On Disability? Here's what a periodic "review" looks like.

[carrielee2112]

HI Dainty! I wanted to see how you are doing. Is your health still improving despite all the CDR stress? I had no idea they would ask for huge amounts of information like bank statements. Did you end up turning your statements in by mail? Did they ask for more info after that? Are your benefits still intact? Is your health still intact? I would love to know what's happened. I send you good thoughts and I'm hoping this hasn't caused a setback in your health

I'm CarrieLee2112 and I just joined the forum. I am going though my first CDR. So far I got the short form and sent it in. (fingers crossed)

Take care!

-- Carrie

 

[Helencz]

PLEASE HELP! I got the short ss disability update machine read 2 pp form. I have a lot of diagnoses, but when I applied the company helping me listed pots Dysautonomia first which has no ss code. On my form ssa-255-OCR-SM my diagnosis is 2480=medically established disability but no ssa code. Item 5a asks reason for my dr visits (not their names & no records). I need to know from someone who knows FOR SURE what to fill in the boxes for visit reasons when ur listed as the "no code disability" & btw, I'm scored as severe & not expected to work again. My form is DUE! It's late! I even talked to an atty aquaintance who said give too much info. Everyone says don't fill out the remarks section or attach anything. So do I a. List general terms like pots Dysautonomia & be consistent with the 2480 code or do I list all the subdx with codes? This form is after u were approved and u can only mess it up and trigger a full review. All other items I know how to answer. Pls help me & then I can tell u how I initially got approved on my first try. Please help ASAP! Thank you.

 

[SickOfSickness]

List general terms like pots Dysautonomia & be consistent with the 2480 code or do I list all the subdx with codes?

I don't know for sure. I will give my thoughts on it, in case you don't find anyone who knows for sure.

I would guess the SSA doesn't want a patient writing in ICD-9 codes.

I would put all diagnoses that you saw a doctor for (since you got approved).

 

[Helencz]

SDSue.....From what I've seen, Ginger is correct that they routinely deny people first run. So hang in there. Disability is by far the best thing I've done to manage this disease. It's worth the struggle. As I'm sure is true for you....I actually have no idea what I would have done without it.....but it would not have been good.

I just filled out those forms telling it exactly as it was describing me at my worst (too much fluctuation in symptoms to do it otherwise). If you have any other medical conditions that you have a decent paper trail on, throw it in there too. I was approved because of this I'm sure because back when I applied, CFIDS, as they called it then, wasn't liked much.

Not everyone has to do the periodic reviews. Last I knew, they had a three tier disability severity system. They did reviews based on ones level of disability. Mine is every 3 years. The most severe folks are set to do 7 year reviews, but those I talked with on that level said they never heard from the SSA again, many years later.

I wouldn't worry about the reviews because they are much easier to pass than the initial application. Be so nice when you do get it......it's a life saver with this disease. Hang in there.

I have the 7 year review. I finally got mine & it's due.

 

[jimells]

the company helping me listed pots Dysautonomia first which has no ss code

Unless one has a "listed" disability and meet the requirements of the listing, SSA doesn't care about diagnosis codes. They want to know if an applicant's impairments stop the person from working any full time job in the US economy. Diagnoses and medical evidence can establish that the person can not work due to their impairments. The key is, what are the impairments and how severe are they? Before benefits are granted, the onus is on the applicant to prove their claims.

After benefits are granted, the onus is shifted to SSA to prove that the person has improved enough to go back to work full time. It is easier to keep benefits than to get them.

I don't know anything about the review form or how to fill it out as I have not had to deal with one yet. I was forced to deal with the review/cancellation process at the state level a few years ago. My state has a Medicaid due-to-disability program that I was approved for. For no disclosed reason my claim was immediately flagged for review and the state tried to kick me off Medicaid. I won the appeal, which was based on SSA's rule that the state had to show improvement, which of course they couldn't do.

When I did finally win Social Security disability (after six freakin' years!!) the state successfully kicked me off Medicaid due-to-disability and food stamps because my monthly disability benefit is $20 a month over some arbitrary limit.