Social Security Disability approval taking forever - does applying in different states affect processing time?
My 29-year-old brother was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis last year that's progressed to the point he can't work anymore. He filed for SSDI about 4 months ago and hasn't heard ANYTHING beyond the initial acknowledgment letter. He recently moved from Nevada to live with me in Michigan (to help with his care), and now someone told him he should have kept his Nevada address because disability claims process faster there! Is that actually true?? Could he withdraw and reapply with his old address? He's burning through his savings and getting really desperate. His condition has gotten worse too - he can barely get out of bed some days. Any advice on speeding up this process would be so appreciated.
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Miguel Silva
Processing times do vary by state, but it's because each state has different agencies that handle the disability determinations for SSA. These are called Disability Determination Services (DDS). However, your brother should NOT withdraw his application now - that would restart the entire process and he'd lose those 4 months of waiting time he's already put in. What he should do is contact his local SSA office in Michigan to notify them of his address change. His case will likely be transferred to Michigan DDS at that point. Also, make sure he's responded to any requests for medical records or exams - those often cause delays.
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StarSailor}
•Thank you so much for this information! I had no idea about the DDS offices being different by state. He has updated his address with SSA already, but we weren't sure if that would slow things down even more. He's definitely submitted everything they've asked for so far. Is there any way to check his status that actually works? The website just says "processing" and we can never get through on the phone.
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Zainab Ismail
Nevada isn't even one of the faster states!! It's actually MICHIGAN that has one of the quicker processing times for initial applications according to the stats I saw last year. But really it depends more on your brother's specific medical condition and the evidence he's provided than which state he's in. Also if he's at the 4 month mark he should be hearing something soon. Initial decisions usually take 3-5 months unless there's some complication.
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StarSailor}
•Oh wow, that's the opposite of what we heard! That actually makes me feel better that we might be in a faster state now. I just wish there was some way to know where in the process his application is. The uncertainty is making his anxiety so much worse.
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Connor O'Neill
When my cousin got disability last year it took 7 months just for the first decision and she got denied! Then another 4 months for the reconsideration. Everyone gets denied the first time, it's how the system works. They WANT you to give up.
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Miguel Silva
•This is actually a common misconception. Not everyone gets denied initially. About 35% of initial applications are approved. The approval rate varies significantly based on the medical condition, age, work history, and documentation provided. Rheumatoid arthritis can qualify if it's severe enough and well-documented, especially if the applicant is younger (under 50) and has a solid work history.
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Yara Nassar
I work with disability clients and can tell you that calling SSA directly is almost impossible these days. After spending weeks trying to get updates for my clients, I started using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to an SSA agent usually within 30 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It was really helpful for checking on application status, especially for my disability clients who were in situations like your brother's. Sometimes just getting through to a real person at SSA can make all the difference in identifying if something is holding up the application.
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StarSailor}
•Thank you for this tip! We've been trying to call for weeks and either wait for hours or get disconnected. I'll definitely check this out - at this point we just need to know if something is missing or if they need more information.
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Keisha Robinson
has he had the consultative exam yet?? that's usually when things start moving. they sent me to their doctor after about 3 months and then i got my decision letter like 6 weeks after that. if he hasnt had that exam yet thats probably whats next
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StarSailor}
•No, he hasn't had any exam! I didn't even know that was part of the process. Is that something they automatically schedule or does he need to request it?
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Keisha Robinson
•they schedule it and send u a letter. they might not do it if his medical records are really good tho. but for most people they make u see their doctor who spends like 15 min with u and decides if ur disabled 🙄
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GalaxyGuardian
Your brother should request an "on-the-record decision" if his condition is severe and meets a listing. This means asking for an approval based on the medical evidence already submitted without waiting for the full process. He should also ask his doctors to submit letters specifically addressing his limitations in performing work activities - these are called medical source statements and they're extremely valuable. Finally, if his condition has worsened, submit those new medical records ASAP. Having a deteriorating condition can sometimes expedite the process. If he meets the criteria for a Compassionate Allowance condition (some advanced forms of RA might), that can speed things up significantly.
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StarSailor}
•Thank you so much for this advice! I've never heard of an "on-the-record decision" before. How would he go about requesting that? And I'll definitely ask his rheumatologist about providing a medical source statement - his doctor has been very supportive about his disability claim.
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GalaxyGuardian
•He would need to call the DDS office handling his claim (not the local SSA office) to request an on-the-record decision. If he can't reach them, having his doctor fax updated records with a cover letter noting the severe deterioration and specifying that they support an on-the-record decision can help. The key is making sure his medical documentation clearly shows he meets a listing in the Blue Book (SSA's list of qualifying conditions), specifically Listing 14.09 for inflammatory arthritis.
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Paolo Ricci
This sounds EXACTLY like what happened with my husband!!! He has MS and we moved from Arizona to Washington in the middle of his application process. It actually ended up being FASTER because Washington's DDS office was less backlogged. But what really helped was getting our congressman involved!!! I'm not kidding - I called our representative's office, explained the situation, and they have a staff person who deals with SSA issues. They made an inquiry and suddenly his application started moving again. Worth a try!!
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StarSailor}
•That's a brilliant idea! I never would have thought about contacting our representative. I'll definitely try that approach - we're getting desperate at this point. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
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Connor O'Neill
my nieghbors daughter got denied 3 times for her lupus and then finally got approved when she hired a lawyer. sometimes you just gotta fight the system. good luck!!
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Miguel Silva
If your brother's condition is particularly severe, he might qualify for a Compassionate Allowance which can expedite processing. Also, make sure he's considering applying for SSI as well if his assets are below the threshold ($2,000 excluding home and one vehicle). While SSDI is based on work credits, SSI is needs-based and can provide some income during this waiting period. Finally, has he looked into any state-level temporary disability programs in Michigan? Some states offer short-term benefits while federal applications are processing.
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StarSailor}
•He did apply for SSI at the same time as SSDI. His savings are getting close to that $2,000 limit now because of all his medical expenses. I'll definitely look into Michigan's state programs - I didn't even think about that option. Thank you!
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