There are many common abbreviations (acronyms) used in Social Security Administration disability claims. You may have wondered what DIB stands for, or what Title 16 means. This list was designed to address some of your questions.

AACT: Abbreviated Account Query (used in Title II claims)
AAJ: Administrative Appeals Judge (Appeals Council Adjudicator)
AC: Appeals Council
ACE: Average Current Earnings (factor used in Worker’s Compensation offset calculation)
ADL: Activities of Daily Living
AI: Aged Individual (used in Title XVI claims)
ALJ: Administrative Law Judge
AME: Agreed Medical Examiner (Worker’s Compensation term)
AMM: Average Monthly Earnings (benefit calculation factor)
AOD: Alleged Onset of Disability or Alleged Onset Date
AR: Acquiescence Ruling
AUSA: Assistant United States Attorney
BHA: Bureau of Hearings and Appeals (former name of ODAR)
BO: Branch Office (sub office of a district office)
BWO: Blind Work Expenses
CAB: Civil Actions Branch of Appeals Council
CALJ: Chief ALJ
CDB: Childhood Disability Benefits (used in Title II claims)
CE: Consultative Examination or Consultative Examiner
CFR: Code of Federal Regulations
CIB: Child’s Insurance Benefits (used in Title II claims)
COBRA: Comprehensive Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
COLA: Cost of Living Adjustment
DAA: Drug Addiction and/or Alcoholism / Drugs and Alcohol
DAC: Disabled Adult Child (used in Title II claims)
DED: Disability Evaluation Division (The State Agency)
DEQY: Detailed Earnings Query (used in Title II claims)
DDS: Disability Determination Service (The State Agency)
DHHS: Department of Health and Human Services (former SSA parent agency)
DI: Disabled Individual (used in Title XVI claims)
DIB: Disability Insurance Benefits (used in Title II claims)
DISM: Same as DSM, the preferred acronym
DISM: Disability Insurance State Manual
DIWC: Disabled Individual, Worker or Child (used in Title II claims)
DJ: District Judge
DLI: Date Last Insured (used in Title II claims)
DLM: Date Last Met (same as Date Last Insured)

DO: District Office (local Social Security Administration field office)
DOB: Date of Birth
DOE: Date of Entitlement (applies to Title II claims)
DOT: Dictionary of Occupational Titles
DSM: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
EAJA: Equal Access to Justice Act
EOD: Established Onset of Disability
EPE: Extended Period of Eligibility (applies to Title II claims)
ER: Earnings Record
FBM: First Benefit Month
FBR: Federal Benefit Rate (applies to Title XVI claims)
FIB: Father’s Insurance Benefits (applies to Title II claims)
FMAX: Family Maximum (Title II benefit limit)
FO: Field Office (a district office or a branch office)
FOIA: Freedom of Information Act
GLPSC: Great Lakes Program Service Center – PC4
HA: Hearing Assistant
HALLEX: Hearings, Appeals and Litigation Law [Lex] (Office of Hearings and Appeals policy manual)
HCFA: Health Care Finance Administration
DHHS: Medicare agency
HE: Hearing Examiner (former title of Administrative Law Judge)
HIA: Health Insurance, Part A – Medicare
HIB: Health Insurance, Part B – Medicare
HOCALJ: Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge
HOA: Hearing Office Administrator
HOM: Hearing Office Manager
HOSA: Hearing Office Systems Administrator
HPI: Hearing Process Improvement
IAP: Interim Assistance Program (applies to Title XVI claims)
IAR: Interim Assistance Reimbursement (applies to XVI claims)
ICD: International Classification of Diseases
ID: Initial Determination
IEP: Initial Enrollment Period (for Supplemental Medical Insurance Benefits)
IFA: Individualized Functional Assessment (former Title XVI child disability standard)
IME: Independent Medical Examiner – Worker’s Compensation term
IRWE: Impairment-Related Work Expense
ISM: In-Kind Support and Maintenance (applies to Title XVI claims)
LMER: Last Met Earnings Requirement (same as Date Last Insured)
LPC: Legal Processing Clerk

LSDP: Lump-Sum Death Payment
MA: Medical Advisor (former title of a Medical Examiner)
MAMPSC: Mid-America Program Service Center – PC6
MATPSC: Mid-Atlantic Program Service Center – PC2
MBR: Master Beneficiary Record (applies to Title II claims)
ME: Medical Expert – (designated physician at Office of Hearings and Appeals level)
MER: Medical Evidence of Record (also MEOR)
MIB: Mother’s Insurance Benefits (applies to Title II claims)
MRFC: Mental Residual Function Capacity
MSS: Medical Source Statement
NEPSC: Northeastern Program Service Center – PC1
NH: Number Holder – “Wage Earner” (applies to Title II claims)
OASDI: Old-Age, Survivor & Disability Insurance (applies to Title II claims)
OCRO: Office of Central Records Operations – Baltimore, MD – PC9
ODAR: Office of Disability, Adjudication and Review (formerly OHA)
ODIO: Office of Disability & International Operations – Baltimore, MD – PC8
ODO: Office of Disability Operations
OGC: Office of General Counsel
OHA: Office of Hearings and Appeals (former name of ODAR)
OIG: Office of the Inspector General
OOH: Occupational Outlook Handbook
OP: Over Payment
OPIR: Office of Program Integrity Review
PA: Privacy Act
PASS: Plan to Achieve Self Support (applies to Title XVI claims)
PCI: Payment Cycling Indicator – (staggered benefit payment dates)
PE: Post Entitlement (applies to Title II claims)
PE: Post Eligibility (applies to Title XVI claims)
PEBES: Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement (applies to Title II claims)
PIA: Primary Insurance Amount (base benefit rate)
PMV: Presumed Maximum Value (Title XVI income term)
POMS: Program Operations Manual System (SSA claims manual)
PPD: Permanent Partial Disability – (Worker’s Compensation term)
PPS: Program Policy Statement – SSR precursor
PRUCOL: Permanent Residence under Color of Law
PRW: Past Relevant Work
PSC: Program Service Center
QA: Quality Assurance
QC: Quarter of Coverage (applies to Title II claims)
QMB: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary

QME: Qualified Medical Examiner (Worker’s Compensation term)
RC: Regional Commissioner of SSA
RCALJ: Regional Chief ALJ
RFC: Residual Functional Capacity
RFH: Request for Hearing
RFR: Request for Reconsideration
RIB: Retirement Insurance Benefits (applies to Title II claims)
RMO: Regional Management Officer
RO: Regional Office – OHA management unit
RPO: Regional Program Officer
RRB: Railroad Retirement Board
SDI: State Disability Insurance
SDM: Single Decision Maker
SEPSC: Southeastern Program Service Center – PC3
SEQY: Summary Earnings Query (applies to Title II claims)
SGA: Substantial Gainful Activity
SHA: Supervisory Hearing Assistant
SIB: Spouse’s Insurance Benefits (applies to Title II claims)
SLMB: Special Low-income Medicare Beneficiary
SMIB: Supplemental Medical Insurance Benefits – same as HIB
SSRT: Simple, Routine, Repetitive Task
SSA: Social Security Administration
SSA: Supervisory Staff Attorney
SSDC: Social Security concurrent claim (Title II and Title XVI)
SSDI: Social Security Disability Insurance (applies to Title II claims)
SSI: Supplemental Security Income (applies to Title XVI claims)
SSID: SSI Disability
SSID: SSI Display (computer query)
SSIRD: SSI Record Display – (computer query)
SSLP: Social Security Law and Practice (West Group)
SSP: State Supplementary Payments (optional state Supplemental Security Income add-on)
SSPG: Social Security Practice Guide (Matthew Bender)
SSRS: Social Security Reporting Service (West Group)
SSR: Social Security Ruling
Title 2: Social Security Disability Insurance
Title II: Social Security Disability Insurance
Title 16: Supplemental Security Income
Title XVI: Supplemental Security Income
TTD: Temporary Total Disability (Workman’s Compensation term)
TWP: Trial Work Period (applies to Title II claims)
UI: Unearned Income (applies to Title XVI claims)
UI: Unemployment Insurance

UP: Under-Payment
USC: United States Code
USCA: United States Code Annotated
UWA: Unsuccessful Work Attempt
VE: Vocational Expert
VR: Vocational Rehabilitation
VTR: Value of the One-Third Reduction (applies to Title XVI claims)
WC: Worker’s Compensation
WE: Wage Earner (applies to Title II claims)
WIB: Widow’s Insurance Benefits / Widower’s Insurance Benefits (applies to Title II claims.
WNPSC: Western Program Service Center – PC5