The Social Security Administration plans to review about 1,637,000
disability beneficiaries in fiscal year 1999, to see if they remain disabled.
These are called "continuing disability reviews" or "CDRs." The plans were
reported in a U.S. General Accounting Office report released on September 18,
1998. What do these 1,637,000 CDRs mean to disability beneficiaries?
7 They mean that in one year SSA will review almost one-fifth of the people
who receive disability benefits (19%).
7 SSA also can review people whose scheduled review dates have passed without
action by SSA. The scheduled review date is stated on the beneficiary's Notice
of Award.
7 SSA also will review many people who receive disability benefits but have
resumed work.
SSA expects to save $11 in benefits for every $1 that it spends on CDRs.
The agency estimates it saves $120,000 for each DI beneficiary taken off the
rolls, and $50,000 for each SSI beneficiary.
TWO KINDS OF REVIEW:
"Mailer reviews," that require you to answer a short list of written questions
will constitute 53% of the CDRs scheduled for fiscal year 1999. Responding to
a mailer review usually satisfies SSA until the next periodic review date
comes up. Another 47% of CDRs will be "full medical reviews." These
individuals must answer a longer questionnaire, meet with an SSA
representative, and have a medical examination if requested. SSA asks a few
of the beneficiaries who receive mailers to also go through full medical
review.
PRACTICAL TIPS:
7 Ask SSA for more time if you need it. Insist on it. SSA sometimes asks
beneficiaries to come to the office with only a few days prior notice. It is
important to have talked with your doctor and to bring all available medical
documentation when you meet with the SSA representative. This often takes more
time than SSA initially plans.
7 Consult your doctor before completing any disability review paperwork. Some
innocent looking questions ask for medical opinions which doctors -- not
patients -- should provide.
7 Stay prepared for your CDR by seeing your doctors regularly and keeping
copies of your medical records.
7 Appeal any cessation of benefits if you are disabled. SSA expects to stop
benefits initially for about 11% of the people it reviews. But these
"cessation s" can be appealed. When people have appealed, SSA has reversed
cessation s in about one-half of the cases.
7 Consider asking SSA to keep paying benefits to you during the time they
consider your appeal. They will do so if you ask them within 10 days after the
date you receive the notice that SSA plans to stop your benefits. Strangely,
you have 60 days in which to file an appeal, but only 10 days for asking SSA
to continue paying your benefits during the appeal. It is prudent to both
appeal and request benefit continuation within 10 days after a cessation
notice. If you do not win the appeal, SSA will ask you to repay the benefits
you received during your appeal. However, there is a procedure for requesting
the agency to waive (forgive) such payments, or to allow installment payments.
YOUR ROLE IN YOUR REVIEW:
People whom SSA calls in for full medical reviews should talk with their
doctors, get all available medical documentation, and prove themselves still
disabled just as they proved themselves disabled in the original claim. The
law gives beneficiaries on the rolls significant advantages over people
applying for benefits, but it is prudent to prove yourself disabled rather
than resting on legal technicalities alone.
SSA intends to keep reviewing people on the disability rolls, because
CDRs save the agency much money it would otherwise pay out in benefits.
However, if you remain disabled and prove your continuing disability to SSA
with proper medical documentation, you will keep receiving your benefits and
SSA's savings will not come at your expense.