 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 |
What is the Purpose of the Social Security Disability SSI Medical Exam, or CE?How to prove you are disabled and win disability benefits In a fairly large percentage of cases, a person filing for disability benefits with the social security administration (in either the social security disability program or the SSI program: claims in either program are evaluated in exactly the same manner) will be notified that they have to go to a scheduled appointment for a medical examination, or a psychatric examination, or psychological testing. These exams are known as consultation examinations and are referred to by disability examiners, disability attorneys, and disability hearing judges as a C.E. The CE, or consultative examination, is conducted by either an M.D. (this would be for physical impairments or psychiatric impairments) or, in the case of intelligence and/or memory testing by a psychologist who usually holds a master's degree. As opposed to to myth, the CE, which is sometimes referred to as the "social security medical exam" is not conducted by doctors or therapists who work for the social security administration in any capacity. Quite the contary, these individuals are typically in private practice and have been contracted to A) perform evaluations and examinations on disability claimants and B) report the findings of their exams to social security within X number of days of performing the exam. Who decides that a claimant will need to go to a consultative exam? The disability claim decision-maker does this. So, in most cases, an examination will be scheduled by a disability examiner (disability examiners make decisions on claims at the disability application and reconsideration appeal level). However, administrative law judges who make decisions on claims at the disability hearing level will sometimes also require that a claimant go to a consultative exam. What is the purpose of the consultative examination? Officially, the purpose of any CE (physical or mental) is so that a disability examiner or judge may obtain additional medical record documentation. Additional documentation will usually be needed in cases where: A) the claimant has not been to a doctor or treating specialist for more than sixty days or B) the claimant has listed a condition on the disability application for which they have never been treated, or been diagnosed. Typically, what triggers the scheduling of an examination is the fact that the claimant has not been recently treated. This is because social security disability and SSI disability claims cannot usually be decided (either approved or denied) if the claimant's file does not contain "recent medical evidence". For the purposes of the social security administration, this means having at least some medical evidence in the file that is not older than sixty days. continued at: Social Security Consultative Medical Exams and How they affect Disability Claims 
Return to: SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page Topics and Questions 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 |