SS Fact Query

[Stiper2]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CO
I am o SSDI and also employer paid disability. Every year the Employer paid insurance company has me take forms to my doctor to fill out to prove the need to remain on disability benefits. This year they are asking me to sign a form to allow them to contact SS for a Fact Query, in which is information that SS has in regards to my benefits. I have been on SSDI for over 20 years and the same for Employer paid disability benefits and never once had they asked me to provide them with a release to look into SSDI. AM I legally obligated to sign this form to allow them into my SS information? Why after all these years do they want this? The Insurance carrier gets the information from my doctor every year. What do they need with SS?
Frustrated

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CO
I am o SSDI and also employer paid disability. Every year the Employer paid insurance company has me take forms to my doctor to fill out to prove the need to remain on disability benefits. This year they are asking me to sign a form to allow them to contact SS for a Fact Query, in which is information that SS has in regards to my benefits. I have been on SSDI for over 20 years and the same for Employer paid disability benefits and never once had they asked me to provide them with a release to look into SSDI. AM I legally obligated to sign this form to allow them into my SS information? Why after all these years do they want this? The Insurance carrier gets the information from my doctor every year. What do they need with SS?
Frustrated

They have the right to ask, and you have the right to refuse. They do, however, have the right to take action if you refuse to comply.

 

[commentator]

Don't let it surprise you, either, when SSDI checks up on your condition and requests a fresh application and current medical information. They do this from time to time. And they have a perfect right to do so. Do you really really think that somebody who is on disability, which is due to a medical condition so severe that they are incapable of working, and goes a pretty fair amount of time without improvement, yet doesn't die, that any kind of paying entity isn't going to exercise their right to check and make sure you haven't gotten better? Or that you haven't died and your spouse has you in the freezer and is still drawing your checks?

Of course they are within their rights to do this. Over the years, I've watched it happen with several family members, some of whom were terribly disabled (paraplegic, for example) that every so often, they'd be checked up on, have to re-apply for benefits, fill out new paperwork with their doctor. It's written into the federal laws that this sort of fact checking takes place.

Your company disability has the right to request all the proof they want to ask for and require of you within reason that you are still disabled. It's not a one and done situation by any means.

 

[Stiper2]

Yes I do understand they have the right to check up on you. I heard it was normally every 7 years. They have not in the 22 years I have been on disability. I have no clue why. THe employer paid insurance company has every year and me and my doctor have filled out their forms. I just feel its odd this year they are asking for SS to be involved. I am going on 59 years old and close to having this disability change to standard SS. I have nothing to hide, all is documented in health records of 22 years.

THe company i have worked for,(15 years) has filed bankruptcy and has closed most of their facilities. There is no job to go back to at this point.

THe other dilemma I am facing this year is that my specialist I have seen is no longer practicing ( since July)and has left the state of CO. I have only seen my new doctor once and that was merely a visit to meet and go over his practice. I may not even continue with him due to the fact he's only in office one day out of the week. I don't think he can qualify to fill this years review out. So I guess I will be contacting the Employer based ins to see what they say.

I have also heard that once you get past a certain age that is less likely SS is going to bother you. How true this is I don't know. I will deal with the punches I guess when they come in. Thanks for the input.