how to get all medical records?
 

I am getting ready to fight my SSDI denial and I am wondering if there is a way I can get my complete medical records. Do I have to contact every doctor and hospital is there one place that would have everything? I want copies of all tests, MRI's cat scans, x-rays and all of the doctors notes. In other words, I want copies of EVERYTHING they have about me. I also want to make sure they leave nothing out, I have a feeling one doctor suspected me of seeking drugs because for some strange reason one ER doc ran a drug screening test on me without telling me she was doing it. They were even looking for THC, I saw the results and everything was of course negative, but it makes me wonder why she would do that when I came to the ER with back pain. I have also noticed that since that ER visit every doc I've seen has been trying to give me anti-depressants every time I see a doc, no matter what reason I am going there.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Jerry

Heya
Unfortunately, methinks you need to contact every place you've had medical help :/ Two things I'd say to look out for:
I've had to pay one PT for postage to mail it to me. If I had a fax, they would not have. Also, I was lucky to see several doctors and PTs under the same hospital network, so I called the general medical records dept and had them send me all my files- so in that particular case that was a "one place that had (most) everything".
But its always possible what you get is incomplete, so its real important now that you are taking this step to stay on top of it. 8)
good luck! Being your own secretary is a demanding job :/

reply to thread
 

Hi,
I went through this. The more records you can give them,the better off you are. I gave them almost 1" of paper work. Most doctors will give you the paper work you need, and sign forms in what you are filiong for is true. Other doctors may charge you for the papers, but under the right to know law,you can have acess to your files.
Larry: :)

Getting appropriate medical records
 

Hit SSA with the pertinent reports which prove you are disabled when you file the claim. Sign a medical records disclosure form/s so they can write to your doctors if you are disabled. Then you won't be charged for the records. However, it is always, as Larry says best if you take the report in hand to the Social Security office when you file for SSDI or SSI. Don't take the actual films. Know that typically they deny the first claim, so continue the process, Reconsideration and then Appeal. Your tax dollars at work!!

LOST by Social Security
 

I secured my medical records prior to my initial application for disability. I hand delivered the records to my local Social Security Office. My claim was denied due to lack of medical records being received. I am appealing but still wonder what they did with 46 pages of medical records I hand delivered to them the day after my original online application. The records I submitted were never considered in my claim for benefits.

Don't take this the wrong way, but 46 pages is not very much history for a severe illness that has been going on for many months/years. Several hundred to a couple of thousand pages would not be extraordinary.

Also, it's best to provide the information they need, in a format that is easy for them to access. If you have multiple conditions, make sure you have letters from the docs focused on your most serious issues.

Please see the sticky "Don't Start Your Claim Unprepared." Also, NOLO offers an excellent guide to the SSDI application process.

Med Records
 

Thanks for your response. I have the NOLO book on SS Disability and found it very helpful. Several of my doctors records that go back beyond the past few years are unavailable due to the death of one doc, another doc that moved, and another that left the group practice he belonged to when I was his patient. I have made numerous attempts to secure these older records to no avail. Most docs have told me there is nothing more they can do for me so I see my pain management doc only a few times a year, my endocrinologist every 90 days, and my PCP once a year unless I develop some acute (non-disabling) condition, like severe edema, ruptured ganglion, etc. I only submitted records that were pertinent to my nerve damage which is the primary culprit in turning me into a shut-in. I was treated with physical therapy to no avail several years ago for which I paid each time, 3 times a week for several months, yet the physical therapy has never been documented. I was put on medication after medication to no avail. I used a TENS unit, Lidoderm patches, nerve blocks, etc. I submitted records for same including MRI's, NCS/EMG, x-rays, diskography report, cardiac cath report, etc. Where have I fallen short? Please advise. Your comments will be appreciated.

NO Reconsideration
 

My state has eliminated the reconsideration step. You must go directly to ALJ after initial denial.

Hope,

While it might be impossible for you to now retrieve some of those records, which could influence the date of disability that the SSA would agree to/your backpay award, your current docs should still be able to document disability based on when they started seeing you. They can document that you had past treatments with x,y,and z, etc. The exact findings of each past MRI, test, etc isn't critical to your claim in most cases. With few exceptions (blindness, ALS, terminal cancer, etc) it's NOT about the diagnosis, it's about how your symptoms of that disease/condition impact your ability to work. Your current docs can document that.

Have you supplied SS with the information of each of those docs, so they could obtain the records for you? You can't pick and choose what they receive, SS is supposed to get everything.

If you're claiming your condition has become more acute, that usually means an increase in treatment and meds. It's difficult to figure out your timeline from your other posts... When did you stop working? Do you have documentation that your condition worsened at that point?

Have you had an RFC form filled out?

Have you read the SS blue book? It's helpful to correlate symptoms that may overlap.

If much of what your claiming is undocumented and subjective, you will likely have a tough time getting approved. If you're stoic and withdraw, you're going to have a hard time.

Do you have a specialist for your disorder?


I had to supply overwhelming medical and legal evidence, and I had a very long approval time for several reasons--SS lost some of my paperwork, but I also had "reports" from WC docs that had never met me, and a few that had, making outrageous claims so that they could limit WC's financial exposure.

Please look closely at my posts 43 and 45 in the "Don't start your claim..." Thread.

Finz has posted about this very eloquenty several times, at length. Perhaps we could get her to to add this to the sticky, "Don't start your claim unprepared"...

It's so easy to waste time on what a person assumes is logical, but unless they understand the process, and where they're at in the process, they can't really help themselves.

I know that there is some great info in that thread, LL.

Unfortunately, I was reprimanded one to many times for commenting on the misleading and incorrect info that is also in that thread, so I am still uncomfortable posting or reading there.

What thread are you referencing?

Somehow I think I missed a large part of the subject matter to which you refer.

I think they are talking about the sticky thread
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread148967.html

The sticky threads are special info threads at the top area of every main forum topic page.

Yup ! Glad Jo Mar could point you in the right direction.

There is a lot of great info in that thread.

For so many of us, typing lengthy posts comes with a cost on ye ol' painometer. For many topics that come up repeatedly here, it's easier to link or direct someone to some of the more lengthy/detailed/instructive posts instead of trying to retype things every time the topic comes up. How to manage the application process and, hopefully, get approved are VERY frequent topics here.....as you can imagine.

Having everyone's comments on that topic in one place also helps newbies get more info as they can read the tips from all posters over the years. Many people "move on" after they get accepted. Often posters will focus more on their "diagnosis" forum. Having the one "stickied" thread lets newbies benefit from the all of the different viewpoints of the many posters who have been here. You never know which tip could be just what you need to help you through the process.

You'll have to add to that thread when you get approved ;) All of your difficulties with lost records, an incomplete record, doctors who've moved on are a lesson to ALL SSDI/SSI applicants. The applicant, or his lawyer or representative MUST make sure the application is complete and says what it needs to to prove disability.