Will my SSDI and survivor benefits stop immediately if my cancer goes into remission?
I'm currently 58 and was just approved for SSDI and survivor benefits after my stage 4 lymphoma diagnosis back in January. My situation has been a real rollercoaster - when SSA did my medical review 3 months ago, things looked pretty grim. But I've been responding incredibly well to the new treatment protocol they put me on! My oncologist is actually using the words 'promising outlook' which wasn't even on the table before. I'm scheduled for surgery next month followed by one more round of chemo, and there's a very real possibility I could be in remission by spring 2025. Which brings me to my concern - what happens to my benefits if my health improves significantly? Does SSA automatically cut off both streams of payments once I'm declared cancer-free? Is there some kind of grace period? I honestly have no idea how this works and the paperwork they sent doesn't really address what happens in recovery situations. Anyone been through something similar?
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Haley Bennett
congrats on the good news with your treatment! i had a similiar situation with kidney disease that improved. SSA doesn't automatically stop anything there's a whole review process. they'll send notice about a continuing disability review at some point
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Rami Samuels
•That's a relief to hear. Do you know roughly how long the review process takes? I'm trying to plan ahead financially.
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Douglas Foster
When your medical condition improves, SSA doesn't immediately terminate benefits. They conduct what's called a Continuing Disability Review (CDR) to determine if your medical improvement is related to your ability to work. The process includes: 1. Medical review of your current condition 2. Assessment of your ability to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) 3. Determination if the improvement affects your ability to work You'll receive advance notice of this review. In many cases, SSA also provides a 9-month Trial Work Period (TWP) where you can test your ability to work while still receiving full benefits. This is followed by a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility. Since your benefit situation involves both SSDI and survivors benefits, the reviews might occur separately since they're governed by different program rules.
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Rami Samuels
•Thank you for the detailed information. I had no idea about the Trial Work Period - that's really good to know. My survivors benefits are from my late spouse's record, so I assume those would continue regardless since they're not health-dependent? Or do they get reviewed separately?
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Nina Chan
I think you're getting SSDI confused with SSI. Disability doesn't just automatically stop. My sister had breast cancer and went through something similar. They do these things called medical reviews where they check if you're still disabled. Worst case, you can always appeal if they try to cut you off too soon.
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Douglas Foster
•Actually, the original poster correctly identified SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), not SSI (Supplemental Security Income). They're different programs. SSDI is based on work credits, while SSI is needs-based. But you're right about the medical reviews - they don't automatically stop benefits without a review process.
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Ruby Knight
To clarify about your survivor benefits specifically - those are separate from your disability benefits. If you're receiving survivor benefits as a disabled widow/widower, your medical improvement could affect those too. However, if you're receiving them because you're caring for a child of the deceased worker under 16, or if you're over the minimum age requirement (which varies), they may continue regardless of medical improvement. For the SSDI, as others mentioned, there's a structured review process. What's most important is keeping all your medical documentation organized. SSA will want to see the full progression of your treatment and your doctor's assessment of your ongoing limitations, even in remission. I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to discuss your specific situation once you have a clearer picture of your medical outlook. Unfortunately, getting through on the phone can be extremely frustrating.
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Diego Castillo
•Speaking of getting through to SSA on the phone - I was in a similar situation trying to discuss my benefits after my condition improved. I was getting disconnected after hours on hold. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending all day trying. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It made a huge difference because I actually got to speak with someone who explained exactly how the medical improvement review would affect my specific benefit combination.
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Logan Stewart
my aunt went thru cancer similar to yours and got better thank god. she kept getting her checks for almost a year after she was in remission before they even contacted her for a review! dont worry too much about it yet, focus on healing
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Rami Samuels
•That's actually really comforting to hear. I am trying to focus on getting better first, but the financial stuff keeps me up at night. Thank you for sharing that.
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Mikayla Brown
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!! I was on disability for back problems for 3 years, then had ONE GOOD DAY at my review appointment and they cut me off completely!!! FIGHT THEM with appeals and get a lawyer!! They'll try to say you're fine when you're NOT! Even in "remission" cancer causes long term problems they IGNORE!!
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Douglas Foster
•While I understand your frustration, each case is different. The SSA does have established guidelines for evaluating medical improvement, and cancer cases specifically have protocols based on the type of cancer, treatments, and ongoing effects. It's always good to know your rights and the appeals process, but many reviews are conducted fairly according to the medical evidence.
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Haley Bennett
also forgot to mention u should look into the ticket to work program if u decide to go back to work later. its designed to help ppl transition off benefits without losing everything at once
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Rami Samuels
•I hadn't heard of that program - will definitely look into it! Thanks for the tip.
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Nina Chan
when they do the review they'll look at whether ur still meeting the listing requirements for cancer. my moms friend had leukemia and even tho she was in remission they continued her benefits for like 2 yrs because of the after effects of chemo and stuff
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Ruby Knight
•That's an important point. The SSA recognizes that even after cancer goes into remission, there can be significant ongoing impairments from the treatments themselves. Things like neuropathy, cognitive effects, fatigue, and immune system complications can all be considered in the disability determination, even when the cancer itself is in remission. Make sure your doctors document all of these ongoing effects thoroughly.
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