COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH A DISABILITY APPEAL (SSDI)
You decide to represent yourself in your Social Security disability appeal. What cost can you expect to pay out of pocket?
The biggest cost will probably be purchasing medical records. Yes, you will have to purchase all your medical records. This is something your attorney/representative would do for you if you were represented. But if you represent yourself, you pay for all records upfront.
Most doctors, hospitals and other providers will charge a set fee, usually called a "retrieval fee" just to locate your records. Then, they will charge you $1 per page for the first 25 pages, then 50 cents per page thereafter.
So, let's say you have 175 pages of records with Dr. A. You pay $17.50 as a retrieval fee. Then you pay $25 for the first 25 pages. Then you pay $75 for the remainder of the records. Dr. A. has just charged you $117.50 for your records.
Not too bad, you say. But wait. You must obtain records from every doctor, hospital, emergency room, counselor, or urgent care that has treated you within the relevant period, which may be years. If you have 6 or 7 doctors, it gets expensive. And it's not uncommon for one hospitalization to accumulate 500 to 1,000 pages of records.
Why won't Social Security pay for these records? They will, but only up to the point of your denial. Once you file the appeal (Request for hearing), medical records become your responsibility. Not only must you pay for the medical records, you must read them and try to make some sense out of how they prove you to be disabled.
One of the advantages to having an attorney is that he will pay for the medical records out of his pocket, at least until your case has been won. Not only will he pay for the records, it will be his job to read them and try to figure out how they help prove your case. So, by having a representative, you drop a ton of expense and a ton of work and worry on his doorstep. Doesn't that already make you feel better?
The biggest cost will probably be purchasing medical records. Yes, you will have to purchase all your medical records. This is something your attorney/representative would do for you if you were represented. But if you represent yourself, you pay for all records upfront.
Most doctors, hospitals and other providers will charge a set fee, usually called a "retrieval fee" just to locate your records. Then, they will charge you $1 per page for the first 25 pages, then 50 cents per page thereafter.
So, let's say you have 175 pages of records with Dr. A. You pay $17.50 as a retrieval fee. Then you pay $25 for the first 25 pages. Then you pay $75 for the remainder of the records. Dr. A. has just charged you $117.50 for your records.
Not too bad, you say. But wait. You must obtain records from every doctor, hospital, emergency room, counselor, or urgent care that has treated you within the relevant period, which may be years. If you have 6 or 7 doctors, it gets expensive. And it's not uncommon for one hospitalization to accumulate 500 to 1,000 pages of records.
Why won't Social Security pay for these records? They will, but only up to the point of your denial. Once you file the appeal (Request for hearing), medical records become your responsibility. Not only must you pay for the medical records, you must read them and try to make some sense out of how they prove you to be disabled.
One of the advantages to having an attorney is that he will pay for the medical records out of his pocket, at least until your case has been won. Not only will he pay for the records, it will be his job to read them and try to figure out how they help prove your case. So, by having a representative, you drop a ton of expense and a ton of work and worry on his doorstep. Doesn't that already make you feel better?
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