Anyone else face "Notice of Continuing Disability Review"? Let's talk!

[hubcap_halo]

Hello,

I just got the "continuing disability review forms."

I'm still sick and disabled like I was when I first was awarded SSDI, but I really need
to talk to anyone who has any insight on these forms and this process -- preferably via PM, phone or email.

A friend of mine who was reviewed years ago said it just involved a few pages of questions, but they must have become more strict now.
This packet I've received is requesting names and contact info for all the doctors I've seen and the treatments I've tried.
I moved to another state, and am no longer seeing the doctors who originally wrote letters to get me disability.

I'm seeing two docs: both are more LLMD than CFIDS literate, and I would hope they would help me keep my disability,
but the focus of course has been in trying to regain health. One is a brilliant doc in the Klinghardt tradition, but she's kind of a tough bootstrapper.
We've not discussed SSDI. I hope she's willing to help me keep it!!!! Wish me luck!

Of course we are all trying to get better -- and the frustrating part is I'm still disabled and could not work
at this point. And oi these forms stress me out.

I could really use ANYONE'S help who has faced this process.

THANK YOU

 

[Tristen]

I thought those mailers were only "initial", rather than "full" reviews. Can you tell which it is? Most people don't go beyond the initial review.

Are you on a 1,3, or 7 year review cycle? When was you last review?

Another thread on this: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?3521-Social-Security-Disability-Update-Report

 

[ahimsa]

You might try asking your question on the DISINISSUES yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Disinissues/ You have to join the group to read or post messages. In addition to messages from members there are links and other resources there. I think there may be information about continuing disability reviews (CDRs) in addition to information about new claims for benefits.

My recollection (which could be wrong!) is that social security sends out two sets of forms, a short version and a longer version. I had a review some years ago and I also got the longer version. I think I got about 10-11 pages of forms. Is that about what you got or are they even longer than that now?

At any rate, I just filled out all the forms, sent them back (kept copies for my records), and my disability benefits were continued without any problems. Please don't think that getting the long form means they want to stop benefits.

I hope this helps!

 

[hubcap_halo]

Hi Tristen,
Thank you so much for your reply! Excuse my late response.
I'm at my 3 year point, so I believe this is a standard 3 year review. It has more pages than I would have expected, but as far as contacting doctors, they only say they may contact the ones I list for "medical records." I've got two MDs who believe my SSDI should continue so that's a stress relief.

I've never had a review before.

Thank you
PS I like the Blake Quote!

I thought those mailers were only "initial", rather than "full" reviews. Can you tell which it is? Most people don't go beyond the initial review.

Are you on a 1,3, or 7 year review cycle? When was you last review?

Another thread on this: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?3521-Social-Security-Disability-Update-Report

 

[hubcap_halo]

Hi Ahimsa,

Thank you so much for the reassurance.
This is my 3 year review. I think I got something similar to what you received. About 10 pages, but it won't be that long
because 5 or for different doctors/treatments and I only have two...An MD and
a psychiatrist so I believe the double diagnosis of depression and CFIDS/Fibro will help. Both have agreed to back me
with whatever SSDI sends them.
I'm going back to my original application and may contact my original lawyer too, just because she literally
had it in front of a judge and approved within weeks or a month. I never went to court. So
that original form must have been laid out correctly.

I'm not worried. I mean, I'm basically where I was at when I got SSDI 3 years ago.

If they think they can prove I can work -- god I would love to be healthy enough to work -- they can have at it.

Thank you!
HH

You might try asking your question on the DISINISSUES yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Disinissues/ You have to join the group to read or post messages. In addition to messages from members there are links and other resources there. I think there may be information about continuing disability reviews (CDRs) in addition to information about new claims for benefits.

My recollection (which could be wrong!) is that social security sends out two sets of forms, a short version and a longer version. I had a review some years ago and I also got the longer version. I think I got about 10-11 pages of forms. Is that about what you got or are they even longer than that now?

At any rate, I just filled out all the forms, sent them back (kept copies for my records), and my disability benefits were continued without any problems. Please don't think that getting the long form means they want to stop benefits.

I hope this helps!

 

[Tristen]

Howdy HH, did you get my PM? I typed it out and hit send, it goes, but is not saved in my sent file. So it doesn't appear that it actually sent. maybe a bug.

Are your forms one of these:
Short Form CDR (SSA-455-OCR-SM)
Long Form CDR (SSA-454-BK)

 

[pine108kell]

Sure isn't working out well for me on my continuing disability. After filling out several rounds of paper work, I now have two "consultative examinations" and appears am going down the path toward a denial but I can't work.

I've been sick for a decade, and there is nothing my GP can do, so I got sloppy about maintaining frequent dr visits and making sure that he is documenting my problems. My GP also dropped the ball. No matter how little your doctor can help you, you should maintain frequent visits and have discussions about disability and make sure they are writing it all down.

 

[Sushi]

Pine108kell,

You did hear that Hubcap_halo, who started this thread, died a week and a half ago. Whether disability issues played any part in his decision, we don't know.

Sushi

 

[Jarod]

Sorry to hear about hub cap halo.

I took a test called brief battery for health improvement. "BBHI2"

The test is rigged to benefit the insurance industry and Weasels of the world by making it seem like a psychosomatic disorder and all in your head non-sense. However, it does the trick for SSDI.

It put me square in the depressed catagory. It was enough to turn back on my SSDI benefits though.

It ask questions like:

Do you feel you that you have had good medical care over the years from your doctors?

Do you feel like family members and people don't understand your illness?

Do you feel like your helpless to take care of yourself somedays?

The results are to rate you as having all these somaform disorders etc.... Depressed. etc....

Absolutely miserable for Long term disability benefits...

But seems to get the checks coming again for a small fee compared to some of the other tests out there.

 

[pine108kell]

As I am not a regular poster, I did not know this about hubcap_halo but just did a search and found the very sad thread. It does make you cry. Whatever the exact reason, as a fellow sufferer it is sure easy to sympathize.

I wouldn't want to speculate either about the circumstances in his situation; however, it is a truly tragic place to be when you are chronically ill for so long and not only not able to get any medical help, but just still battling something so simple as to whether you are actually disabled or not and being sent to Psychologists and quack doctors for "consultative exams".

People also need to understand that just because you were accepted for disability, you must make sure you know exactly what your doctor is doing. It is easy to become complacent because this disease has no treatments and most of us just more or less treat ourselves because the medical community has nothing to offer. So why really bother with what your doctor is doing when you just go and complain about the same thing and nothing happens? I got burned with this approach and am paying a very heavy price.

Most people probably know these things but all it takes is one single year of sloppy medical records, whether your fault or your doctors, and you are back into Social Securities web of entangled adversarial confrontations. RIP OP.

 

[Carrigon]

It is beyond sad to reply to this thread knowing he isn't here anymore. I have no doubt the stress of the review played a role. They force you to try to prove you are sick. And they know since you don't look sick, it's very hard to prove to someone how bad you feel. And they force you to list all the things you've lost in your life due to this disease. And all the things you can't do anymore. And all the years you've lost. Basically anything that makes life worth living that's now gone, you have to list it all. It's so horrible. Anytime I come up for review, it does make me so severely depressed that I sit there wishing I was dead. So I do know what he went through on that. And having to see their doctors and shrinks who only see you for a few minutes and pass immediate judgement on you. And the twenty plus pages of forms and more forms to fill out when your brain is fogged and you're in so much pain and you can't think right to concentrate on all the questions of how much can you sit, stand, bend, lift. It's all so criminal. Why can't they just accept that your doctor says you are too ill to work. Why do they have to force those who are so, so physically ill to go through all of this just to get help. If you've been disabled for years with a chronic illness, it's not going to go away. Just give someone one page to fill out listing any changes. The system is horrible and it's set to make things harder and worse on those who really need the help.

 

[taniaaust1]

So why really bother with what your doctor is doing when you just go and complain about the same thing and nothing happens? I got burned with this approach and am paying a very heavy price.

Most people probably know these things but all it takes is one single year of sloppy medical records, whether your fault or your doctors, and you are back into Social Securities web of entangled adversarial confrontations. RIP OP.

I was burned by that too but it in case it probably interfered with getting disability as soon as I should of (I had to go throu 3 appeals)..

Sloppy doctors not even bothering to write on my medical records the things I kept on going to them about. It made the disability process so so much harder. Due to this I couldnt stress enough the importance of finding a good doctor ASAP even if they cant help you... You need a doctor who is good at documenting all your issues.

 

[timhoover2112]

@Jarod "I took a test called brief battery for health improvement. "BBHI2"

The test is rigged to benefit the insurance industry and Weasels of the world by making it seem like a psychosomatic disorder and all in your head non-sense. However, it does the trick for SSDI.


I followed the BBHI2 link and just curious how you used that for SS? I mean, did you turn it in with one of your reviews or did you take it to your doctor? Which test did you take? I'm confused. Thanks in advance. THoo