Those from Franklin County who receive SSD benefits will have their benefits reviewed at various points. The notice of the first review is given by the Social Security Administration at the time of awarding the benefits and subsequent reviews are conducted based in the severity of the disabling condition and the likelihood of improvement.
In addition to the list of eligible medical conditions, the SSA’s Red Book contains the guidelines based on which the administration conducts periodic reviews in order to determine whether the SSD benefits for an individual are to be continued, revised or stopped. Broadly, the reviews can be classified into three categories that are based on the possibility of improvement: “Improvement Expected” cases are reviewed 18 months after the award of SSD benefits; “Improvement Possible” cases are reviewed every 3 years after; “Improvement Not Expected” cases are reviewed every 5 to 7 years after.
These reviews are delivered in the mail. In addition, the SSD benefits recipient receives a call from an SSA representative who explains the whole review process. During this discussion, the representative collects information about the treatments undergone by the beneficiary and the details of the beneficiary’s employment and income since the award of SSD benefits. This information is shared with a doctor and a disability examiner who review each case individually. If required, the SSA may ask the beneficiary to undergo additional medical examinations that are necessary for determining continued eligibility. The SSA bears the cost for these examinations.
Once this entire process is completed, the SSA decides whether the SSD benefits are to continue or not. That is, if the SSA determines that a beneficiary is no longer disabled, it will begin the process of ceasing SSD benefits to that individual. In the event of such a decision, the beneficiary has the right to disagree with the SSA’s decision and file an appeal within the stipulated time. Seeking the assistance of an experienced attorney can help beneficiaries approach the appeal with a solid plan of legal action in place.