TOPEKA — Data shows Kansans waited an average of 573 days for decisions on their Social Security claims during the last fiscal year.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Social Security data showed that is an increase from the previous fiscal year, when wait times were 557 days. However, the number of pending cases decreased from 4,290 in the previous year to 2,454 cases pending between September 2017 and August 2018.

Jewell Colbert, spokeswoman for Social Security’s Kansas City region, says a complex appeals process and a “stringent definition” of disability requires detailed medical evidence before the decisions are made.

Mike Stein is assistant vice president of operations for TrueHelp, which helps people through the disability claims process. He says people waiting for decisions often can’t afford medications or regular treatment they need for medical problems.