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Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
State Profile
Iowa
IA · Region KCM
DDS approval rate
43.9%
+4.1 pts vs national
DDS approval rate
43.9%
National: 39.8%
3-year change
+1.8 pts
Annual receipts
17,467
FY2024
Hearing offices
1
8 ALJs
Latest monthly DDS data · 2026-07
Initial receipts
2,060
Initial determinations
1,742
Initial allowance rate
41.2%
Initial pending
3,989
Recon determinations
504
Recon allowance rate
10.5%
Hearing offices in Iowa
| Office | Rank | Processing days | Pending | Approval | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DES MOINES | 25 | 237 | 2,332 | 52.5% | 8 |
ALJs in Iowa (8)
Sorted by approval rate.
| Judge | Office | Approval | Decisions | Awards | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton, Henry | DES MOINES | 82.9% | 70 | 58 | |
| Gordon, Matthew | DES MOINES | 65.2% | 385 | 251 | |
| Priester, John | DES MOINES | 58.9% | 421 | 248 | |
| Larner, Michael | DES MOINES | 54.7% | 333 | 182 | |
| Mills III, John P | DES MOINES | 52.2% | 157 | 82 | |
| Fields, Kim | DES MOINES | 41.2% | 410 | 169 | |
| Schmidt, Erin T. | DES MOINES | 36.3% | 347 | 126 | |
| Kidd, Michael S. | DENVER | 0.0% | 2 | 0 |
Next step
Estimate approval odds
See SSA historical approval base rates for a Iowa claim by condition, age, and stage.