Continuing Disability Review (CDR)

What is a Continuing Disability Review?

Continuing Disability Review (CDR) is a process that the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses to periodically check whether someone who is receiving Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits is still eligible for those benefits. The purpose of a CDR is to ensure that only people who are truly disabled are receiving SSD benefits, and that people who are no longer disabled are no longer receiving benefits. The SSA will conduct a CDR at different intervals for different people, depending on the nature of the person's disability and the likelihood that their condition will improve. For example, someone with a terminal illness may not be reviewed as often as someone with a condition that is expected to improve over time.

What happens in a Continuing Disability Review?

During a CDR, the SSA will review the person's medical records and may also require the person to undergo a medical examination or complete a questionnaire. The SSA will use this information to determine whether the person is still eligible for SSD benefits. If the SSA determines that the person is no longer disabled and no longer eligible for benefits, the person will be notified and given an opportunity to appeal the decision. The person can provide additional information, such as updated medical records, to support their claim for benefits. If the person's appeal is unsuccessful, their SSD benefits will be terminated.

How a Continuing Disability Review affects social security disability benefits?

It's important to note that, receiving a CDR does not mean that you will definitely lose your benefits. Many people are able to provide the necessary information to show that they are still disabled and continue to receive benefits. It's also important to know that if you are receiving SSD benefits and are participating in a rehabilitation program or working, the SSA may conduct a CDR to determine if your ability to work has improved enough that you no longer need SSD benefits. Overall, the Continuing Disability Review (CDR) process is an important tool that the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses to ensure that only those who are truly disabled receive SSD benefits. The process helps the SSA to check if the person's condition has improved, and if so, the person may no longer be eligible for benefits. This is a regular process and should not be taken as a negative or that you will lose your benefits, it's a way to maintain the system and make sure that only those who are truly in need are receiving benefits.