a new bociai .security disability review process has begun

a new bociai .security disability review process has begun for Rappahannock county residents. The old reviews were stopped nearly two years ago according to Bruce A. Hundley, Social Security manager in Culpeper. Recent major reforms promise to make the review process more equitable and responsive.

The most important change is the new medical improvement review standard. It provides that disability payments under Social Security will continue unless there is a strong proof of medical improvement since the last decision and the disabled person is able to do substantial gainful work, Hundley said. Under the old law, only ability to work had to be shown for benefits to stop.

There are some exceptions to the requirement to evaluate medical improvement, but they will apply only rarely, such as:

— The disabled individual has benefited from advances in medical or vocational therapy or technology related to ability to work.

— New or improved diagnostic or evaluation techniques show that the individual’s impairment is not as disabling as it was considered to be previously and, therefore, he or she can work.

— There is substantial evidence that a prior disability decision was in error.

Benefits also may stop without evaluation of medical improvement if the individual: is doing substantial gainful work; fraudulently obtained benefits; fails without good cause to cooperate in a review or to follow prescribed treatment expected to restore ability to work; or cannot be located.

The new standard will be applied nationwide by. disability decisionmakers at all levels, including the courts. Decisions must be made on the basis of all available prior and current evidence concerning the person’s past and present condition. There should be greater uniformity of disability decisions because of these and other changes in the law.

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