The DQB, or disability quality branch, is the social security administration's version of quality control when it comes to the handling of social security disability and ssi-disability claims.

How does DQB enter into the disability process?

In this way: a random number of disability claims (for which decisions have already been rendered) are selected each month for "review" at each region's DQB. (in the southeastern region, DQB is located in Atlanta, Ga).

Cases pulled by DQB for review can remain there for an inordinate number of weeks or even months.

The obvious effect of this is that some cases are significantly delayed by DQB (decision letters cannot be mailed until DQB has finished reviewing a case).

But this is not the worst effect of the social security administration's approach to quality control.

Cases reviewed by DQB that are found to have technical errors, or are reversed entirely, are sent back to their originating DDS offices (Disability determination services) as "returns".

Managers at DDS view returns from DQB as black marks on their agency's processing statistics---and frown upon any examiner who has more than a minimal number of returned cases each year.

Moreover, since most returns tend to be cases that were originally slated for approval by examiners...the wider effect is to significantly discourage the number of approvals made by examiners.

Put another way, examiners are hesitant to stick their necks out for cases which might potentially come back to them as returns, covered in red ink checkmarks.

This, of course, is an issue that must be dealth with at some point, as regards social security disability reform. Because, ironically, it is the concept of "quality control", as it is currently administered by SSA, which subltly, and sadly, influences disability examiners to deny so many cases.

It is worth noting that cases that are heard by Administrative Law Judges have a significantly higher rate of approval---because ALJ's, unlike DDS examiners, cannot be called on the carpet for their decisions.

Note: Those who would seek to reform the social security disability system should look first at the quality control system used by SSA in their handling of disability claims.