Any tips for getting a medical disability evaluation?

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starkid
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30 Oct 2020, 12:02 pm

The lawyer I spoke to says I need a doctor to evaluate me because my SSI case is lacking evidence. My medical insurance won't cover this doctor, I cannot afford it (it will cost about $600 USD), and I'd have to ask for my hearing to be rescheduled to have time to save up the money (and I doubt SSA will reschedule).

Anyone dealt with this before?



MarissaR
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30 Oct 2020, 12:07 pm

you can try finding a neuropsych doctor and ask them for the CPT codes for the test. call your insurance company back and see if they will approve those specific codes. If that doesnt work, see if the neuropsych doctor will work with you on a payment plan because that is a lot of $ to pay up front.

if neither of those work, see if you can find a charity facility that can work with you for testing. sometimes hospitals can do those tests.



blazingstar
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30 Oct 2020, 5:57 pm

Are you applying for SSI (supplemental security income) or SSDI (social security disability income)? The ways to apply and criteria are different for each program and people frequently get them mixed up or conflate them.


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ASPartOfMe
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30 Oct 2020, 6:40 pm

If you were diagnosed, do you have your diagnostic report?


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starkid
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30 Oct 2020, 8:10 pm

blazingstar wrote:
Are you applying for SSI (supplemental security income) or SSDI (social security disability income)? The ways to apply and criteria are different for each program and people frequently get them mixed up or conflate them.

SSI



starkid
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30 Oct 2020, 8:12 pm

ASPartOfMe wrote:
If you were diagnosed, do you have your diagnostic report?

Yes I have it.



blazingstar
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31 Oct 2020, 4:05 am

So you applied for SSI and were denied. The denial letter gives you several options for challenging the denial. I think they are something like: have a different person review your file, and two ways to appeal. You have 60 days to appeal. Have you requested a Fair Hearing?

Did you send your diagnoses assessment in to social security when you applied? Are you 18 years old or over? Did you apply online or in person? Are you working now? Have you ever worked? Could you be working? Are you living with relatives? Do you have a legal guardian?

I’m trying to isolate where the problem is, because whether or not you need a lawyer depends on what went wrong. I’m sorry if this sounds intrusive. Not my intention. I have no ego in this if you don’t want to respond.


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starkid
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31 Oct 2020, 11:19 pm

blazingstar wrote:
I’m trying to isolate where the problem is, because whether or not you need a lawyer depends on what went wrong. I’m sorry if this sounds intrusive. Not my intention. I have no ego in this if you don’t want to respond.

I'm not trying to figure out whether I need a lawyer; I'm trying to figure out how I can get a medical evaluation of disability. The lawyer I tried to get turned down my case and told me that I needed this evaluation to help me win. I've got two months until my hearing.



skibum
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02 Nov 2020, 12:52 am

Sounds like you need a new lawyer. I have a good one that I can recommend to you. I used her and she is really excellent. Do you want her info?


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starkid
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03 Nov 2020, 3:18 am

skibum wrote:
Sounds like you need a new lawyer. I have a good one that I can recommend to you. I used her and she is really excellent. Do you want her info?

No thanks. I'm not looking for a lawyer.



ASPartOfMe
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03 Nov 2020, 4:07 am

starkid wrote:
ASPartOfMe wrote:
If you were diagnosed, do you have your diagnostic report?

Yes I have it.

It depends on what state you are in but that can be used as evidence in some places. Some states require an assessment by their own doctors.


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