letter from SSA about an appointment to 'review my case' :(

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I'm extremely nervous and upset right now.

I'm in my mid 20s and i been on SSI for autism, adhd, bipolar, and type 1 diabetes since year 2018. i recently just got a letter in the mail that they are scheduling an appointment to 'review my case' and I am scared because there's a risk i might be cut off my SSI even though my conditions have NOT inproved.

has anyone here ever gone through this before?? what are the reviews like? what should i know about this? please help!

Hi lostguy

I'm not American but I know it's normal for cases to be reviewed every few years. Your autism is a lifelong condition without any type of treatment available. Your ADHD is also lifelong but they will just want to know if your functioning has improved at all, if you are on meds, if you are able to work, etc. Bipolar is much the same where they might want to know that you've been following doctors' advice with medications / therapy, and if you've had any improvement. Diabetes adds a physical condition to your file. Chances are they might want some updates from your doctors (e.g., dates of your last visits, medication changes, maybe some papers recertified). They might want to know your financial info like tax returns or whether you've had a change in material circumstances (moving, getting a job, losing a job, inheriting money).

I know it's very unnerving and quite honestly disrespectful for disabled people to face this scrutiny. My daughter has been through the same and even had to go to a tribunal (which she won). She's actually due to be reviewed in the next few months but I think it's all on paper because of Covid. I hope you have someone who can help you do the paperwork and go to your meeting, if that's allowed. It's very stressful but from what I understand, it's quite hard to lose benefits unless your conditions / wealth have changed considerably.

Best wishes. Sorry I couldn't help more.

Here, if you are denied renewal you can get a free lawyer / advocate to help you appeal.

They know how to fix up the paperwork and get you to win.

I forgot to mention I also get Disability Insurance money where I live but it's a different type than my daughter's. My renewals are just one page of paper I have to update every year or two, and send back to them. I dont think they're out to refuse people unless there's an obvious case of someone abusing the system. It's not like our autism will ever go away. It's also been Covid so you likely weren't working for at least two years. All of that works in your favour.

For SSI/SSDI for life, you have to do a review every 3-4 years. I just had another last year. I am on SSDI so I don't know if procedures are a little different but from state it might vary a little. They just send me paperwork to do in the mail and then I have to send it back. There is a time frame they want it done in, so if you need more time you have to call the office to ask for it. The only time I had to do an interview appointment was the first time I applied. But then I had to do one for the last one because "They needed more information" Which I was like FU, nothing has changed why you making me go through more of this >_>

ANYWAY if nothing about your or your circumstances have changed then you don't really have anything to worry about. You just have to jump through the hoops and answer the questions. I have used my former review applications to answer the 'new one' (because it's always the same questions) to help make sure I'm not forgetting anything. The process is annoying, repetitive, and depressing but like I said, no change = not something to make yourself sick over.

In some odd case that they decided to stop your benefits, you are able to make an appeal. Typically it's listed how to do that on the letter you get when they make their decision.(whether it's continued or not)

just wanted to let everyone know that it has been resolved ♥ they aren't cutting me off SSI. they just needed to update my living information ♥ thanks for the good hopes everyone ♥

Yay!

A story just because:

I've been on SSDI for about a decade now and a couple years ago there came a review letter with a form to fill out which was just 2 pages.

What?

NOTHING from the Federal government bureaucracy is EVER just 2 pages.
This MUST be fraud.
Someone pretending to be Social Security.

So ...

I played on the internet ...

Eventually found Social Security's own web page with the form and instructions for it.

It turns out to be the form Social Security sends to disabled people who Social Security expects to have ZERO chance of ever getting healthier.

Umm ... thanks ... I guess.

I have been through it and I was a mess like you. Nervous I was going to lose my benefits and my kids would have to go to a bad school now or I would have to work full time and f**k my mental health. If I missed the last train after 1 am, I would have been f****d.

All they do is ask you questions and stupid ones like "do you know who the president is?" and "Can you name the last five presidents." "Do you know what today it is?" Just answer honestly and be yourself. No masking. It can even last a few minutes and it's a good thing.

Congratulations!