SSDI approved but review next year
 

So my SSDI was approved in a little less than three months so I know that I should not be complaining, but my review will be in a little less than a year. My question is will I be reviewed every year?

The letter stated that the doctors expect my condition to approve but I think that the problem is that the doctors that filled out the information were the doctors treating some of the symptoms not the actual condition. I only saw the doctor for the actual condition 6 times or so and then he told me that the brain injury is most likeley permanant, but I need to see the other specialists to treat some of the symptoms like ( neurologist for migranes, psychiatrist for anxiety, depression, anger issues).

The person that filled out my information only wanted to doctors information that I have seen in the last 6 months which were not the two that gave me the permanant disability diagnosis. I know I shouldn't worry about it, but I would hate to have to worry about losing the ssdi every year.

Have you thread the thread I started on CDR's?

You might get the long form. If so, treat it seriously. At that time, if you're docs state your condition isn't expected to improve, SS may put you on a longer CDR schedule. If you get the short form, and haven't worked, haven't received additional training or education, your health hasn't improved, and you've continued regular doc visits, then it's most likely you'll not get the follow up longer form. Until you get a long form, I don't know if SS will lessen the time between CDRs?

The type of injury you experienced and the short period of time after your injury that you were approved for SSDI might also be factored as well. What are the statistics for going back to work with a TBI? Hopefully you will continue to improve and adapt!

If not, and you get the long form, do your homework, and fill it out thoroughly. There's no reason to stress over this. You have the right to appeal while still receiving benefits if you are later found to no longer be severely enough disabled to qualify for SSDI. It could have taken years to get approved in the first place--so count your blessings (obviously you had a severe disabling trauma that I don't taken lightly, but even those in similar situations don't always receive such fast approvals. That's the glass is half full way of looking at your situation... ;) )

Kelley

If you dont me asking, how old are you? I ask because my husband was also approved on a Neurological issue and they put him on a 1 yr review. When I called and asked why so soon, they responded by saying his age-43. Maybe age is your factor?

And like mentioned below, I would hope that SSDI would continue if one continued to see their doctors and take their prescribed medications. The work program does not seem right to me, many I heard lost their benefits because they worked while on SSDI, yet others said the opposite.

Were you approved on SSDI for brain damage?What condition did they exactly approve you on?

Good luck. Keep us posted!!

Thanks for the information I really do hope to improve more, but the doctors say it unlikely since I am a year and a half post injury. My goal is to be able to finish school and not have to depend on the ssdi. I am 27 so I know I have time :) I would just hate to have to go through the review every year and worry about it (I know I shouldn't). I think that just to be sure (if my condition does not improve) I will have a check up or two with the actual brain injury docs before my next review.

It's not just his age. It might be his age, type of injury and/or expectation of improvement. After 50/55, you're not reviewed as often though I believe.

If you're going to school, this will likely trigger the long form and an in-depth review...

You should utilize the Ticket To Work and/or see if you can get into a Voc Rehab program. Also consider an SSI claim and a Plan for Achieving Self Support. You sound like a good candidate for the work incentives. Start here. Read everything.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/work/aboutticket.html

Janke,

Thanks for the link but since my head injury I have a hard time reading and understanding unfamiliar information. Do you have any idea who I would call to get more information on this? Also right now I am debating on school because I am not sure if I would be able to do it or not. Do you know if this program allows going back to school?

I have all of my Gen ed classes finished and only need to go for my main classes. I was on the waiting list 2 years for the program and was supposed to start a few months after my head injury. I have already deferred the classes a year and am not sure if I would be able to defer another year.

Thanks for everyones help!

The point of Ticket to Work is to provide you with the support you need to transition back into the work force which is what you said you wanted to do.

The point of Plan For Acheiving Self Support is to allow a person to keep sufficient SSI benefits for living expenses while using other income and/or resources to pay for education or other items or services that help you transition back into the work force.

These are two of the work incentives as part of the SSA/SSI programs. The point of ALL work incentives are to assist a disabled person get back into the work force. If getting back to work at some point in your life is a goal of yours, you need to make it a priority to understand work incentives. A phone call with someone will just skim the surface.

I suggest reading, taking notes, listing questions, reading again. Then contact an Employment Network in your area (Maximus may be one) and asking your questions.

cdr review every year
 

kelley,i know several people who were approved for ssdi benefits over the past several years for various ailments and conditions.and like yourself they were all put on a 1 year review status for the cdr review.however,because of the back-log of disibility claims and reviews those 1 year reviews have turned into 5 and sometimes maybe 6 years before they were reviewed by social security.i myself when first approved for ssdi benefits in 1996 was given a 1 year review interval.my first review after being approved for benefits in 1996 was in 2001 so i wouldn't worry to much about the 1 year review thingy.however,as lit-love and others have mentioned on this forum you need to continue seeing your doctors on a regular basis and take any medications while your recieving ssdi benefits so that when the time comes for social security to review your disibility case provided your not working you will have all of the evidence you need to prove to social security that you are still severly disabled and to continue your benefits.gil...

I was just approved 10/2011 and am up for review in 3 yrs, I'm 43 yrs old, brain injury from auto accident in 2008.

SS has received special funding to catch up on the backlog of CDR's. My CDR was sent right on schedule. I don't believe the kind of delay's that used to occur, as Gilbert mentioned, are likely to happen again--not now that SS has figured out the money saved by removing people's benefits.

Kelley, have you made a written request for a further extension, due to your injury? Is there a way to accommodate you with your reading issues? Perhaps, you could explore classes in other fields that you might enjoy as well--art classes would be one example. It would get you back in the classroom (a good thing) and you could also audit a class in your preferred field.

You're married and your husband works if I remember correctly? If so, I don't think you'll qualify for SSI.

It is true that the former commissioner decided to defer many CDR's because Congress didn't give her a big enough budget. However, in this fiscal year, CDR's and SSI redeterminations are a targeted workload, so there will be more of them and fewer pushed off to the future.

I know that we will not qualify for ssi. I guess how things are right now with my cognitive functioning I know that I would not be able to do school, but I am not giving up hope. I wouldn't even be worrying about or considering school if I hadn't already pushed school off for a year. I guess my biggest fear is that if I go and try school that even if I am not able to do it my CDR will have negative result because of it. Thanks for all of the help!

I doubt auditing a class even counts as receiving new education or training. Taking 1 or 2 classes PT, is very different than going to school full time. Yes--you might still trigger the long form CDR, but that doesn't mean you'll lose your benefits. Things like accommodations will be factored.

My concern for you is that if improvement isn't expected, and you can't manage the reading involved to understand the Ticket to Work program, how will you complete a Bachelor's degree? Have you made an appointment for testing and accommodations at your college? Can you understand and retain information more easily by oral communication? The disability services office may offer the option to provide you with an audio version of your required reading. You can record your professor's lectures and listen to them as often as you need.

You can likely receive a longer delay. If not, you can take a class that will be easy to pass--P.E., art, cooking, a learning disabilities assessment, etc. I took a 1/2 unit credit for a few semesters that only required attending weekly lectures on everything from restorative yoga to poetry, and required a 1/2 page review of the lecture. The Disability Services office will know a good fit. Auditing would require no homework on your part--you'd receive no credit, but it would provide you a stressfree way to test your abilities.

The Ticket to Work program might be right for you as well. They might determine you're capable of a different type of work than what you have in mind though. Exploring those ideas with a counselor at college might be a little less stressful to start.

You need to prepare yourself that you might not be capable of completing your former educational goals, but that doesn't mean that you won't find a different fulfilling career. I tend to think testing your options outside the spectrum of SS's influence will give you more time and flexibility in your options--but I have no experience with the Ticket to Work program personally, so I might just be paranoid.

If it's not too personal, do you think you could be capable of working in an entry level job in something like retail? Or doing menial labor? SS doesn't care that you can't perform a job you'll like--they just want to know if you're capable of performing ANY job. If you approach things carefully, hopefully you can return to work in a job you'll be happy with!

Too answer your question I don't do well in a crowed of people.
So I called my neuropsychologist to schedule another neuropsych eval. to see where I am at (He is the only doctor that seemed to understand all of my symptoms as a whole) and he told he told me flat out that my ability to learn has been significantly affected and he does not believe that I would be able to learn and especially retain the information. And after speaking with me he does not believe there has been much if any improvement.

I guess when I really think about it I am not able to work right now. It is just hard to let go of everything that I had planned. Who know's maybe I will improve in a year or two and can revisit the idea.

My son is at one of the top photojournalism programs in the country and one of his very talented classmates was recently featured on an autism website, where he discussed the difficulties with attending college.

Perhaps you can't currently pursue your old dreams, but that doesn't mean you can't create new ones!

There are jobs that might be fulfilling that require little interaction with the public and no new training--I loved hiking prior to my illness and considered becoming a forest ranger for example.

More importantly than a job, it would be great to keep your mind active. Do you enjoy audio books? If so, many public libraries have a large database of free online audio books.

Explore new hobbies! This could lead to a small business someday! Maybe you'll discover a love of quilting, refinishing furniture, baking, pottery, making jewelry, etc.