Hawaii and Social Security Disability Benefits

ALL STATE DATA UPDATED FOR 2023!

Everyone’s experience applying for Social Security Disability benefits will be unique. Part of this is because everyone’s individual medical and work history is different. But, potential applicants should also know that each state – like Hawaii – has its own story to tell in terms of social security disability benefit approval rates at each stage of the process, as well as waiting times at the hearing stage.

Why is State-by-State Information Important?

Specialized disability advocates (like us here at Citizens Disability) and Hawaii social security disability attorneys know all too well how important it is to understand that every state is different. It’s very helpful to know what the trends are, how long the wait times are from office to office, and what the different rates of approvals are.

Citizens Disability takes a data-driven approach to helping our clients. We want to make sure that we’re giving our clients the best possible advice at every step in the application process. We also work very hard to present the best possible case for each of our clients. Bringing together data from a wide variety of sources – including data like this, which comes from the Social Security Administration – allows us to make smart decisions when we present cases for our clients.

Finally, this information can be very helpful to applicants. Applying for social security benefits is likely a new experience for most applicants, and having an idea of what they can expect from the process can help them be engaged and involved participants with their advocates.

While your own journey may be different than the trends you see here, these tables and charts can help you understand what, on average, you can expect.

You will also find location and contact information for all the offices in Hawaii below.

Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Hawaii – What You Need To Know

There are generally three stages in the application process for Social Security Disability benefits: initial application, reconsideration, and the hearing. In this table, you can see how Hawaii compares to the national average (all states in America) when it comes to approval rates at each of those stages.

As the table shows, Hawaii comes in a little bit behind of the national average when it comes to approval rates at the Reconsideration stage, and is just above the national average at the Initial Application. However, Hawaii is far, far ahead of the national average when it comes to approvals at Hearings. In 2022, Hawaii led the nation in terms of approval rate at Hearings!

Hawaii Initial Application Approval Over Time

Swipe left & right to see the whole table As the table and the below chart show, Hawaii’s approval rates at the Initial Application came down steeply in 2010, and then criss-crossed the national average over the next few years, finishing 2022 slightly ahead the national average. In 2022, Hawaii ranked 32nd in the nation in terms of percentage approval of Initial Applications. While approval rates have declined in Hawaii over the last few years they still are fairly close to the national average – only about 1 in 3 Initial Applications are approved. If you are thinking of applying for SSDI, don’t worry – there are multiple stages to the application process.

Initial Application Approval Rate	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
Hawaii	39.4%	36.5%	36.6%	36.5%	34.4%	37.0%	31.9%	32.6%	35.3%	34.6%	35.4%	38.8%
National Average	38.9%	37.9%	38.4%	37.8%	35.6%	34.7%	33.7%	33.1%	32.7%	33.0%	33.4%	33.2%

Hawaii Reconsideration Approval Over Time

As the table and the below chart indicate, Hawaii has, similar to Initial Applications, come down quite a bit since 2011 and is now just slightly ahead of the national average when it comes to approvals at the Reconsideration level. In 2022, Hawaii ranked 35th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Reconsideration. However, as you can see, in general, the chances of winning approval at Reconsideration are not particularly high. That is why many applicants must continue on to the next level, the Hearing.

Hawaii Hearings Approval Over Time

As the table and the below chart indicate, Hawaii has consistently been far ahead of the national average when it comes to approvals at the Hearing level, even if it has come down a fair amount since 2011. That said, in 2022, Hawaii still ranked 1st in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Hearings.

It is worthy to note that past performance is only one indicator of likely outcomes; as new data comes in, you might see that a state’s performance compared to the national average has either improved or weakened.

Hawaii SSDI Hearing Wait Times & Approval By Office

Hawaii is part of the Social Security Administration’s “Region 9,” which is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. There is 1 hearing office in Hawaii. You can see waiting times for hearings & case dispositions for this office below, with comparisons to the National Averages.

The “Hearing Wait Time (Months)” is, on average, how long it takes in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing and when that hearing occurs.

The “Average Disposition Time (Days)” is, on average, the number of days in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing, and when the Administrative Law Judge who hears their case actually makes a decision on that case.

The “Average Approval Rate” is percentage at which cases are decided in favor of the applicant.

As the table here and the chart below indicate, in 2022, the waiting times for Hearings and case disposition are somewhat longer than the national average, but the approval rates are significantly higher than the national average, by over 20 percent. About 8 in 10 Hearings in 2022 in Hawaii are resulting in a successful outcome for applicants.

These waiting times and approval rates only highlight how important it can be to have a qualified representative – such as an Advocate from Citizens Disability – working on your case. The Government Accountability Office has done research that shows that an applicant who has a representative has an up to three times greater chance of being approved than a person who goes it alone.

Hearing Offices in Hawaii & The SSA Offices They Serve

This is the “Office of Hearing Operations” office in Hawaii. This office is where hearings are scheduled and generally conducted. Each OHO office supports a number of regional Social Security Administration field offices. You are likely (but not guaranteed) to have your hearing scheduled with a Judge who works in the OHO office that supports the SSA field office nearest to you. Of course, in the case of applicants in Hawaii, almost all hearings will be held at the Honolulu office.

Hearing Office Region 9 Honolulu SSA, OHO
Prince Kuhio Federal Building
300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3-303
Honolulu, Hawaii 96850
(855) 601-2479 • (808) 541-3536 • (877) 394-9246
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Social Security Offices Served:
AMERICAN SAMOA: Pago Pago, Saipan;
GUAM: Dededo and
HAWAII: Hilo, Honolulu, Kapolei, Lihue (Kauai), Wailuku (Maui)

All data on this page is current as of February, 2023.

About Citizens Disability, LLC:

Since 2010, Citizens Disability has been America’s premier Social Security Disability institution. Our services include helping people in applying for SSDI benefits, managing the process through Reconsideration, and representing people in person at their Hearing, and if necessary, bringing their case to the Appeals Council. Our mission is to give a voice to the millions of Americans who are disabled and unable to work, helping them receive the Social Security Disability benefits to which they may be entitled. Learn more about us and disability benefits like SSDI & SSI or give us a call (800)492-3260.

Citizens Disability is committed to helping keep people safe from fraud. We will never ask for personal details to start an SSDI application over Facebook or social media. We will only ask for certain details, in private messages, to confirm the identity of a client in a customer service situation. The only way to begin an SSDI application with us is on the phone, through a number found on our website, or one of our clearly-marked advertisements. Please keep your personal details safe, don't share them in a public forum, or with individuals who solicit your information.