 SSDRC What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? How do you Win Benefits under Social Security Disability or SSI? If I am determined disabled, how far back will Social Security pay benefits? How do you prove your disability case if you have a mental condition? What Can I Do to Improve My Chances of Winning Disability Benefits Common Mistakes after Receiving a Denial of Social Security Disability or SSI Benefits How to File for Disability - Tips for Filing If You Get Approved For SSDI Will You Also Get Medicare? How much does a Social Security disability attorney get paid? Social Security Disability SSI Criteria and the Evaluation Process How long does it take to be approved for SSI or Social Security disability? What do you Need to Prove to Qualify for Disability Benefits? Social Security Disability SSI and Fibromyalgia Social Security Disability SSI and Degenerative Disc Disease Can I Qualify For Disability and Receive Benefits based on Depression? Answers to questions about SSD and SSI disability What Disabilities Qualify for SSI and Social Security Disability Benefits? Social Security Disability Status Social Security Disability Tips — how a claim gets worked on Social Security Disability, SSI Disability - Terms, Definitions, Concepts |
How Often Does Social Security Disability Review Cases?How to prove you are disabled and win disability benefits All Social Security disability beneficiaries will experience one or more disability reviews during their time receiving disability benefits. When an individual’s disability case is approved by Social Security, a disability review date is set. Generally, continuing disability reviews are set for less than three years, set for three years, or set for seven years. The length of time between disability reviews is directly correlated to the likelihood of medical improvement and, in some cases, the age of the disability applicant (although Social Security seems to be concentrating less on the age of individuals and more on the individual’s likelihood of improvement these days). If Social Security feels an individual’s likelihood of medical improvement is strong, they may schedule a review in twelve months, or sometimes eighteen months. Conversely, if Social Security determines that an individual has an impairment that is not going to ever show any medical improvement, they may give it review date of seven years. A seven year medical review diary date is only given to individuals with disabling conditions that are considered to be permanent. Most individuals receive neither a short or long period between disability case review dates. The vast majority of disability cases have a continuing disability review date of three years. Statistically, most individuals who are approved for disability will remain on disability unless they go back to doing substantial gainful work activity activity, or they have medical conditions that have a high likelihood of medical improvement. In order for Social Security to medically terminate an individual’s disability benefits, there has to be objective medical evidence that they have had medical improvement to the point that they are no longer considered disabled under Social Security disability guidelines, or, as I said above, the individual is improved enough to perform SGA-level work activity. Substantial gainful activity or SGA is a monthly amount of earnings that Social Security sets each year that they consider to be self-supporting. If an individual has not been able to return to SGA and they have no evidence of medical improvement, their disability benefits will be continued each time they are reviewed. The important fact for disability beneficiaries to remember is that their disability case will be reviewed from time to time and that is a normal part of the Social Security disability process, so there is no need to be overly worried about losing disability benefits. 
Return to: SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page Individual Questions and Answers SSD and SSI are Federal Programs The title II Social Security Disability and title 16 SSI Disability programs operate under federal guidelines and, therefore, the program requirements--medical and non-medical--apply to all states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Recent approval and denial statistics for various states can be viewed here: Social Security Disability, SSI Approval and Denial Statistics by state Special Section: Disability Lawyers and unnecessary claim denials |