How Long to Get Disability Approval Letter?
For someone with a disabling physical or mental health condition that prevents them from working, financial challenges quickly arise. Benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs help, but the wait for an SSI or SSDI approval letter feels like an eternity.
American Disability Action Group understands what people go through, so they put together this article about the application process. It includes an explanation of the factors that may affect disability approval letter time and what you can do to avoid delays.
Average Waiting Time After Submitting An Application For SSI Or SSDI
The Social Security Administration reports that it takes from six to eight months from when you apply for benefits to receive an SSDI or SSI approval notification. Applications go through a review process that starts at a local Social Security office.
Application Review Process
The field office review focuses on determining whether the applicant meets the non-medical requirements for disability benefits. The SSDI requires that a person have a long enough work history at jobs or self-employment where Social Security taxes were paid on their income.
The SSI program does not require a work history. It is a needs-based program, so it has income and resource limitations for applicants to meet. For example, applicants cannot have resources or assets valued at more than $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples.
The field office sends applications that satisfy non-medical requirements for the SSDI or SSI program to the Disability Determination Services. The DDS is a federally funded state agency where an examiner reviews the application, medical evidence, and other supporting documentation to determine whether the claimant has a disability that meets federal standards.
A delay in the processing of an application may occur if the DDS examiner requests medical records from the applicant’s doctors. If a person’s doctors do not promptly respond to the request, it delays the processing of the application. A medical practitioner’s failure to respond to the request could cause the claim to be denied.
The DDS examiner may request that an applicant submit to a medical examination by a medical practitioner who treated them or by a practitioner chosen by Social Security. If you receive a request to schedule a medical examination, you can avoid processing delays by scheduling it as quickly as possible.
Upon completing the disability review process, the DDS office returns the file to the Social Security office with its determination on whether the applicant is disabled. The field office completes the process by sending out the Social Security disability confirmation that includes the amount of benefits awarded. Applicants whose claims are denied receive notification along with information about their right to appeal.
Causes Of Delays During The Initial Application Review
The six to eight months for SSDI and SSI approval notification could be longer. Delays in the initial processing of an application add to the waiting time.
Common reasons for an application being delayed during the initial review process include the following:
- Applications submitted with errors, inconsistencies, or missing information.
- Nature of the disability.
- Failure of healthcare providers to respond to requests for medical records.
- Applicants who do not respond promptly to requests from Social Security or DDS for information or to schedule a medical examination.
American Disability Action Group helps you avoid processing delays by being proactive. They review the application to identify and resolve the mistakes, omissions, and other application problems that cause interruptions in processing.
The disability team at the ADA Group contacts your doctors and other medical practitioners who treated you to ensure the availability of medical records to support the claim. Submitting records with the application instead of waiting for them to be request during the review process is another way to avoid delays.
Appeal Process Waiting Times
If a claim must be appealed because of a denial after the initial application review process, how long for disability letter notifying you of the outcome takes longer. The following levels of the appeal process must be taken into account in calculating waiting times for Social Security disability confirmation:
- Reconsideration
- Disability hearing
- Appeals Council review
- Federal court review
Reconsideration alone can take from three to nine months before you receive a decision. It can take as long as eight to nine months for the Social Security Administration to schedule a disability hearing.
Get Assistance From A Social Security Disability Attorney
The disability attorneys at American Disability Action Group know that an accurate and well-prepared application goes a long way toward reducing unnecessary delays. Our team of disability professionals carefully reviews your application, obtains medical documentation to accompany it, and contacts Social Security for status updates.
If an appeal is necessary, we handle it promptly with a commitment to achieving a successful outcome for you. Contact the ADA Group today for a free consultation and claim evaluation.