Jim Grennan Comment

Type
Comment
Publication Date
March 5, 2013
Committees

I have represented clients seeking Social Security disability for more than 40 years. The Disability Determination Division, at least in Oklahoma, gathers the medical evidence and makes a determination based on that evidence. However, that evidence does not contain the claimant's residual functional capacity (RFC) - that needed to determine disability per law and regs. I suggest that every doctor who has seen the claimant in the past year be required to submit the patient's RFC. Non compliance would result in no Medicare and Medicaid payments. Such was somewhat the result when Medicare Part B became effective. I was with the insurance company making Part B payments in Oklahoma. Such could be enacted by statute and regs. I feel that the overall effect of such would greatly reduce the number of personnel now making decisions where there present decision making is but a guess.