Way back in February I got notice from the SSA that I had to fill out the enclosed Disability Update Review form. I sent it back and hadn't heard anything for the longest time. I began to worry that they didn't even get it....next time I have to send back anything to the SSA I am sending it certified so I will know it got there. I called twice and got two different opinions from two different people. In any event, I finally received a simple form letter from them telling me that they had written saying they may do a review and that they have decided not to do a review but will contact me in the future if this is necessary. It didn't say when a review might be done, and it also said they will not be contacting my doctor. I had two psychiatric hospitalizations less than a year ago and I suspect they checked my Medicare claims. I am wondering if anybody has ever received a response from the SSA like this and when a review was actually done. The letter said "if" they do a review in the future, not "when" so my therapist told me to stop having anxiety about it. I am in mental health appointments several times a week and am trying to get well. I am grateful, of course, that I was passed over for a review although I'm sure a review would have proved I am still disabled. Just wondering if anyone else has had this experience and how long the SSA waited until doing a review, if one was done?
Sorry don't have the answer but can only tell you that you did the best you could. You sent forms to them that they needed. It is a good sign that they elected not to review you at this time, because a review would stress anybody out, no matter the outcome. It may have just been a form letter saying that they may do a review in the future, not necessarily indicating a set commitment to a future time. i hear SS is so backlogged and underfunded that reviews may be on the backburner; due to this issue, many people aren't getting the reviews that they expected. It is a good sign. Just concentrate on getting well and going to your Drs appointments. Best wishes
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to sunni123 For This Useful Post: BlueSkies14 (05-02-2011), jgrangran (05-02-2011)
Thanks. Therapists at my mental health clinic told me everybody is getting update forms. Said the government is trying to fix the budget by seeing who can work. I'm glad the SSA was fair to me.
The following user gives a hug of support to Ellie1962: jgrangran (05-02-2011)
The Following User Says Thank You to Ellie1962 For This Useful Post: jgrangran (05-02-2011)
Just wondering how long you have been receiving disability? I was approved last june and was told I would be reviewed after one year. So that means next month. My husband and I am super stressed about it since I could lose my benefits. No pdoc and my tdoc both think I shouldn't have a problem with the review. It's not like bipolar can be cured. I'm more stable now but little things like stress can make me manic. Even themost simple of part time jobs can cause me to become manic.
Just wondering how long you have been receiving disability? I was approved last june and was told I would be reviewed after one year. So that means next month. My husband and I am super stressed about it since I could lose my benefits. No pdoc and my tdoc both think I shouldn't have a problem with the review. It's not like bipolar can be cured. I'm more stable now but little things like stress can make me manic. Even themost simple of part time jobs can cause me to become manic.
Was it difficult for you to get approved dismama? How old are you if you don't mind me asking? I know what a pdoc is but what is a tdoc. I assume therapist doc? Ellie1962 said>>>>>
Quote:
Thanks. Therapists at my mental health clinic told me everybody is getting update forms. Said the government is trying to fix the budget by seeing who can work. I'm glad the SSA was fair to me.
This makes sense but I hope SSA does not start dropping people
unjustly in a vain effort to save money in trying to fix what they say is wrong.
I have been on disability since 2007. I had my hearing after being denied. Most people in my area are denied at least once and then have had to get a lawyer. I know most other people at my clinic got the same form I did. Do they do this by zip code or something? I know people on SSI who have not been reviewed in 10 years. I was told everyone on disability who is due one is now going to hear from the SSA because of the budget. Seems so many people got notice of a possible review here. I was thinking I got a notice of no review now because of my health, not the backlog at the SSA. The form says they check claims, and i had hospitalizations, which the form asks about. I had to write my diagnosis and if I had recent appointments for my illness, and it asked if my health was the same or worse. It took them 2 months to send me notice of no review. I had been told when I called the general number that my returning the form wasn't even logged into the system, and when I called the next month I was told the form wouldn't have been logged in anyway until a decision was made. I had a lot of anxiety thinking they didn't receive my form. My advice to other people is to send any mail to the SSA certified so you get a receipt back saying it was received. This is what caused me the most anxiety, as I had 30 days to respond and did so within the first week.
Whatever you do, if you get forms to fill out send them back certified mail, return receipt requested. My anxiety was heightened when time passed and I didn't hear anything yet, so I began to wonder if my form was received. I think the SSA is contacting a lot of people right now. People at my mental health clinic are all talking about it. I think claims are checked and if a review is requested you send medical reports, etc.
The Following User Says Thank You to Ellie1962 For This Useful Post: BlueSkies14 (05-02-2011)
A disability lawyer told me it is standard practice of the SSA to see if a review is necessary usually after 3 years of getting on disability. Read all instructions with any form you get. Usually it says you can send a doctor's report back with an update form, and this saves the government time and money if they see doing a review on you would indicate you are still disabled. I too hope that the SSA doesn't start throwing people off disability before they are well enough to work. This can cause a lot of problems in society, including homelessness. I am grateful for my benefits. I don't take anything for granted.
Whatever you do, if you get forms to fill out send them back certified mail, return receipt requested. My anxiety was heightened when time passed and I didn't hear anything yet, so I began to wonder if my form was received. I think the SSA is contacting a lot of people right now. People at my mental health clinic are all talking about it. I think claims are checked and if a review is requested you send medical reports, etc.
Good tip Ellie. Thanks....what is the cause of your disability? I have severe anxiety and depression.
Last edited by BlueSkies14; 05-02-2011 at 09:03 AM.
I was also told that I was due for a CDR in March of this year. I never recieved anything for it. So I think that is a good thing. Perhaps they are so backlogged , that they are looking the other way on these CDR's. I know my disability's have not improved though, but I am more stable then I have been. So holding my own. However, live in a very reclusive lifestyle. If Ihave to go out to even grocery shop my brother is always with me helping. I do not get out og the apt much by myself . The CDR could happen at anytime though. But I think I am ready for it.
I have three serious mental illness diagnoses and have had many health problems the past two years. I know it is practice for the SSA to review people, but I can't figure out why some people just don't even get reviewed at all. Are these people who slip through the system. I met a married couple at my clinic who have not ever gotten a review notice in the 10 years they've been on disabled. Getting a review notice puts the fear of God into you. I had visions of homelessness and eviction when I got my notice. It took me a long time to calm down. And I'm truly disabled. The people I know who have never gotten a review notice spend their benefit money on alcohol. A lot of it. Every day. I'm surprised they even feed their two kids, who both have ADD and these people get disability money for the kids too. These kids are in holey clothes and are fairly neglected at home. Seems to me sometimes the government checks up on the wrong people. I had a past career and get ample benefits to pay bills until last year when I then had many medical bills to pay because of my hospitalizations. I have not been able to buy food for months and depend on the food bank. I have had no money for some prescriptions, one being cholesterol medication I cannot afford the copay for. I do my budget monthly with a therapist at the clinic who has to tell me what medical bills to let go to collections. I am struggling with my health and my finances. Yet some people drink away their money and have no fear and no guilt. Makes me thankful I'm honest me.
The Following User Says Thank You to Ellie1962 For This Useful Post: BlueSkies14 (05-02-2011)
I know Ellie. I know of one woman who uses her SSDI to buy drugs like marijuana. I really think the SSA targets the wrong ppl often for CDR's. I think many ppl are truly disabled and can no longer work but there are some who are simply cheating the system and get away with it for a lifetime sadly. It makes it bad for everyone.
Last edited by BlueSkies14; 05-02-2011 at 10:32 AM.
Was it difficult for you to get approved dismama? How old are you if you don't mind me asking? I know what a pdoc is but what is a tdoc. I assume therapist doc? Ellie1962 said>>>>>
This makes sense but I hope SSA does not start dropping people
unjustly in a vain effort to save money in trying to fix what they say is wrong.
I'm 35 and college educated which were hard to overcome. It took about 3 years for me to be approved. I won at the ALJ level with a lawyer. The lawyer was worth the amount of money it cost me. Tdoc us a therapist. Short hand from another board.
I was also told that I was due for a CDR in March of this year. I never recieved anything for it. So I think that is a good thing. Perhaps they are so backlogged , that they are looking the other way on these CDR's. I know my disability's have not improved though, but I am more stable then I have been. So holding my own. However, live in a very reclusive lifestyle. If Ihave to go out to even grocery shop my brother is always with me helping. I do not get out og the apt much by myself . The CDR could happen at anytime though. But I think I am ready for it.
My life is pretty much the same way. Every day I sit here and try and get up the strength to go out on my own. Every day I manage not to do it. I have an 8 year old so when I need to run errands I usually wait for him to get home from school to do it. I rarely go to the grocery store on my own because for some reason I have panic attatcks in the frozen food aisle. I asked my doctor about the reivew since I am getting really nervous. He said that he would still fill out the review saying I am completely disabled. He said that I am more stable now but he knows that that won't last. My history shows that I will destablize but now they are shorter periods but that they will always be there.
I know Ellie. I know of one woman who uses her SSDI to buy drugs like marijuana. I really think the SSA targets the wrong ppl often for CDR's. I think many ppl are truly disabled and can no longer work but there are some who are simply cheating the system and get away with it for a lifetime sadly. It makes it bad for everyone.
I know a former neighbor who started buying marijuana as soon as she got word she got SSI. Not to mention she tricked her doctor into writing a supporting report for her and then did a happy dance when she got her approval letter because she got away with it. I can now understand society's view on some disabled people, because some people do get away with it. It took me a long time to realize that I can only live an honest life, and try to take care of myself. But it does make me mad when somebody is buying drugs with their benefit money and then goes to the power company and claims poverty and gets her electric for free. I know people on Section 8, who get food stamps and free medical plus a benefit check each month and then laugh at how stupid the government is. I dont' think the government is stupid. I just think there is nothing they can do about people like this if their doctors support their disability claims. I think people like this should get review papers in the mail and sweat it a little bit. But I guess I am off subject. All I can do is be thankful a review will not happen now, as I have a lot of work to do in therapy regarding my illnesses, how I have symptoms I cannot control, and learn about how to try to live life. I have a strong sense of justice. I wait for people like this to be caught. I don't talk to people I have met who lie to the government. That'll teach em I suppose
I have three serious mental illness diagnoses and have had many health problems the past two years. I know it is practice for the SSA to review people, but I can't figure out why some people just don't even get reviewed at all. Are these people who slip through the system. I met a married couple at my clinic who have not ever gotten a review notice in the 10 years they've been on disabled. Getting a review notice puts the fear of God into you. I had visions of homelessness and eviction when I got my notice. It took me a long time to calm down. And I'm truly disabled. The people I know who have never gotten a review notice spend their benefit money on alcohol. A lot of it. Every day. I'm surprised they even feed their two kids, who both have ADD and these people get disability money for the kids too. These kids are in holey clothes and are fairly neglected at home. Seems to me sometimes the government checks up on the wrong people. I had a past career and get ample benefits to pay bills until last year when I then had many medical bills to pay because of my hospitalizations. I have not been able to buy food for months and depend on the food bank. I have had no money for some prescriptions, one being cholesterol medication I cannot afford the copay for. I do my budget monthly with a therapist at the clinic who has to tell me what medical bills to let go to collections. I am struggling with my health and my finances. Yet some people drink away their money and have no fear and no guilt. Makes me thankful I'm honest me.
This sounds like my brother! He has been on SSI since childhood. He has a wife and 2 kids, one who is grown up and finally moved out of the house. My brother has skills. He knows how to do plumbing very well and maintence work, he knows about cars, he can fix them himself. With all this said they still are able to get foodstamps and medi cal insurance free. I do not know how much his wife makes, but she does have income coming in, and every year gets a nice income tax return.
Makes me mad too, because I know my brother also drinks way too much and finally admitted he is an alcolholic. Their one son that is 14 has everything under the sun. They use places like rent a center , to have those things. Then of course run out of money fairly quickly, but with my brothers side jobs , paid under the table they manage to stay a float.
Then I know anther family that primarily uses their autistic son's SSI to make it each month> they live in low income housing, so rent is very low, and always fall back on their kids disabilites to get what thry want. The mother also get food stamps, for her other son , and her mother lives there too. I heard they get somewhere between 500.00 in food stamps each month. These people rather live in poverty so they can abuse the system furthermore to meet their needs. Their was an inicdent where the youngest boy started the apt on fire> they were to be evicted, but again fell upon their kids "disabilites" to stay in . Yes , the one child has ADHD , the other autism, but to always use this to their advantage is sickning.
Anther family in the complex, a child started a fire in the bedroom, well this family was kicked out FAST. This was so unfair . One family does the same thing then the other family> I was pretty upset when it happened. People need to get their priorites straight, or they just do not care.
I am like you though, I have some serious mental health issues , so I have to go to the dr's a lot and therapy. These mental heal illness'ss have been very extrme and long lasting. I do understand where you are coming from.
Unfortunately ssa doesn't make us account for what the money is being used for. The only money that needs to be accounted for is for a child on ssi for their own disability. Personally I wouldn't want to government asking me what I use the money for each month. A boss wouldn't ask you what you use your paycheck on.
One of the worst things is when parents medicate their kids to get them on disability- overmedicate. The kids may not have a disorder or illness but the parents know that is the way to get them on it.
I have been in the acquaintance of two married people I met at my mental health clinic. They have two kids who both get disability for ADD. The girls seem to have some issues but they are good alert kids who want more out of their home and school life. One of the girls is on medication for ADD and one isn't. They were getting special help in school and some bad things happened and the school called a meeting with the parents. These folks told me that they are taking the girls out of school and putting them in a "better" one and are suing the school for harassment! The parents told me they are going to try to get the other daughter on meds. They have recently gotten review papers for this daughter and the kid hasn't seen a doctor in over a year so there are no medical records now to support her ADD disability. I haven't been on the boards here for quite some time, but have been reading. It's sad to read about all the denials people are writing about who really need the benefits to get their illnesses in check. I wish I knew about this board when I was denied benefits because there's a lot of support here. Most people want to get well and be productive at a job in the future. Unfortunately, I keep bumping into people who are not honest. Maybe there's a karmic reason I keep meeting these people. I'm happy to be able to get treatment several times a week for my own illnesses and live an honest life and try not to think about who is doing dishonest things and getting away with it, but sometimes it's hard when it's in my face all the time at the clinic I go to. I hear all sorts of things in the waiting room you wouldn't believe.
I'm sure its not easy being a parent. I don't have children so I don't have that responsibility. It's horrid to find that people use their kids to get more money...and then don't even take care of the kids who the money is for to begin with.
Last edited by Administrator; 06-02-2011 at 11:22 AM.
