After being approved for Social Security disability, you could face periodic assessments to determine if you are still eligible to receive benefits. During the assessments, you could be asked to provide a range of information and even have to undergo a medical examination. To help improve your chances of retaining your benefits, here is what you need to know about the assessment.
What Are Continuing Disability Reviews?
Continuing disability reviews, or CDRs, are the formal name for the periodic assessments the Social Security Administration conducts to determine continued eligibility for benefits. The frequency of the reviews can vary. For instance, if your condition is not expected to improve, you could face a CDR every five to seven years. However, if there is a possibility that your condition could improve, your CDR could be scheduled every six to eighteen months.
During the CDR, the agency could ask for copies of your medical records. You are also required to complete Form SSA-454. The form requires you to detail the medications you are taking, your impairment, and how your disability is affecting your ability to work. It is important you are just as detailed on the form as you were in your initial application for benefits.
How Can You Prepare?
The best way to prepare for the CDR is to talk to your treating physician. His or her assessment of your condition will play a major role in whether or not your benefits are continued. Ideally, your doctor has been detailed in documenting your medical condition. If not, you need to ensure that your doctor is aware of how your health has impacted your ability to perform daily living tasks and work.
What If Your Benefits Are Denied?
In the event that the Social Security Administration denies your benefits after the CDR is complete, you can file an appeal. You will need to present evidence to support the idea that you are entitled to continue to receive benefits. What evidence you provide to the agency depends on the reason for the denial.
For instance, if the agency determines that your benefits should be denied because your health has improved, you will need to submit medical records to support the fact that you are still disabled. You can also request an independent medical assessment. During the assessment, it is important that you are detailed in describing your medical condition and its impact on your everyday life.
If you have received notice of an upcoming CDR, contact an attorney like one from the Law Offices Of Russell J. Goldsmith to find other ways to be prepared for the assessment. The attorney can help ensure you are prepared and help you file an appeal if you do lose your benefits.
Share28 August 2015
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