How to Troubleshoot (Short Form CDR)

Posted on by sleepygirl
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Art: Robin Mead

If you don’t have the perfect short form, don’t worry, you can still pass your review. What’s the problem you are bumping up against?

Help! I don’t know how to answer XYZ!!

Just try to answer honestly and do the best you can with it. Most questions are simply checking boxes. If no answer seems exactly perfect for your situation, choose what seems best or closest to you.

For the question “reason for doctor’s visit,” there is no wrong or right way to answer. Many people simply list the primary diagnosis they were there to treat. For example, “Bipolar” or “EDS”.

Uh Oh! I made a mistake!

If you’ve made a copy of the form before starting, go ahead and start again. If not, just do the best you can with it and make a correction if you need to. Our readers report that they did not have much success trying to get Social Security to send them a new blank form.

Don’t worry, making a small mistake in spelling or writing or crossing something out won’t cause your disability check to end. Just do the best you can with it. Some readers use white out. If your computer has trouble reading your form, it may be reviewed by a person instead. It may take longer, but the final outcome should be the same.

Uh oh! I have been working!!!

Don’t worry, you can still pass your review. If you have been working, your short form may still be approved, or they may follow up by send you a long form review to fill out. Here’s How to Prepare for a Long Form Medical Review.

Uh oh! I have been in school!!!

The computer may still automatically approve you, or you may be sent a long form review for more information. Either way, the most important thing is to keep up good medical records.

Uh Oh! There is a problem in my medical records!!

Social Security won’t collect and read your medical records during a short form review. If there is a problem, they will not see it now. However, if you are sent a long form in the future, then they will collect and read your records. So this is a good time to start trying to make your medical records and strong and accurate as possible. How to Prepare for a Long Form Medical Review

Uh oh! My condition has improved!!!

The short form contains a question asking if your condition has improved. If your condition has improved, they may send you a long form review to gather more information about your current state of disability.

During the long form review, if your doctor’s records indicate that your condition has improved, they may look at your review more closely and you may need stronger documentation. If you are still disabled, it is still possible to continue to be approved. You may wish to take some extra steps to document your condition or any new conditions that have developed: How to Prepare for a Long Form Medical Review

Uh oh! I don’t have three recent doctor visits!!

Social Security guidelines state that appointments within the past two years are considered recent. So if you have seen your doctor at least three times within the past two years, this may be acceptable.

It will help if the visits were for the condition you were approved for. For example: If you were approved for bipolar, going to the foot doctor may not matter.

In some cases, Social Security does not expect you to see a doctor if your condition is completely untreatable. For example, if you were blind at birth and your blindness is permanent and unchanging, there would be no reason to see a doctor to “treat” being blind.

Even though the policy states that the past two years is considered recent, if it has been a significant time since you had your last visit, it is possible that the person reviewing your case may take this into account.

Some people wait and send the short form back after their next scheduled doctor’s visit, so they can discuss the short form with their doctor and so that their most recent visit is very recent. If you do this, just make sure you don’t miss the deadline. If you need more time to meet with your doctor to discuss the short form, you can call Social Security and ask for an extension to return the form.

If you did not have standard doctor visits but instead went to a hospital, clinic, or emergency room and had some kind of treatment or assessment there, then under the doctor’s section you may be able to list the dates when you had appointments with doctors in the hospital or clinic.

If you haven’t been seeing a doctor, there is a possibility you will be sent a long form review sometime in the next 3 – 12 months. How to Prepare for a Long Form Medical Review

If you have a good reason why you were unable to get to the doctor, in some cases Social Security will accept this. Here’s some information on What To Do If You Haven’t Been to A Doctor

Learn More 

More important info on: How to Fill Out a Disability Update Report 

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70 thoughts on “How to Troubleshoot (Short Form CDR)”

  1. I’ve been mailing my short form CDR back in the past and have usually heard back within 3 months. I just heard that you can complete this short form online. Has anyone completed the short form ONLINE? Does it speed up the response time? Does this mean the form is printed and then scanned manually. Any recent experiences from other people would be great to know. Also, how do I update my phone number listed on the form?

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  3. I received a short form. In question 5, “Have you gone to a doctor”, for the reasons, I put ANXIETY FATIGUE in line 1 with a space between the squares provided. I put MANIC DEPRESSION, with a space in the squares provided in line 2. In line 3, I put MED MANAGEMENT, with a space in the squares provided. Is that going to be fine or will it cause a confusion for the computer? I did not write anything else any other place on the form, such as remarks. Would it be better if I simply used one word to describe the reasons? Does something like this matter?

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    1. Hi can you please help me because I got an updated disability form what dates do i put on it please answer my question I forgot when I went to all my doctors please email me

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  4. I messed up on my ssa short form,I whited all out three blocks on the work section..I’m afraid they will think I’m lying or hiding something ..can I work ,cannot work and discused with my doctor I was so stressed out about this form..

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      1. Hi I just got the short form to complete and am unsure which box to check when it says about work.One question is I jave discussed with my dr about working one is my dr told me I can not work or my dr said I can.I have not worked in over 10 years I have anxiety and depression and behavioral problems since I was 11 years old I go to the dr a few times a year and still request and take my anxiety medicine.Should I put My dr said I can not work or we discussed it?

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  5. Should I risk asking my doctor if I can work or put I have not discussed working? I think he would say I cannot work full time but if I am wrong I would be screwed?

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  6. I looked at your “secret code” entry and what I was sent.
    I was sent one of these forms two years ago.
    I filled it out and sent it back.
    I never heard from them.
    The line where you say it lists “last review” has a year different that 2018-it shows an earlier date, as if the one I did in 2018 never happened.
    I have been given incorrect information from SS over and over both by phone and in person, so who can I actually get to help to get me a straight answer?

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  7. I have Parkinson’s stage 5 is question 5 on short form a trick question? I am afraid if I say no it will trigger FMR.Can someone help me with this?

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  8. I would like to mail in only the form & but I have about 3 full pages of Dr visits/therapy so will my adding these typed up pages as attachments automatically have human read it & trigger longer review process & long form to be done? I have low profile, but cant recall all my original DX codes. have memory focus problems! I am confused if SSDI began same time as my work comp began? I have numerous complicated health issues. Thank you so much.

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      1. Form asked for Dr visits & therapy for last 2 years. I thought that meant all visits in last 2 years. Not just recent visits.

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        1. I’m in the same situation and interpreted the form as you do. I have had about 40 appointments over the past two years and am unsure if I should attach a separate sheet to include all visits or just put the last three visits that I’ve had. If anyone has some clarification on this I would also appreciate it.

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          1. Sleepy Girl has been very clear about this issue…..the form is only asking for the 3 most recent visits to the doc…the SSA simply defines recent as past “two years”. You only need to list the 3 most recent so there is no need to add an additional sheet with all the the other visits you’ve had over the past two years. Hope that helps.

            Liked by 1 person

      2. Hello sleepy girl,I didn’t know how to reach you . I am confuse.. I don’t understand why I am getting an short form paper for my first time.. am I in troubble?
        what does 7/DTA/L means?
        It’s ask if I work before, but is helping a friend with her house few times mean work? Do I put that down?
        Do I also put down, doctors for my liver ?? And hearing aids appts and back pain appt?? I have noone to help me on my paper. I am trying to understand it.
        Thank you.

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        2. Thank you so much. This site has been a guardian angel to me for all this support & help!!
          You& this site have given me tremendous relief!!💝🙏💕
          thank you!

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                2. I was curious if signing up for volunteering/taking cat handling class at animal shelter would be mistaken that I am fit for work? I had found a sick kitten & brought it to animal shelter. I returned to visit & check up on the kitty. I wanted to see about volunteering as one can just come in & sit near cages & read to them for short time like an hour or so or play with them, hold them on lap.(I do not have the strength to care for active kitten at home, so it is nice to visit cats/kittens.) Used to be 6 hr minimum a month to be volunteer. But they said that no longer is true. It was therapeutic for me & made me feel good that I could contribute to helping socialize kittens to be adopted even for just an hour or so when I had the energy… If i do this later on after I send in form -would the State Animal Shelter records be entered into SSDI records so it it looks as if I am fit for work & that I went to training for voluneering?

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                  1. I don’t think Social Security considers volunteering to be the same as working…

                    I haven’t seen volunteer work be a problem for anyone… unless doctor writes that this means the person’s condition is improving…

                    As long as your medical records are accurate about your symptoms and limitations, that’s what really matters for long form review. For short forms, they don’t collect records.

                    How wonderful that you are helping kitties.

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                    1. Thank you!
                      I deeply appreciate your very- very important life sustaining work in helping so many disabled sick people!!!
                      Thank you for your kindness, compassion & amazingly fast response !! What a relief!!!
                      It is so wonderful to navigate your well planned out web site, the bright colorful artwork is welcoming & pleasing to the eye!
                      It is friendly to look at & well written with compassion! I appreciate the colors & especially the spacing between sentences & paragraphs!
                      Being sick navigating typical very busy looking sites can be very exhausting, draining & can crash down a sick person easily!
                      Your work is very inspiring & gives hope to me & I am sure many other people when badly needed!!

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      3. I just received my short form this week and also am unsure how to answer question 5 about recent Dr visits. I’ve had about 40 in the past 2 years but would it be more beneficial to only include the 3 most recent and not attach a separate list with all of the appointments listed? Is this a case where “less is more” or would it help my case to list more visits than just the most recent 3.

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      4. Hello Sleepy Girl.
        BACK IN NOVEMBER, I Inquired about the time it takes to review and receive a letter of Continuance without further review.

        With ask my back issues mounting and Other issues arising I didn’t worry but I was afraid my paper got lost in the shuffle.

        I sent short form in November the first week. I just received my letter of Continuance.
        You know your stuff and it did take exactly 3 months.

        You said 2-3 months and your were right.
        Thank you kindly.

        I’m over 55 and always worked. Never asked for nothing. It’s barely enough to get back but I’ve learned to cut corners..

        Thank you very much. And I’ll pass along what you told me. Be patient. Have everything in order before you start writing, and most of all try not to panic if you have received anything yet. They are swamped at SSI.
        I hope all goes well with you all.

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  9. Hello…this is a wonderful blog and Q& A…what a great service you’re doing…thank you……I’m a “L” profile code and I’m on a 3 year cycle. I have been treating with my specialist for 15 years now.I’ve been on SSDI since 2013.. 3 years ago was my first CDR…in Oct of 2016 for the 3 doctor visit reasons I listed. BIPOLAR THERAPY, BIPOLAR THERAPY, BIPOLAR THERAPY. short form was approved right away…. fast forward three years to now Oct 2019….I still see my specialist once a month so no change in treatment. I just got the short form as this is my 2nd CDR…here’s my question….Since nothing has changed with my treatment should I simply right the same thing for reasons going to doctor..BIPOLAR THERAPY, etc. etc.? Or should I change it up a little since this is a new CDR and should I write “BIPOLAR SESSION”, BIPOLAR SESSION, BIPOLAR SESSION? would love your thoughts and advice. thank you so much.

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      1. I wasn’t sure if the computer would “take issue” with the fact that the reasons listed (BIPOLAR THERAPY) were the exact same words used as the reasons used 3 years ago. I guess from what your saying the computer won’t care. thank you again sleepy girl.

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  11. I have been on disability since 2003 for multiple back surgeries..
    I was incarcerated from 2011 to dec 2017.. When i was released, i went to my local social security office and my benefits were reinstated..
    Today i received the short form update.. I had worked from june 2017 to December 2017 while on work release.. I’m afraid that if i mark “yes” on the form it will red flag me(they obviously have my earnings on their records) should i take the chance and mark “no” and hope that the computer scans and just approves this?

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    1. Hi Scott,

      If your benefits were reinstated in 2017, they may have already reviewed and considered that time period.

      It is safest and best to tell the truth on the form. I don’t know how work release programs work, but if it was paid work, it would be best to mark yes to that.

      Working several years ago may not even be looked at, but even if it is, what will matters most is your current condition and medical records. I hope it goes well for you.

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      1. Thanks for the advice…
        Your right, they definitely did reinstate after knowing of the work from june to December..
        Thanks again

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      2. Hi how are you, So I got the short form & I messed up & I’m afraid I’m in a bad situation now…
        So I worked for Uber and Postmates on and off since last July-April 2019, but I have such a hard time..
        And I finally gave it up 100% even though it was a great job because I could do it on my own time when I was feeling good but I put I haven’t been working because I didn’t want to throw up any red flags and get that long review..
        I’m so worried right now I don’t know what to think and I’m just driving myself crazy because I’ve been disabled for 11 years now…
        It’s hard to report my earnings because you really don’t know how much you make until the end of the year when you get your 1099 and I didn’t make much money…

        Heck, probably put more money in gas and my health has been a lot worse 😦

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        1. I’m sorry this comment got lost. Not sure I totally understand, but if you report all your income now that’s the best thing. I have seen other people be a few months late on reporting income and usually the worst that I’ve seen happens is you owe some money back for the months you worked, depending on how much you made. That’s for SSI (for SSDI you don’t owe money back). For self employment I think they don’t really calculate everything til end of the year and they average it out. Make sure to report the amount of your profit (after gas or business expenses) that’s what they look at for self employment – not every penny you made. Hope it goes well for you.

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  12. I returned my short form roughly 75 days ago and have not heard back yet. I was approved within 5 months on my first try about 6 years ago. I had a full CDR about 3 years prior to receiving my short form. I was approved for social anxiety related to borderline personality disorder. My only concern is that when filling out my short form, my therapist helped me and under the doctor’s appointments section, instead of putting the reason as “anxiety” “borderline” or “bipolar”, we read it wrong and put the reasons as “psychiatry, counseling, case management” all of my appointments were within 2 months of the date I filled it out. I’m a little concerned that because I filled this out kind of weird, I will receive the long form. Do you think this is likely? If I was going to receive the long form, would I have already received it? I read that if you’re going to get a long form, you will receive it within 2 months. Any advice or knowledge that you could share would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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  13. It has been over 6 months since I returned my short form CDR and still no word from SSA. The irony is I have since been approved for early retirement as I will be 62 in a couple of weeks. I cannot imagine I would get a long form now. But would it even make a difference?

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    1. If you are only receiving early retirement, I can’t see why/how they would continue disability review. If you are getting some disability and some retirement, then theoretically they could send a long form, but… from what I’ve seen it’s very rare for them to do this at your age.

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      1. It will be a combination of retirement and SSI disability. Yes, it is rare but it does happen. But, yeah, not much point at my age. I mean, if I’m already retired why bother with a long form to determine if I can work. Been 6 months so they obviously are in no hurry. Someone else I spoke to has been waiting almost 9 months.
        I guess time will tell.

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  14. what if your doctor says how are you going to work you have volkmanns ishemic contractor.degenitive neck issues ,and you put all new issues in remarks sectionsevere osteo arthritis,severe carpel and moderate carpel tunnel,and your bi polar.All of these are new issue .except bi polar and volkmanns ishemic contractor. I am on medications for all and get retested for bipolar about once ayear.,but he doesn’t remember telling you how are you going to work with all of these issues. and ….you mark told me you cannot work on short form.

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      1. but you didnot answer my question do you think I will be red flagged because I put my mri ‘s and . other disability. issues in comments. I should have stated doctor will probably remember telling me how are you going to work,that being said he forgets a lot of things we discuss,all these new disabling issues are different then my claim.

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        1. If you included remarks, your form will probably be read by a human instead of the computer. This may take longer,but outcome should be the same. Listing mris is not a problem. I hope it goes well for you.

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  15. Hi, thank you for your very helpful and informative blog. I made a mistake and did not list my doctors visits with the most recent one first. I did it the other way around. For example, 12/18, 1/19, 1/19 instead of 1/19, 1/19, 12/18. Do you think it will be rejected? To think that I took the time to read the instructions and still managed to screw up. Smh. Thank you.

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      2. Received the short form 5 days ago for the first time ever since being on disability since January 2000. I started to receiving my benefits on 2010. I am diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder with agoraphobia. I have severe impairments. I won my case in a court (2009). I am unable to function outside my supportive living arrangment. I complete this form with a #2 pencil, i put every drugs my doctor prescribes me on the Remarks section, then i erased everything in that section with the pencil gum, i do the same in the Reason to Visit Section. I am in panic because i can not stop thinking if the computer will reject the form because of my mistake on the Remarks. Also, in the Reason to Visit Section i wrote Anxiety in spanish ( my main language) and the form was in english, call to SS and they told me that is not going to be a problem (hope so). Do you think it will be rejected because all of my mistake?

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  17. Hi, thanks for the very helpful info.
    After sending in my completed form I realized I reversed the order of my Dr’s appointments. I put the oldest first and and most recent last. Do you think this is cause my form to kickout or trigger and long form review?
    Thanks

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  18. Hello,
    I received the short form today for the first time ever since being on disability for years. I currently work while on SSI and I report my earnings through the “wage reporting system” every month. The problem is that my wages vary drastically every month (one month could be $300 higher and the next month $300 lower). When it asks to fill out my monthly earnings, I don’t know what number I should put in the box. Well, I wish I discovered your blog before I filled it out because I went with what I made in the previous month which was $200 below than what I sometimes make. I then explained in the remark section that I call in my monthly wages and that the amount I filled in the “Monthly Earnings” section is the amount I received in July of 2018. Since the amount I received in July was somewhere in the middle of those highs and lows, I also wrote that was the average I make each month even though I can make significantly more some months. Now I’m freaking out because I don’t want them to think I’m lowballing those wages. I just figured that middle number was the average of those highs and lows. Any suggestions? P.s. Of course I had to fill in the remark section with black ink, so I can’t even erase info and correct it if I had too.

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      1. Thank you so much for your quick response. Yes, I report everything, so they do have each month. Some months my earnings go way over substantial gainful activity (which is $1180 for 2018 I believe) by $300, and other months I can be under SGA by $200. More months are over SGA lately, so I worry that the average I reported ($1050) might be lowballing it. Thinking back on it, maybe I should have put more. Anything to worry about there?

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        1. I have not seen any regs that go into this level of detail. I think you have been honest about everything, and it sounds to me like you did a good job with filling out this form – this form does not allow for detailed reporting.

          If you have been working above sga at times, I think this may increase the likelihood that you will be sent a long form review. So that might be something to keep in mind that could possibly come up for you sometime in the next year. I hope it goes very well for you.

          https://howtogeton.wordpress.com/2017/05/03/how-to-keep-up-good-medical-records-while-on-disability/

          Like

  19. I got short form 1st time. I didn’t know about a secret code and I left remarks and a 3 sentence attachment. I have not worked or went to school. I c 2 Drs not improving. I put worse because its true. No polar 1 ocd add gad. I was hospitalized in 9/2016. Very manic. I got it June 8th. I called S.S. update. They said u should b fine. They r not asking for anything else to b done. Is it to early though??

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  21. Hi,
    I enjoyed your article very much. Your website is very well done. I am wondering if these above guidelines would also apply to a Second short form CDR review? I just received a second CDR short form. It says SSA-455-OCR-SM (10-2013) at the bottom FYI. This is the same one I got a little over a year ago. Do you think checking Same on the line about describing health would cause a Long form review? I have heard this rumor. I don’t see why but am not sure if one would want to check Same or Worse. I have definitely not improved. Of course I always answer honestly but what is your opinion on a Second CDR form? I guess I am wondering if a second “Same” would lead to an automatic eject by computer for human review.

    Thank you so much!
    K

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    1. I can’t say for certain. But I have seen plenty of people check “same” and have no problems. It’s not like everyone is going to get worse every year! 🙂

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      2. Hi sleepygirl. I misspelled a word on the ssdi short form. Last 3 doc visit I misspelled prescriptions. I erased one of the letters i mispelled, and corrected it. do you know if this would cause the computer to kick out the for, due to me erasing , and correcting a mistake, or should i use whiteout instead of erasing?

        Like

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