WASHINGTON (WISH) — New rules go into effect for the Social Security Administration today.

A treating physician’s opinion won’t mean as much when someone is filing a disability claim.

The new regulations eliminate what’s called the “treating-physician rule.”

Until now, that rule required the SSA to give significant weight to a doctor’s report that would support someone’s claims for disability. The rule change means it will be harder for people to prove they are entitled to disability payments when making a new claim.

Currently, the number of people receiving disability payments in the United States is about 8.8 million. That’s the lowest level in almost five years.