Are There Medical Records That My Doctor Should Not Send To The Ssa
Although you might believe that more information is better, when attempting to qualify for disability benefits, you may hurt your chances for approval by submitting too many records or the wrong types of medical documents.
Your disability claim documentation should never include any records that do not pertain specifically to the condition or disorder responsible for your inability to work.
Submitting unrelated medical records can derail your approval in two important ways. First, it may hinder the approval process if the claim reviewer must root through immaterial documents to find the required information. The reviewer might even lose important data or overlook it.
But, more importantly, sending unrelated medical records from your doctor may raise questions that lead to rejection of your claim.
The SSA looks harder for reasons to deny your disability application than it does reasons to approve it. If you provide documentation about other medical conditions, the reviewer may suspect that your symptoms result from something else something else that will not qualify for disability benefits.
Do I Need A Doctor To Receive Disability Benefits
If you have not seen a doctor, it may be challenging to win your disability claim. Without a doctors support, you may run into the issue of not having enough medical evidence to prove you meet the medical requirements for disability benefits.
You can request to have a Consultative Examination performed by a doctor hired by the SSA. A CE help determine if your disabling condition qualifies for disability benefits. If you require seeing a specialist, such as if a physician does not have the required expertise to assess how your condition impacts your work ability, you may have a CE with a specialist appointed by the SSA.
To further help support your claim, you may want to get letters from coworkers, caregivers, and/or employers about how your condition has impacted your ability to work. Although these letters can be helpful for those who have been seeing a doctor, they are especially important for those that have not been. Having witness statements can help prove your claim for benefits.
Can My Employer Refuse To Accommodate My Work Restrictions From A Doctor Note
- Posted on May 1, 2018
It all depends. If you work with a large company with over 50 employees like Walmart or Target, they normally accomodate dependind on the restrictions. Many employers will try to accomodate but some will not. Bw careful with employers that say you can only return with no restrictions! Once you force your doctor to return you back to work with restrictions, many employers will quickly reduce your hours or lay you off! Unser those circumstances, you can file a wrongful ternination under labor code 132. Carriers have to pay you temporary disability benefits up to 104 weeks as long as your PTP doctor or State QME doc says so.
Don’t Miss: Can You Have A Savings Account On Social Security Disability
What Do I Need From My Doctor To Qualify For Disability Benefits
HomeBlogFrequently Asked Questions What Do I Need From My Doctor to Qualify for Disability Benefits?
You need medical evidence from your doctor to qualify for disability benefits. However, the Social Security Administration imposes strict requirements on the types of information it will accept to support your claim to help ensure that applicants truly suffer from a qualifying disability.
In addition to the detailed medical records necessary to support your disability benefits claim, your doctor might also need to prepare and submit specific SSA forms.
Reason : Your Doctors And Psychologists Are Providing A Poor Standard Of Care
Even if you are attending treatment with your doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists, the insurance company can still legitimately deny your disability claim if the care you are receiving is substandard.
Getting substandard care is mostly out of your control, but if your treatment providers are not following best practices for treatment of your mental illness, then there is a good chance the insurance company will deny your claim.
Insurance companies have their own behind-the-scenes medical advisors who will carefully review the treatment you are getting from doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists. These behind-the-scenes medical reviewers are well-schooled in the best practices for treatment of mental illness. They are experts at pointing out the deficiencies in what your doctors or psychologist is doing.
For example, a common example of poor standard of care is for your doctor to prescribe medication, but then fail to monitor you carefully and make adjustments to the medication. Without careful monitoring and tweaking of medications, your mental health is unlikely to improve.This can lead to a situation where you claim will be denied, even though you are following your doctors recommendations and you are taking the medication as prescribed.
Don’t Miss: Do They Take Taxes Out Of Social Security Disability
M Mental Illnesses In The Workplace
Mental disabilities, such as depression or schizophrenia, pose particular challenges for employers. Employees may be reluctant to seek a diagnosis and treatment or accommodation in the workplace due to stigma. Also, discrimination in the workplace may, in some cases, make existing mental illnesses worse or lead to mental disabilities such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
As rates of mental illness increase worldwide, the impact of mental illnesses in the workplace is also growing. For example, the World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, depression will be the second-most common cause of disability in the world, after heart disease. Despite this, mental illness still continues to be a taboo subject in society and in many workplaces. In this environment of silence and discomfort, stereotypes flourish unchecked and employees with mental illnesses are exposed to extreme levels of stigma and irrational fear. Employees with mental health issues often find themselves isolated and marginalized in the workplace impacts that may be made worse by racial and cultural barriers.
People with mental illnesses have the right to be employed and to receive accommodation in the workplace to the point of undue hardship. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for employees with mental disabilities to be unlawfully excluded from a hiring process, treated differently in the workplace or terminated from employment when they make a request for accommodation.
Social Security Disability History In America
The first full-fledged attempt at providing disability benefits began during the Civil War in response to the needs of hundreds of thousands of wounded soldiers . This was followed up with a disability insurance program in 1954 which, in 1960, President Eisenhower expanded to cover all Americans with disabilities and their dependents . In 1960, 559,000 people were receiving these benefits, with an average benefit being worth $80 a month . By 2009, the number had risen to 9.7 million .
Read Also: How To Get Disability In Va
My Patients Job Requirements Pose A Risk To The Pregnant Patient Or The Fetus Can My Patient File For Disability Insurance Benefits
Yes. If your patientâs job requirements pose a danger to the health of your pregnant patient or the fetus, she can file for Disability Insurance benefits. You must submit the medical certification with a valid pregnancy-related diagnosis code and the applicable diagnosis code for the occupational hazard.
Applying For Social Security Disability Is Notoriously Challenging Experts Explain How The Physician’s Documentation And Informed Opinion Can Ease The Process
Meyer Silver, Esquire , Lawrence J. Weinstein, Esquire and Steven Mandel, MD
The Social Security Disability process is complex, unlike any other type of disability application process that a physician may have helped a patient through. Social Security Disability is usually a last resource for people. Affected patients are often individuals who do not have workers’ compensation or private long-term disability policies. Without SSD benefits, they may lose the ability to keep their residences, fill prescriptions, and/or buy enough food to sustain themselves and their families.
This article will explore how neurologists can ensure that their patients do not face such grim scenarios. The physician’s role in this area can be critical, and absent a history of treating disabled patients applying for disability benefits, it is unlikely that most physicians will be sufficiently familiar with the unique requirements of the Federal system to effectively assist their patients to be found disabled. We will emphasize what physicians can do to show the Social Security Administration , including the Administrative Law Judges who are often the final decision makers, what is needed to determine in their patient’s cases in order to find someone disabled. At first glance, a doctor may think some of these suggestions are excessive or tedious, but a close reading will show how necessary the suggestions are.
-
Diseases & Diagnosis
Read Also: Can You Get An Advance On Va Disability
Common Reasons Why A Doctor May Refuse To Fill Out Disability Forms
Your doctor may refuse to fill out your long term disability medical forms for various reasons. These reasons may include:
- They dont have time. Your doctor may be putting off signing your disability forms due to a full schedule. Make sure to follow up with your doctor to remind them about your forms.
- They do not want to get involved in a legal battle. If you are in a legal dispute about your long term disability insurance benefits, your doctor may be reluctant to get involved. In this situation, speak with a lawyer about your situation.
- You have not paid the appropriate fees. Your doctor may charge a service fee for medical records or for filling out forms. Make sure to double-check with your doctor to make sure you have fulfilled all the necessary requirements and paid any necessary fees. Keep in mind that their time is valuable, and you should offer to pay for their time in filling out a form. It is not part of your regular treatment.
- You have not yet been formally diagnosed. While you may be physically unable to work, your doctor may be hesitant to sign off on your forms without a formal diagnosis. You may need to have your symptoms diagnosed, or find another doctor altogether.
How Is A Disability Determined
Disability is determined by five criteria, many of which are medical.
The SSA publishes a listing of impairments that automatically qualify as disabilities . These may change over time, with new medical information. There are separate lists for adults and children , each broken down by bodily system. Cystic fibrosis is one example. Listed under respiratory disorders in Part A, cystic fibrosis automatically qualifies an individual as disabled if he or she can prove one or more of the following, all of which deal with specific medical measures taken by a physician:
For a personality disorder, the individual must have both of the following.
Both examples show how heavily medical expertise, medical testing, and medical specialty factor into a determination of a disability.
Recommended Reading: How To Sign Up For Social Security Disability
Insurer Calls With Your Treating Doctor Are Fraught With Risk
Permitting an insurance company doctor or nurse to speak with your treating doctor is fraught with risk. Insurance companies often misinterpret or misrepresent these conversations. Often, these conversations are then followed up with a letter summarizing the conversation and state that if the doctor does not comment within 10 days, it will be assumed she agrees with the content of the letter. Expecting a busy doctor to respond to such a letter, or even to remember the specifics of the conversation, is unrealistic and unfair. These letters often are correct in what they say, but present only an incomplete description of the conversation. The unwary doctor will not notice what they do not say.
These letters also put you at a disadvantage. If the doctor disagrees with the insurers summary of the conversation, it often appears that the treating doctor is changing his storyin what the insurer will describe as an effort to help his patient.
The better course of action is to indicate to the insurer that instead of speaking with the insurance company doctor or nurse, the treating doctor gladly will respond to written questions. Having the questions be made in writing ensures there is no misunderstanding as to the answers.
What To Do If A Doctor Refuses To Fill Out Your Disability Forms
After you have identified your doctors reason for refusing your forms, you will have a better idea about how to solve the problem. A few of your options include:
- Ask for a narrative report. One way to get the information you need for your long term disability forms is through a narrative report. While you are with your doctor, ask them to dictate a narrative report. Together, you can address the questions listed on the form.
- Take a Functional Capacity Evaluation test. If your doctor refuses to fill out your disability forms, you can take a Functional Capacity Evaluation test. An FCE test lasts around four hours and assesses your abilities and range of motion. The results shed light on a persons physical restrictions, and therefore can indicate whether they are fit to work. Beware of FCE providers that work mainly for disability insurance companies, because they will often use versions of this test that will not help you.
- Find a new doctor. You can also opt for finding a new doctor. While perhaps inconvenient, your long term disability insurance benefits may be on the line. Finding a doctor who will provide the medical information insurance adjusters need can help you with your benefits in the long run.
Also Check: How Much Do You Get On A Disability Pension
N Environmental Sensitivities And Nut Allergies
An emerging issue in many workplaces involves accommodating the needs of employees with environmental sensitivities and serious allergies, for example to nuts. The Commission has previously stated that these may be considered disabilities. For example, if a person with asthma, environmental sensitivity or allergies found themselves disadvantaged in the workplace as a result, that person could be considered a person with a disability under the Code. Employers may therefore have a duty to accommodate these kinds of needs.
This may include limiting, where possible, opportunities for workplace exposure to common substances that trigger asthma or allergies. For example, an employer may institute a scent-sensitive or scent-free workplace policy or designate the workplace as a peanut-free zone. Depending on the workplace and the particular situation of the persons in question, there may be other appropriate accommodations. An accommodation will be appropriate to the extent that it respects the dignity of a person with a disability, takes into account individual needs, and promotes integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities. The Canadian Human Rights Commission has recently posted materials on environmental sensitivities on their website at www.chrc-ccdp.ca.
An Opinion Of Your Residual Functional Capacity
Even if you suffer from many serious health conditions, the SSA likely will discard a letter from your doctor that simply states you are “disabled” or “cannot work.” This is because the role of determining disability lies solely with the SSA.
Instead, you should have your doctor discuss how long you can perform exertional activities such as standing, walking, and sitting in an eight-hour workday. Another important strength requirement is the amount of weight you can carry and lift during the day.
The SSA will use your exertional capabilities and limitations, as reported by your doctor, to determine your “residual functional capacity” , as part of its five-step disability determination. Your RFC is your ability to perform various work tasks on a regular basis.
Your RFC will also be based on nonexertional activities, activities that don’t involve strength. Your doctor should include in your medical source statement whether you have limitations in any of the following areas.
- using your hands for reaching, grasping, or fingering items
- postural activities, including bending, stooping, and climbing stairs
- interacting with the public and coworkers, and
- concentrate on work tasks and following directions.
Don’t Miss: How To Apply For Medical Disability
How To Get Your Doctor To Help You With Your Disability Claim
The Social Security Administration receives more than two million applications for Social Security Disability benefits each and every year. Of these applications, a mere thirty percent are approved during the initial stage of the application process. This is largely due to the fact that the majority of applicants do not provide the SSA with enough evidence to prove the extent of their disability and how that disability prevents them from being able to work.
If you plan on filing an application for Social Security Disability benefits, a statement from your treating physician can help you prove your disability in order to receive the Social Security Disability benefits that you are entitled to. The question is, how do you get your doctor’s help in order to obtain the disability benefits you need?
The following information can help you get your doctor’s assistance in order to improve your chances of a successful Social Security Disability application.
What Is A Consultative Exam
If the medical information does not support your claim, you may be required to undergo one or more consultative exams, the findings of which will play a key role in whether your claim is approved or denied. These exams may be routine physicals, neurological exams, radiological tests , mental status exams or other tests, all of which are paid for and scheduled by the Social Security Administration .
Consultative exams are conducted by doctors who are contracted to independently perform examinations and submit a report of findings to the SSA. While a consultative exam may provide an examiner with an update of your medical condition that supports the medical evidence already on file, such exams dont carry the same weight as your entire medical history. At the same time, a consultative exam may lead to a claim denial if it does not substantiate your claim.
In any case, a consultative exam only demonstrates your physical capabilities or limitations at the time of the exam, without providing comprehensive information about your medical condition. This makes it unlikely that a consultative exam will be able to assist your case. Nonetheless, if you fail to keep these appointments without a valid reason , your claim will be denied.
The Experienced Choice in Disability Benefits
You May Like: Do You Claim Short Term Disability On Taxes