Edith HARPER, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Defendant-Appellee

This is a social security case in which the appellant filed a series of claims asserting that she had become disabled before her insured status expired. The main question before us is whether, after an administrative law judge has conducted an evidentiary hearing despite the existence of an earlier final decision denying the same claim, the Appeals Council can-deny the hearing request retroactively, thereby foreclosing judicial review. The district court answered this question in the affirmative and dismissed the claimant’s case. We agree with the district court’s decision, and we shall…