The Social Security Assistants (SSA) requires thorough, well-documented data from anyone who applies for disability benefits. Sometimes, a Social Security inability merits won't include enough medical information almost a claimant's condition to warrant approving. When this happens, the SSA may require a consultative medical examination to provide an unbiased medical stance for your example.

How to Plan for the Consultative Examination

  • Check That You Actually Need a Consultative Exam
  • Brand a Listing of Of import Information
  • Gather Medical Records and Documents
  • Ready Your Exact Caption
  • Make Certain the Doctor is the Right Fit
  • Prepare to Take Someone Come up with You
  • Have Notes During the Exam

The SSA requires a consultative exam in a few situations, including when your doctor hasn't provided plenty information about your condition or hasn't been cooperative in sending the required data to the SSA. Some doctors also aren't qualified to complete the exams the SSA needs, and then a specialist could be necessary to perform the exam.

The consultative test (CE) can seem intimidating, merely information technology could help you become the disability benefits to which you believe yous're entitled. It'south in your best interest to come up to the CE prepared and cooperative to get the near out of your appointment.

Ofttimes Asked Questions About the Consultative Exam

When you employ for SSI or SSDI benefits, your awarding should include as much medical information almost your status and relevant symptoms as possible. If a disability bidder lacks this information, there'due south a good risk they'll need some other medical examination to give the SSA aplenty information to approve or deny a case lawfully.

The post-obit answers to these oft asked questions should assistance you understand more about the consultative exam and what's involved:

What is a consultative exam?

A consultative test is whatever medical test that the SSA orders for a disability applicant to provide more data and context for a disability merits. If your doctor hasn't been cooperative in sending your medical information to the SSA or hasn't sent enough medical show to decide SSDI eligibility, you will probably need a CE.

You lot can treat the consultative exam as you lot would any other medical examination. The physician should briefly become over your medical history, inquire near your condition, and perform the necessary test(s) the SSA ordered. The consultative evaluation intends to appraise your electric current situation and offering the SSA insight into how your condition could prevent you from doing everyday tasks.

Who performs the consultative exam?

The consulting doctor for your consultative exam tin can exist your regular physician if they're certified to perform the exam and willing to do then. If not, the SSA will society a consultative test from an independent medical provider. This provider is i that you, the applicant, probably has not already visited, so you must come prepared with data virtually your status and medical history.

Also, call up that the Social Security md the SSA orders for the exam is non continued to the SSA in any style. Instead, information technology's an contained physician who contracts with the SSA to perform the exam and offer unbiased information about your condition and results.

What if I don't like the CE doc?

It is possible that you lot won't mesh with the doc assigned to you. In some cases, you lot could have the physician switched to a different medico upon request. However, information technology'southward unlikely that your disability claims examiner will approve the switch without a valid reason.

Ane valid reason the SSA might approve a CE doctor change is that you have reason to believe that the physician is biased against you or your case. If the doc has previously performed consultative exams for y'all that resulted in the denial of your inability claim, you could also exist entitled to a switch.

Can I have my own physician perform the CE?

In certain circumstances, your ain doc may be able to perform the CE. Start, you should contact your disability examiner to learn more than about the required examination, including its name and what it's for. Then, you lot tin inquire your dr. if they have the credentials to perform the exam (this is known as an Acceptable Medical Source) and feel comfy doing so.

If so, you should put in a request to your disability examiner in writing. Be sure to explain that you've already spoken to your doctor, who is credentialed and willing to perform the examination for you.

What if I am homebound and unable to travel to the doctor?

If you cannot leave your dwelling house to get to your CE appointment, you can request that the CE doctor come to your abode per Social Security inability law. To request a home visit for CE purposes, you can contact your inability consultative examiner to larn what steps yous need to have. In most cases, you'll need a written request that explains the reason for the dwelling visit.

What happens if I miss the medico engagement?

Missing an appointment for a consultative examination can issue in the denial of your inability benefits. If you believe you may miss your appointment, you should phone call to have it rescheduled equally before long as possible. However, exist enlightened that pushing back your appointment could stall the approval process, and so it'southward all-time to stick with your original appointment if you can.

What is in a consultative exam report?

The consultative exam study will exist a detailed account of your medical history, test or lab results, and the physical examination. Information technology will likewise contain some primary identifiers and physical characteristics of you lot to ensure that your medical documentation highlights the correct person. The consulting doctor volition besides include a write-up of whether yous, under the guidance of the law, are disabled and whether you can work based on your symptoms.

What happens after a consultative examination?

After the CE, a determination of your disability claim usually goes relatively fast. At the time of the SSA scheduling your consultative exam, it has already reviewed about, if not all, of your medical data. The CE report is the missing piece of the puzzle to help the SSA brand a final conclusion of your disability benefits.

Y'all should look to learn the results of your claim within a few weeks afterwards your CE. You can bank check with your disability claims examiner within two to three weeks or enquire your disability chaser to check for yous.

How to Programme for the Consultative Examination

If the SSA has ordered a consultative test for you, at that place are a few steps y'all tin can take to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible.

Check That You Actually Need a Consultative Test

First, double-bank check that you demand the consultative exam. Y'all may already have results from a test or test that the SSA wants you to take to determine eligibility in some cases. Information technology'due south possible that the SSA sometimes overlooks this information or hasn't finished reviewing your case in total before ordering the test once more.

If you're unsure if the data you have is sufficient to avert a consultative exam, y'all can speak with a disability attorney for guidance.

Make a List of Important Information

Bring a list of anything that tin help the treating doctor learn more about your example to give context for the exam. Recollect, if the consulting md isn't your regular physician, they won't know your medical history. Listing your medications, recurring symptoms, the severity of symptoms, previous tests y'all've had done, diagnoses, and other relevant medical data provides the physician with some background to atomic number 82 to a more well-rounded exam.

Gather Medical Records and Documents

Although a list of exams and tests you've had done tin can be helpful to bring with you, you should attempt to bring whatever medical records you have along to your consultative exam appointment. Your medical records comprise results of check-ups, blood and other lab tests, radiology exams, and other exams that could help a provider give a more than accurate examination and insight into the claimant's condition.

Ready Your Verbal Explanation

Spend time crafting a verbal explanation of the symptoms you experience every twenty-four hours and their severity. Doing so can assistance you feel prepared to tell the doctor everything y'all can virtually your status during the consultative exam. The medical provider volition probable enquire yous some questions about your symptoms, and you'll want to explain them as accurately equally possible.

Be sure to explain how these symptoms interfere with your daily tasks, like bathing, driving, or eating, and how ofttimes you experience them.

Make Sure the Doctor is the Correct Fit

Y'all do have the correct to object to a medical source if you don't believe the provider is the right i for you. There are several situations in which the SSA will grant your request for a different provider, such as if yous've previously had an test with that physician, leading to a denial of your Social Security inability benefits. Prepare your objection in writing and keep a copy for your records. Send the original document to your inability examiner for consideration.

Fix to Have Someone Come with Yous

At that place are two splendid reasons to have someone you trust come with you to your appointment:

  1. You could feel tired or stressed after your consultative exam. How you lot feel could depend on what testing the physician does during your physical consultative exam or mental consultative exam. Some other person can bulldoze you to and from your appointment, just in case.
  2. The person you bring with you can be a helpful witness for disability examinations. They tin listen to what the doc says and watches what they do, and they may recall things you missed during the appointment.

Accept Notes During the Exam

Whether you take a mental status exam or a concrete examination, there volition exist a lot for y'all to remember during your consultative exam. Bring a notebook and pen to jot down notes every bit the md works with you. Make a note of what y'all and the doctor talk almost and what exams or procedures they performed.

Consultative Examination for Social Security Inability

The consultative examination tin be anxiety-inducing for a claimant going through the Social Security inability process. Nevertheless, it'southward a necessary tool for the SSA to deny or approve your merits. The CE provides detailed insight into how your status affects your daily life, which is essential to relay to the SSA.

Treat information technology as you would any other medical appointment. Prepare your thoughts, ask questions, and bring forth a trusted person to support yous during the appointment. Your Social Security inability lawyer tin can assist you with preparing for your CE and answering any questions yous may have about the process.