A stroke can happen to anyone, but the life-altering medical condition is most common among seniors. From the loss of memory to debilitating convulsions, a stroke irreparably changes the way we live. If you suffered a stroke, you need to find a way to treat the affliction, as well as remain ahead of the rehabilitation curve.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers a program called Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) that covers a wide variety of diseases and illnesses. Like other medical conditions, a stroke is addressed in the SSA manual called the Blue Book. The guide to medical coverage lists eligible diseases and illnesses such as a stroke, as well as the symptoms that make the people suffering from a stroke eligible to receive SSDI benefits. Sometimes, an SSDI applicant might not receive approval for a request because the SSA wants the applicant to submit additional information.
An Overview of a Residual Functional Capacity Assessment
Updated regularly online, the SSA Blue Book offers Americans a valuable tool to determine eligibility for SSDI benefits. You can qualify under a Medical Vocational Allowance with a stroke. If you discover that you need to submit more information to the SSA that demonstrates eligibility for disability benefits, you can expect to submit a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment form.
An RFC assessment form provides the SSA with evidence about how strongly a stroke has affected your capability to complete the same job functions you completed before a stroke took control of your life. Since a stroke often renders patients incapable of performing even the most basic limb movements, an RFC form should document any diagnosis that confirms your inability to complete basic job functions. This applies to the construction worker who lifts heavy objects all day, as well as to the professionals that works a computer mouse constantly throughout the day.
How to Submit an Influential RFC
The most important part of an RFC assessment is not the document itself, but the medical documentation you attach to the form that validates your claim. For a stroke, you want your primary healthcare provider to attach a document that confirms the existence of the life-changing disease. Evidence such as blood samples and motor skill tests can boost the credibility of your RFC application.
You also want to include documentation of the rehabilitation program that has tried to improve your physical condition. This document is especially important, as it describes where you stand physically during the long recovery process. Ask your physician to submit the RFC form to enhance your case in front of the SSA. The SSA places more significance on an RFC form submitted by a licensed healthcare provider than it places on an RFC form submitted by a patient.
Ask for a Free Case Evaluation
Having an SSDI application denied by the SSA because of insufficient evidence can trigger a considerable amount of anxiety. Like a baseball pitcher that comes into a game with a well-developed plan, you need to know where you stand physically and mentally before you submit an RFC application. A free case evaluation does a great job of reflecting the criteria used by the SSA to analyze RFC applications. The best part is you do not have to spend money to receive a free case evaluation. Just make sure to submit the same medical documents that you plan to submit along with your FRC application.
An RFC application can take a few months to process. However, you should receive quick results from a free case evaluation.
