SSD reevaluation

[rwb200]

My wife applied for SSD three years ago and qualified for SSD. A couple of months ago she received notice that she had to be reevaluated.
We filled out all of the forms and sent them in and recieved notice that she had to have an independant evaluation from the Doctor of there choice. They set up the appointment and told her to be there.
Of course we went but do not know as of yet what the decesion was this time.
The Doctor told us that it is supposed to take two to three weeks after his eval but normally takes two to three months.

I'm wondering if this is normal for SSD to require a periodic reevaluation ?
When I read the SSA information that talks about it they say you will be reevaluated if there is a reasonable belief that you could improve or get better.
After 18 years of living with someone with Lupus I have seen some ups and downs but have not seen better.

Another thing that I wondered about is the doctor who did the reeval filmed her hands which are deformed in the fingers due to the arthritic conditions. I was wondering why he filmed the hands and if this has become a common practice ?

[flowergarden]

I should think that x-rays of the hands would help document the diagnosis. Certainly her hands are not going to get better, either! That ought to work to her benefit.

I have heard of reevaluations for SSDI, but have never experienced one. Of course, I don't have SSDI yet, either. Still working on it.

Please let us know what come of the evaluation. It would be interesting. :flowers:

[alobreto]

I was approved for SSD 2-1/2 years ago, and my approval letter said that there was a reasonable expectation that I 'might' get better. I received notice this week that my condition is being reevaluated.

I, too, completed the forms (cross-outs and all) and sent them in the return envelope provided.

I've known other folks on SSD and ALL of them were reevaluated somewhere between the 2 and 4 year mark after approval, so I think it's pretty standard. I don't know exactly how they determine the timing since there seems to be a variance.

It IS stressful, though, isn't it? :blink:
Angela :flowers:

[Pickles]

HI,

Yes, its a normal thing...Soc Sec goes by a guideline..

This is from the Disability Benefit booklet your wife should have received:


If medical improvement is "expected" your case normally will be reviewed within
6 to 18 months.

If medical improvement is "possible" your case normally will be reviewed no sooner that 3 years.

If medical improvement is "not expected" your case normally will be reviewed no sooner than 7 years.

I'm in the "not expected" case. The following is also from that book:

"There are two things that can cause us to decide that you are no longer disabled and to stop your benefits:
Your benefits will stop if you work at a level we consider "substantial." Usually average earnings of $700 a month are considered substantial.
Your disability benefits also will stop if we decide that your medical condition has improved to the point that you are no longer disabled."


As long as she has medical records for the last 3 years as in going to the doctor, still taking meds, showing no great improvement...I would not worry. My hubby has been disabled since 1987 and he gets the forms every 3 years but mental health has a file about him a mile high probably and he always gets approved again. The doctor he went for the re-evaluation did magic tricks the whole time!! :blink:

This is a normal thing for soc sec so don't think she's being singled out. I've only been getting disability for almost 2 years.

GOOD LUCK to you both.

[rwb200]

Well we got word today and I'm mad.
They say she is no longer disabled. :hissy:
They say that they have found that the Medical Eveidence shows that her heart is now normal where it was impaired, her hands are only slightly deformed and her feet are only slightly deformed.
They say she should be able to do " Sedentary Work "
No matter she aint going back to work. I have lived through that and will not do it again.

Working and coming home at lunch to take a nap so she can continue the rest of the day. Then coming home and going to bed so she is rested enough to go to work the next day.

She is not better so she can work, she is some better because she does not work.
She can sleep till noon if she needs to which she normally does and then get up and do little or nothing all day if she feels like that is what she needs.

Well better get off of this subject before I write something down here that some people may not apreciate the language.

[Pickles]

I am so sorry about that. You can appeal, can't you. I would get everyone of her doctors involved and tell them that she is better because she HAS NOT been working and if she went back it would be detrimental(?) to her health.

I would fight this!!! Did she have a lawyer to get disability, if so..I would get him involved too. You sound like such a great hubby to her. I know she appreciates all you do for her.


I am so sorry to hear this. Don't give up without a fight. There is no way I could go back to work now, they would have to have a bed beside the desk..

Please consider yourself hugged by us and we appreciate all that you do for her. I know its a hard road but you are her and our hero.

Please keep fighting for this and let us know how it comes out.. I'm sure you can appeal this.

Please know we are here for you and your wife anytime you want to talk.

:flowers: :flowers: :flowers: :flowers: :love: :love: :wave:

[rwb200]

We have thirty days to appeal it or you can call and question it within ten days.
Of course five of the ten are gone by the time you get the notice.

She is going to call on Tuesday to ask some questions.

Part we are unsure of is they say they did not get a report from the Doctor they sent her to for further evaluation. If they didn't get a report why did we go to it and why did she try to do some of the stuff he wanted that put her in pain for two weeks after the evaluation?

I do not understand some of what they say. Like her heart is no longer impaired. How can a heart that has had congestive failure and two heart attacks be no longer impaired ?
Her hands and feet are only partially deformed. I guess that is true the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands are normal. It is just the wrist, ankles, toes and fingers that have trouble.

At the doctor they sent her to he took one look at the hands and took a picture of them. Her fingers are twisted the way arthritir does so many times to people.
Her toes are in danger of being lost due to Vasculitis and they had to take the steriods up and she has to keep them proped up.
She could not lift her legs with out the help of both hands and once they had her squat down she was unable to get up till she grabed the exam table and pulled herself up on it. The test to measure hand strength showed five pounds. I tried it just to get an idea for comparison and had forty pounds.
Sive and sex may have some to do with a variation and I have fairly strong hands but all taken into account five pounds tells me her hands are not capable of holding over five pounds.
And the test does not test a prolonged period just an initial burst.

I would They do not seem to understand that this illness is not an illness that once you show some progress that you are better but that things can and do turn around at the drop of a hat.
You can be semi great one day and in real trouble the next.

I have seen things turn so fast it wasn't funny and I have seen that one of the worse things she can have is the stress of a job. A Boss will set and listen to you and tell you how he understands and promise that he will keep the work to part time and easy work and the next day he is telling you he is short handed and needs you to work ten hours and to go over and move that file cabinet.

We did not have a lawyer the first time. We did not need it. She had been hospitalized four times in three months and had been diagnosed with Leaky Mitral Valve, Past Heart Attack and had Pneumonia for three months. She was down to 87 pounds and could not hardly move.
Today she is doing better and I firmly believe that a large part of that is she no longer works and can get the rest she needs and got rid of that stress.
A job causes stress no matter what you do and with her case she just can not have that stress.

I'm more agrevated about this then she is. She is really handling it pretty well. Which I'm ever so greatful for.