I have been on SSDi, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps since 1997. I was diagnosed with major recurrant depression, severe anxiety and PTSD. I had just had 2 nervous breakdowns. I had never been reviewed until 2016, when I went thru a full review. Having to see state psychiatrist and Dr. This was 19 years after being found permanently disabled. I was found to still be disabled, but warned to get more mental health paperwork. I told him I have tried for over a year to find a therapist but nobody in my area will take my insurance. My insurance company case worker tried to find mental health care that would take my insurance, calling many places to no avail. The SSD reviewer said "Keep trying!". Which I did. I need it desperately because I have become agorophobic from PTSD. I found one place. After our 3rd visit, the therapist left to have a baby and she was the only one who took my insurance. Than I found another place 40 minutes away. I don't drive so I had to have my friend drive me. Again, after 2 visits she fell, broke some teeth and cancelled our 3rd appt. Than she rescheduled my appt, and when I showed up, she said "Your appt was yesterday." I showed her the email she sent with date and time. She was wrong. My was appt. for for THAT day. She said she already had an appt and she would contact me to reschedule. She never did. I contacted her and she said bc I lived so far away, she would set me up to see her via telehealth and she would contact me. She never did. Because I live in a rural town in TN, this stuff seems to be normal. I want to move back home to Michigan to go to Oakland County Community Mental Health. When you are agorophobic with PTSD, it is terrifying to sell your house and move across the country, but I tried so hard to find help doing it. I have written over 100 organizations, charities, philanthropists, even celebrities to try and get help relocating. Not only is my house a mess, but having strangers come thru to view it terrifies me. So, I thought moving home 1st might be better, but this all is too hard for me. Family and friends are all over the country and can't or won't help. I am bedridden with physical health issues, and now the pandemic has me afraid to get much needed diagnostic tests. I am high risk. I fell and hit my head. My Dr. set me up for brain MRI bc I have severe headaches. I have a lump in my breast and blood in my urine. All diagnostics have been cancelled due to Covid 19. For months!
And NOW I am being reviewed for SSDi again. 2016 full review, 2018 short review, 2020 not sure. I filled out the form 3 weeks ago and haven't heard back. Why are they suddenly reviewing me every 2 years since 2016, after I was found permanently disabled mentally in 1997? Years ago, I read that after age 55, they no longer review you if you have been on SSDi for a long time. I am agorophobic and terrified to leave the house. But, I haven't been able to find the treatment I need. How I became disabled is like a horror movie. I was kidnapped at gunpoint by a stranger, taken far away, and had unthinkable things done to me. I was left in a field. My kidnapper thought I was dead. I crawled to lights in the distance. He saw me when I reached the lights, screaming for help. He pulled in the parking lot and beat me to a bloody pulp. Strangers saved me from him but it messed me up bad. 10 years later I was gang raped by 3 men and that is when I had the breakdowns. My psychiatrist, therapist, and case manager all agreed I needed to get on SSDi. I was frightened of everyone, especially men. With years of therapy, I got over the agorophobia, and even moved to FL to be near family. But the concrete, crime and chaos of Palm Beach County was too much for me. So, I moved to rural TN, only planning to stay 2 years before moving home. Than I was victimized again. And the PTSD and agorophobia came back. Now I may get kicked off SSD and lose everything. Why the reviews after all these years? How can I get home? I need help.
In this day of COVID you should not have any trouble finding a therapist that will accept your insurance since so many are now doing virtual appointments.
I had a pulmonary exam last week and the technician told me about how often he sees patients that are there to try to scam the SSDI system to receive increased benefits that disability will provide.
It sounds like you have all your paperwork in order for recert.
Keep trying to work on getting a therapist per SSDI recommendations. Your best bet is telehealth visits now which can be continued after Covid (which at this point only God knows when that will be).
My brother was on SSDI and I believe underwent recert every five years.
Good luck!
This is a question you need to ask SS. If you are on Medicaid, they offer transportation. You may want to try your Office of Aging. They maybe able to help you find a doctor who takes Medicare/Medicaid. Ask them what you can do concerning SS and not being able to find the doctor's needed for their reports in your area.
This is so that SSDI can be reserved for only those who really need it (in the government's imperfect opinion). Is it possible to find a support group for those who suffer with similar issues as you? Besides the obvious benefits you may also be able to find out how they are maneuvering through SSDI themselves. I wish you all the best, complete healing and peace in your heart.