First time SSA-455 "Short Form" questions and a possible SSA scanline error?!

[videonitekatt]

Hi, Folks:

Nice place here - hope you all will be kind and helpful to this newbie on his second CDR - this time a short form. So I got a couple of questions, and perhaps might have found an error.

Got my SSA-455 (A nice surprise, expect them to just jump into a long form) and it's a little confusing for me. Hoping to get some feedback.

I am dealing with mental and behavioral health issues, (Bipolar, Anxity,ADHD) in addition to sleep related issues - sleep apnea, as well as GERD. These were present when I was awarded.

I've seen doctors for conditions not related to my disability - shoulder issues due to an accident - do those get put down in #5? I've also developed additional medical issues - insulin resistance during this time - even was hospitalized due to med side effects - should that be noted in hospitalizations? Do I use the remarks section. Do they primarily need notations regarding the conditions I was approved for, or need everything regardless?

The kicker is due to covid and changes at the hospital clinic I see my Psychiatrist, As of this week, I will have had 3 Psychiatrists in 2 years - the first one that I had disagreed that I even had the primary condition I was approved for (but the other issues present) and suspected I had an additional condition entirely , the second deferring to the previous doctors I had in the 8 years prior to the one I had for a year that disagreed with the finding, agreed with the other doctors (Who were part of my team that got me my disability) that the said primary condition was still present, as well as exploring the new condition suggested - Autism. Psychiatrist #3 I meet for the first time this week, and I will hold off submitting the form till I discus my case with her. (I just got it dated today, so I do have enough time window wise.) My primary care Doctor has referred to the Bipolar as "in partial remission most recent episode hypomanic", recently so I'm wondering is it better, is it not, I've not been able to find clarity. MY combined comorbities still affect me badly, and I'm still unable to work, or even function at times. I wouldn't all things worse, but possible additional condition - autism being added and the non-related medical issues makes things a mess. ) So I guess I'm "the same" when it comes to the awarded issues. Sine the ASD hasn't been set in stone (It's present, and I am guessing testing will be done by my new psych doc) It can't really count as something new.

I'm worried about getting a full CDR and even losing my disability while I've not improved, I don't want to screw things up when I have several comorbidities and such.

Have kept up with my doctors appointments, weekly psycho therapy and the psychologist helping with the CBT sleep issues (and monitoring my high anxiety) m as well as my neurologist in the sleep department. In addition, appointments dealing with my shoulder injury with PT and a PA following me. But are those important as they are not connected to the disability.

Yes, I've visited the famous and very helpful " How to Get On " blog which still has some helpful information, but not enough, and the gal who ran it passed away a year ago - so no fresh content.

Some say only note conditions on the form that relate to the disability, and not anything else, others say otherwise.

OK, now after that lengthy introduction - and thank you for sticking with me so far, here's the next question...

One of a couple of questions I still have - I have 30 days from the date on the form to return the completed SSA-455 ("Short form") Can appointments AFTER the date of the letter be used for Questions 5 A&B (Have you gone to the doctor, etc since 24 Months ago) or will that raise flags? (I've got an appointment with a new psychiatrist this upcoming week - transitioned when my last provider left several weeks ago I'd like to note as my most recent care, along with my weekly counseling therapy and bi-weekly phycologist . (I had a couple of medical visits not related to my disability in the interim) Can I use visits between the date of the letter and date of filing (Most likely will do it electronically) for some or all of the 3 fields for the most up to date at time of filing? I can't seem to find anything either way regarding this officially.

Now here's the "fun" issue that's kinda scratching my head...

So I'm still putting this together - and I noticed something I was looking over the 3 scanlines on the top right of the 455 form with all the data - and on the first line I noticed the field that denotes my most recent CDR said 2017 - (Everything else looked fine based on how to read scanlines, and all the personal data was correct) This doesn't seem right.

I did find in my records a notice (with the claim number that matched my 455 - I'm not sure how it works, but it seems claim numbers are a person's SSI number with a letter suffix added ) that evidence in my claim had been reviewed and found my disability continuing that benefits would continue and noted becuase I did not work any of the trial months (since my award) - It was only a year after I received my award and there was no CDR that triggered it. I didn't think anything about it at the time. I figured it was standard. This was the only think I received that might get mis-noted someplace.

So, at the proper window for my cycle, CDR was in 2019 (My first following the award) - So I checked the notice I received when I was approved for continuing benefits (Had my SSI number - partial redacted but no letter suffix like my claim number have) - and the 455 came in when it should have - on the 3 year cycle as noted on my 2019 BPQY. (Which was generated AFTER my approval for continuing benefits)

So Is this some sort of computer glitch I should report? I'm wondering if some data is misfiled or misidentified? My first CDR was a long form right off the bat, and now this time a short form. Anyone else ever encounter this.

I really don't want to screw anything up, or end up with having to fill out a long form...

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

[Helper]

Don't worry about it.  Just submit it and don't worry about the date.

[videonitekatt]

Don't worry about it.  Just submit it and don't worry about the date.

Thank you for the reply. I'm curious who else might have comments that would also be helpful

[heyjoe]

The three visits should relate to what you were approved for. If you get a subsequent long form, then you put down everything that developed since you were approved. Don't list those visits on the short form. only what you were approved for.
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As for the error its not important since you had a subsequent long form


if it were me i would only put down the three most recent visits that have to do with what you were approved for, within the time frame they ask for. If you have three visits in that time frame, why not just put those and avoid any possible problems by putting down a visit after the time frame. It doesn't gain  you anything.

[videonitekatt]

The three visits should relate to what you were approved for. If you get a subsequent long form, then you put down everything that developed since you were approved. Don't list those visits on the short form. only what you were approved for.
.


As for the error its not important since you had a subsequent long form


if it were me i would only put down the three most recent visits that have to do with what you were approved for, within the time frame they ask for. If you have three visits in that time frame, why not just put those and avoid any possible problems by putting down a visit after the time frame. It doesn't gain  you anything.

But is the date of the notice the cut-off date for information, or anytime prior to submission within the 30 days. I've been told that it is up to date of submission, not the date of the notice.

Yes, I have 3 recent visits with 2 providers related to my conditions prior to the date of the letter (but not one with my pervious or new psychiatrist) but I also have non-condition related medical visits in-between, and there's not clarity if it's just visits for condition or not officially. I also have a hospital visit not related to my conditions, but again - if I get flagged for a long form, some of this information may come to light. I want to make sure everything is in order.

[newdawn]

if it were me i would only put down the three most recent visits that have to do with what you were approved for, within the time frame they ask for. If you have three visits in that time frame, why not just put those and avoid any possible problems by putting down a visit after the time frame. It doesn't gain  you anything.

I agree with heyjoe and this is how I handled my short form. On the short form, I did not list doctor appointments completely unrelated to my disabling conditions. Are you sure you're not overthinking this a bit?

Yes, I have 3 recent visits with 2 providers related to my conditions prior to the date of the letter (but not one with my pervious or new psychiatrist) but I also have non-condition related medical visits in-between, and there's not clarity if it's just visits for condition or not officially. I also have a hospital visit not related to my conditions, but again - if I get flagged for a long form, some of this information may come to light. I want to make sure everything is in order.

If you get the longform, you will have the opportunity to list more doctors and conditions, and FWIW I've never heard of it being used against someone during a longform that they didn't list their EXACT three last doctor appointments on their short form. Most people I've heard of tend to pick the last 3 visits related to their conditions to write down in the spaces.

I've also developed additional medical issues - insulin resistance during this time - even was hospitalized due to med side effects - should that be noted in hospitalizations? Do I use the remarks section.

If you were hospitalized (meaning you were admitted to the hospital and kept at least one night in a hospital room--not an ER visit), you should check yes and list the date and reason for the hospitalization. However, if you went to the ER for example and were stabilized and sent home, this does not count as being hospitalized so you would not check the yes box in this case. Only you know whether you were admitted to the hospital and hospitalized.

As for using the remarks section, it doesn't sound like you have a real need to use it in this case so I wouldn't, but it's up to you. What do you think you would want to write in the remarks section?

[videonitekatt]

I see a Licensed Therapist weekly (for everything), a Psychologist bi-weekly (Anxiety and Sleep disorder CBT treatments), and the Psychiatrist for Pharmacological Treatment and related every month or so - but have been in-between Doctors from Early April to This week. (and I also see a Neurologist every 6 months)

So do I list the Licensed Therapist under visits? Or do they primarily want just Doctors?

[newdawn]

I see a Licensed Therapist weekly (for everything), a Psychologist bi-weekly (Anxiety and Sleep disorder CBT treatments), and the Psychiatrist for Pharmacological Treatment and related every month or so - but have been in-between Doctors from Early April to This week. (and I also see a Neurologist every 6 months)

So do I list the Licensed Therapist under visits? Or do they primarily want just Doctors?

You can put down the licensed therapist appointments. There's only spots for 3 visits though, right?

[videonitekatt]

I see a Licensed Therapist weekly (for everything), a Psychologist bi-weekly (Anxiety and Sleep disorder CBT treatments), and the Psychiatrist for Pharmacological Treatment and related every month or so - but have been in-between Doctors from Early April to This week. (and I also see a Neurologist every 6 months)

So do I list the Licensed Therapist under visits? Or do they primarily want just Doctors?

You can put down the licensed therapist appointments. There's only spots for 3 visits though, right?

Yeh, and 2 weekly therapy sessions and one appointment with psychologist will fit those 3 slots.