Federal Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance; Determining Disability and Blindness; Extension of Expiration Date for Growth Impairment Listings

The Social Security Administration (SSA) adjudicates claims at the third step of its sequential process for evaluating disability using the Listings of Impairments under the Social Security and supplemental security income (SSI) programs. This rule extends until December 7, 1998 the date on which the growth impairment listings contained in Part B of the listings will no longer be effective. We have made no revisions to the medical criteria in the growth impairment listings; they remain the same as they now appear in the Code of Federal Regulations. This extension will ensure that we continue to have medical evaluation criteria in the listings to adjudicate claims for disability based on growth impairments in individuals under age 18 at step three of our sequential evaluation process.