Can I get approve for SSD if I havent treated with a Doctor?
You can still possibly receive Social Security disability benefits without ever seeing a doctor, BUT, it will be very difficult and unlikely. The Social Security Administration (SSA) follows a strict process to determine if you are disabled. Part of this is matching your claimed conditions with the SSA’s list of medical conditions. To prove that you are suffering from a specific diagnosis or condition, you will need medical documentation from a medical doctor diagnosing you with your claimed condition.
According to SSA, your application for disability must include contact information of someone that they “can contact who knows about your medical conditions.” This would be a medical doctor. For your application to be approved, you will likely need a credible source such as a medical doctor to provide this information to SSA. Without having documentation to support your claimed condition, there is no way for SSA to determine the severity of your condition. But do not give up hope, because there is still a slim chance you can be approved.
I Cannot Afford To Go See A Doctor
Not everyone can afford to visit a doctor regularly, and SSA knows this. Insurance premiums are expensive and this can hurt your chances of seeking medical help. Medical records and any relevant evidence detailing your limitations are vital to being approved for social security disability benefits. Without those pieces of evidence, you may find yourself being denied on your first application. But always remember that you have appeal rights and should appeal!
SSA requires you to provide detailed medical documentation about your medical condition when applying for disability. Some of this medical documentation includes:
Your doctor’s information
Dates of treatment for all doctors, hospitals, and clinics
Prescriptions that you are currently taking, and who prescribed them
Diagnostic tests, including imaging studies and lab results
Without seeing a doctor, you will likely not have this important information when applying. If you cant prove that your condition is severe and that it prevents you from working, your application will be denied.
There is still hope though, as SSA has measures in place in the event you cannot afford medical care. A consultative examination is one way that SSA may offer to have your condition examined by one of their doctors for a proper assessment.
Using A Consultative Examination
During the Social Security disability application process, Social Security may order a whats called a 'consultative examination' (CE) to help provide you with a medical opinion to support your claim. In this scenario, a medical professional who is paid by SSA will perform an examination to determine your diagnosis, severity of your condition, and limitations associated with your condition. Disability examiners may then rely on the consultative examination’s report to determine whether to approve or deny a claim.
Previous Treatment Records Can Help Your Claim
SSA understands that there are various reasons why you cant seek treatment. Sometimes, you may stop seeing a doctor because the treatments were not helping your condition. In addition, maybe you took medications that also did not help so you elected to stop taking those meds. Regardless of why you stopped treatment, any document you have relating to past medical care can be used in your application for disability benefits. So even if you have not recently gone to see a doctor, you may have past evidence from your previous medical visits that may support your disability. You may want to consult with a Social Security disability lawyer to see if you have a case worth pursuing.
Comments