DDS, or ODAR Locations - FO Actions - DI 13015.040)

• OCO/PSC Retrieving The Title II and Title II Portion of the Concurrent TII/TXVI CDR Folder/Medical Evidence (OCO/PSC Retrieving The Title II and Title II Portion of the Concurrent TII/TXVI CDR Folder/Medical Evidence - DI 13015.050)

• FO Retrieving The Title II and Title II Portion of the Concurrent TII/TXVI CDR Folder/Medical Evidence (FO Retrieving The Title II and Title II Portion of the Concurrent TII/TXVI CDR Folder/Medical Evidence - DI 13015.055)

NOTE: A new time-saving tool, the Automated Folder Location Site (AFLS), is available to assist in the folder location process. It is available from the Seattle Intranet (SEANET) site. Click here for the Automated Folder Location Site . You must to be logged into PCOM on the main menu to use this site.)

1. Electronic CPD Folders

If unable to locate a paper CPD folder and the most recent favorable medical decision was made since 01/27/2005, the most recent favorable medical decision may have been made with a Certified Electronic Folder (CEF). CEFs are identified by using the eView program. Use the following instructions to identify if the CPD is a CEF:

• Open eView using the beneficiary’s Social Security Number (SSN);

• Select the “Status/History” tab in eView;

• Review the “Initial Case Status Summary”. If “A paper folder has been created for this filing” is checked, locate the paper CPD folder. If the checkbox is not checked, then the CPD was processed electronically.

NOTE: The FO will link the electronic CPD folder to the eCDR (See Associating the CPD Folder with an eCDR - DI 81010.235C.)

2. CPD Folder Look-alikes

The Field Office (FO) should carefully review the folders to ensure that the correct folder is identified as the CPD folder. CPD folders must have medical evidence and the most recent favorable SSA-831, SSA-832/833, or decision. The following are examples of folders that are not CPD folders and should not be associated with the eCDR:

a. FO Adoption and Collateral Estoppel Cases without Current Medical Evidence

The FO may adopt a previous medical decision if the claim meets the criteria outlined in FO Adoption Decision - DI 11011.005. Per Comparison Point Decision - DI 28010.105B., adoption decisions without development of the level of current medical evidence needed for a “regular” disability decision are not CPD folders.

b. Brown Title XVI Folders

Concurrent disability claims involving Title XVI may have been processed with a two-part brown folder stapled to the Modular Disability Folder (MDF) per Assembling and Transmitting the Official Folder to Disability Determination Services (DDS) – DI 11010.210. Title XVI non-medical material is stored in the brown folder. The MDF and the brown folder may have been separated upon adjudication of the claim and routed to different storage facilities or remained in the FO. The brown folder may contain an SSA-831, SSA-832/833, or decision, but the folder is not a CPD folder because it does not contain medical evidence.