The most important aspect of meeting the rules for either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits is medical evidence.
Medical evidence consists of all reports, notes, tests and opinions from a claimant’s medical provider. At Greeman Toomey Law Office we use a document known as a Medical Source Statement (MSS), which is sent to our clients’ medical providers, to help prove that our clients are disabled.
An MSS is either a physical or mental health questionnaire that asks our clients’medical providers to answer specifically tailored questions about our clients’ability to perform work-related activities.
Before an MSS is sent to a claimant’s medical provider it is important for the claimant to discuss all of their disabilities with their doctor and inform doctors how those disabilities impact their daily lives. A doctor who is willing to write statements addressing the claimant’s inability to work at a full-time level can be a valuable tool in helping meet the rules for Social Security disability.Below are some things to do before a Medical Source Statement is sent to your provider:
- Ask your medical provider whether they would agree that you are either unable to work or have the inability to work fulltime because of your disabilities.
- Ask your medical provider if they would be willing to complete the MSS in support of your Social Security Disability claim. And, be sure to tell your doctors about all of your disabilities and how the impact your life. It’s important that your medical providers have a good understanding of ALL of your disabilities.
- Sometimes medical providers will choose not to complete Medical Source statements, or will charge a fee to work on the questionnaires. Some medical providers will require a Functional Capacity Evaluation to be administered (at a cost to the client) before they are willing to complete the MSS.
