When you apply for Social Security disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA), and a contract agency called Disability Determination Services (DDS), will make a decision on whether or not you’re entitled to benefits. In order to qualify for Social Security disability, you must demonstrate that you’re unable to work in any job on a consistent basis, for at least a year.
After you apply for Social Security disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will begin gathering information about your medical conditions and symptoms, and how these affect your ability to do different things, such as stand for any length of time, lift things of various weights, or work on tasks that require concentration. Their goal is to determine if there is any type of job that you would be able to perform on a regular basis – if they find that there is, your application for disability benefits will be denied.
RFC stands for "Residual Functional Capacity" and refers to the maximum you can do in spite of your physical/psychological impairment(s). Social Security assesses residual functional capacity on a case-by-case and only after all medical records are examined. The Social Security Administration (SSA) must organize your complete medical history. In addition to the reports submitted by your own physicians, you may be asked to undergo a consultative examination by a doctor who works for Social Security.
Medical records are protected by the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). This act was put in place to limit the ways in which doctors, dentists, mental health professionals, insurance companies, hospitals or any other relevant entity can use or share your medical records. However if you are a dependent, spouse or a legal beneficiary of the person in question you have the right to access and view the medical records.
