Each year Social Security makes more than 15 million medical record requests for disability applicants and beneficiaries. Social Security has been working diligently on ways to make the disability determination process go faster and smoother for applicants and all parties involved. Now, Social Security is working in collaboration with advocates and the Disability Determination Services (DDS) to get legislation passed that will streamline the medical release piece of the disability process.
Currently, when a person applies for Social Security or Supplemental Security Income, part of the application process is to have the applicant complete several medical release forms (SSA-827) which Social Security and DDS use to send to medical providers. Each time we need a piece of evidence from another source, we must send out another medical release form. Sometimes, it is required that we go back to the applicant to have additional releases signed which delays the process.
Expedited Records Request would make the process go much faster. Applicants will still be advised of the need to obtain medical records, but they will be asked to grant Social Security permission electronically instead of on a signed paper form. No additional evidence of authorization would be required for the provider to release the information to Social Security. The provision would also relieve providers of existing liability for disclosure of medical records to Social Security when they respond to a request.
Dec 23, 2008
Social Security Seeks Legislation To Allow Electronic Medical Release
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3 comments:
This isn't anything new. With electronic files, DDS just gets a copy of a scanned 827 form that the claimant signed when at the SS office. At least in our state, they haven't been providing paper copies of the 827s to DDS for some time.
Actually, it is something new. Rather than having the claimant sign the 827, they would just grant us permission to get the records as part of the application. Thus, an Internet filer would not need to mail in a a separate 827 nor would we have to wait on 827s after taking a teleclaim. This would be VERY helpful.
That is already being done with permission to contact banks for account verification--the e4641 procedure. No wet signature required.
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