SSDI And Your Continuing Disability Review
Many workers who are afflicted with medical or mental disorders are paid Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. These monthly payments are not easy to get and the Social Security Administration (SSA) monitors claimants after their benefits are approved. One of the methods the SSA uses to keep a check on claimants is the continuing disability review (CDR). To find out what this review is about, read on.
What is a CDR?
This status check by the SSA consists of forms to be filled out by your doctor. In many cases, the doctor will examine you and then fill out the paperwork to send to the SSA. There is a long form and a short form, and both are filled out by your primary care physician or a specialist who deals with your condition. Most doctors are accustomed to filling out these reviews and will comply with your request. The purpose of the CDR is to find out if your disability has improved. If the doctor determines that your condition has improved, you may lose your SSDI benefits.
Who Gets a CDR?
The SSA will let claimants know about their CDR when their benefits are approved. The potential for a CDR and the frequency of it depend on the claimant's age and medical or mental health condition. For younger claimants, the CDR could be ordered every few years while older claimants may only need to complete a CDR every seven years. In the view of the SSA, the younger you are the more likely it is that your condition will have improved enough to return to work.
Some claimants won't need to ever undergo a CDR due to the nature of their condition. Those with terminal diseases such as certain types of cancer or other serious conditions won't be reviewed. Claimants who were eligible for expedited application processing due to the seriousness of their conditions are not likely to be asked to undergo a CDR since their illness is not likely to get any better.
One more issue that claimants need to know about is income and working. The SSA may ask those who are able to work at a job and earn income to undergo a CDR. Claimants may earn a certain amount of income after they are approved for benefits. However, doing so could make you the target of a CDR to ensure that you still need benefits.
If you have lost your SSDI benefits after a CDR, speak to a Social Security lawyer. You are entitled to an appeal of the ruling, and you will need help to prepare for it. Get the professional support you need with your CDR ruling and get your benefits coming in again.
For more information, contact a Social Security Disability attorney near you.