After sending an SSDI claim, there can be a long stretch of uncertainty. You may constantly check the mail, watch for updates, and wonder whether you need to do anything else during this wait.
Your medical care, however, should continue during this period. This means keeping your appointments, following treatment that your doctor recommends, and paying attention to changes in your symptoms.
After all, your medical records can tell an important part of your story if Social Security reviews your claim. They may become even more useful if you need an SSDI appeal later.
While waiting for your SSDI determination, continue doing these things to maintain your health and prepare for other possibilities:
Keep Up With Your Medical Care While Your Claim Is Pending
Continue going to your medical appointments if you are able to do so. Your doctors need current information about your health, and regular visits give you a chance to talk about symptoms that have changed since your last appointment.
Tell your doctor when a medication is not helping, when side effects are causing problems, or when a treatment has become difficult to tolerate. Your provider can decide what should happen next. You do not need to keep taking a treatment that is causing a serious problem without discussing it with the person who prescribed it.
If you stopped treatment, make sure you have a valid reason for it and explain this to your doctor. A clear explanation is more useful than leaving the gap unexplained.
Keep Medical Records and Symptoms Up to Date
Your medical records can pile up quickly during a disability claim. Keep them somewhere you can find them. Copies of test results, imaging reports, hospital records, medication lists, and specialist notes can make it easier to keep track of what has happened.
A symptom journal can be useful too, particularly if your symptoms change from one day to the next.
You do not need to write pages every night. A few practical details may be enough. Write down what you were trying to do, what symptom got in the way, how long the problem lasted, and what you had to do differently.
Over time, these small entries can help you spot patterns. They can give you better examples to discuss with your doctor, too.
Help Your Doctors Document Your Functional Limitations
A diagnosis is only part of the picture. Two people can have the same diagnosis and experience very different limitations.
That is why your conversations with your doctors should cover what you can actually do. Explain what happens if standing for a long period causes problems, and mention that sitting becomes painful after a certain amount of time.
Talk about walking, lifting, reaching, concentration, memory, fatigue, or other problems that affect your normal activities.
Your doctor may ask questions that help clarify these issues. Answer them as honestly as you can. You do not need to tell your provider what you think Social Security wants to hear.
Your records should reflect your actual medical situation. That includes days when you can do more and days when you can do very little. If your condition comes in waves, explain that pattern.
Report New Symptoms or a Worsening Condition
Your health does not necessarily stay the same from the day you file your claim to the day Social Security makes a decision. You may develop new symptoms, receive another diagnosis, or find that an existing condition is becoming harder to manage.
Inform your healthcare provider about meaningful changes because a new symptom may need medical attention. Avoid putting off care because you are waiting for the SSDI decision.
Keep track of major changes in your treatment, too. That could mean a new medication, a dosage change, another specialist, an emergency room visit, or a new test. Your provider can decide which information belongs in your medical record.
You should ask Social Security or your disability representative about submitting new medical evidence if your claim is still pending. The procedure can depend on the stage your case has reached.
A change in your health can matter after a denial, too. If you file an SSDI appeal, newer records may help show what has happened since your original claim was reviewed.
Prepare for a Consultative Examination or Possible Denial
Sometimes Social Security needs more medical information before it can decide a claim. Disability Determination Services may arrange a consultative examination for that reason.
If you receive an appointment notice, read it carefully. Follow the instructions and show up for the examination. Bring anything the notice asks you to bring.
During the appointment, describe your condition as it really is. You might be asked about pain, fatigue, medications, daily activities, movement, concentration, or other symptoms. Give straightforward answers.
Keep seeing your regular healthcare providers, too. A consultative examination is one part of the evidence in a disability claim; it is not a substitute for your ongoing medical history.
If your claim is denied, read the notice from Social Security carefully. It should explain the decision and provide information about your appeal rights. If you decide to appeal, pay close attention to the deadline.
Your medical care does not stop at a denial. Continue appropriate treatment and keep records of meaningful changes. Those records may be useful as your case moves into the next stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read more information about applying for SSDI:
Should I keep seeing my doctor while waiting for SSDI?
Yes, continue appropriate medical care while your SSDI claim is pending. Appointments give your healthcare providers a chance to monitor your condition and record changes in symptoms, treatment, and response to care. If money or insurance is preventing treatment, look for affordable care options and explain the situation to your provider.
What medical evidence is most useful for SSDI?
Medical evidence that proves or supports your condition and how it affects your ability to function can be useful for an SSDI claim. Records may include diagnoses, examination findings, test results, imaging, treatment history, medications, and information from medical providers about your limitations.
What should I do if my condition gets worse while waiting for SSDI?
Tell your healthcare provider when your condition gets worse and have the change documented. Keep notes about new symptoms, treatment changes, new diagnoses, and changes in your everyday activities. If the new information is relevant to your pending claim, ask Social Security or your representative how to submit it.
Can I submit new medical evidence after filing for SSDI?
Yes, you can provide new medical evidence during a pending claim or appeal. The submission process depends on where your case is in the disability process. Check the instructions you received from Social Security or ask your representative where the records should be sent.
Knowing the answer to “How do you apply for SSDI?" can help you get a claim started, but having an idea of what to do while it’s pending matters, too. While waiting for your SSDI determination, continue doing these things to maintain your health and prepare for other possibilities.
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