I have recently been asked about preparing to see a Social Security Doctor who will conduct an examination to determine the applicant's eligibility for SSDI. This can be a scary proposition; also, if you do not take control of the situation upfront, your chances of success GREATLY DECREASE!!!

Here are some tips to increase your chances of using this situation in your favor of attaining your SSDI eligibility.

When they tell you that they want you to see their Dr. it means that, for whatever reason, the information from your own personal Doctor was not sufficient for them to determine whether the SYMPTOMS of your illnesses impact your daily living activities to such a degree that you cannot perform work in some capacity, given your education, training, work history and age that will pay you more than the monthy qualifying amount ($860/month currently).

It also means that you probably did not follow the process outlined in the DisabilityKey Workbook, acquired at the www.disabilitykey.com website. So, let's see if we can help you play "catch-up".

Here are the links to the Social Security form called Residual Functional Capacity. The first is an explanation of how it is to be filled out. The second is to a copy of the actual form.

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.NSF/lnx/0424510050

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.NSF/lnx/0424510055

In a nutshell, the Social Security Administration needs to have evidence - preferably your Doctor(s)' chart notes and the results of any and all objective tests completed on you - that will allow them to complete this form about you. If they don't have it, they will send you to their Dr to get it.

In a perfect world, you would have taken this form into your own personal Doctor AHEAD OF TIME and completed it with him/her, and provided it to SSA with your application (that's what I did, and what I advise folks to do).

To see an actual example of a type of this form completed, check out the articles portions of the www.disabilitykey.com website.

BUT, the best situation is to gollow the process in the DisabilityKey Workbook up front, and present the completed package to the Social Security Administration!

Best of Luck.