Thanks echoes long ago,

I still don't understand it. If this is a policy set forth at a federal level, how can I be denied the use of it at a state level? Whether it's New York, Alabama or any other state. The SSA site plainly states that this is the very first step in the appeal process, this is an SSA policy. How can Alabama SSA deny the use of a federal SSA policy? I'm sooo confused. I honestly believe that each state makes up their own rules depending on the claim they are working on just to delay the obvious outcome.