Allsup to receive disability records electronically

BELLEVILLE, Ill. A company that provides financial and healthcare services to people with disabilities complimented the Social Security Administration Monday for its decision that it will begin receiving medical records for some disability applicants electronically, starting in 2009.

Allsup, based in Belleville, Ill., said it was the latest in a number of technology initiatives that the SSA has undertaken.

"This announcement is another sign of the agency?s commitment to embracing modern technology to help break the disability application backlog," Allsup president and chief executive officer Jim Allsup said in a statement. "We know from our experience that it can take up to 30 days to receive medical records from many providers. Eliminating that delay should streamline the initial claims review and speed up disability determinations."