Each year, SSA releases its “waterfall” chart—an in-depth snapshot of how disability claims move through the system. It breaks down approval and denial rates at every level, while also shedding light on how many cases drop off along the way.

This year, overall approval and denial rates remained largely consistent with last year. The most notable shifts occurred in the volume of cases moving through the system, particularly at the Reconsideration and Appeals Council levels. Both saw a significant increase in incoming appeals, though interestingly, these higher volumes did not meaningfully impact approval or denial percentages.

Take a closer look and download the chart below to explore the data in more detail.

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