Reviewing your medical condition

Here is an excerpt from a 2011 report to Congress regarding the Continuing Disability Review (CDR) process conducted by Social Security :

We conduct periodic CDRs to ensure that only those who remain disabled continue to receive benefits. For CDR cases selected in our headquarters (centrally initiated cases), we conduct CDRs using one of two methods. We send some cases to the disability determination services (DDS) for a full medical review; others we complete using the mailer process. The mailer process consists of two tools: a profiling system that uses data from our records to determine the likelihood of medical improvement for disabled beneficiaries and the individuals' responses to a mailer questionnaire.

We first profile all cases to identify those with a higher likelihood of medical improvement. We send those cases to a DDS for a full medical review. For most cases, we send a mailer to obtain more information, which we evaluate to determine if there is any indication of medical improvement. If there is, we send the case to the DDS for a full medical review. Otherwise, we decide not to initiate a full medical review, and we schedule the case for a. future CDR.

Additionally, we conduct some CDRs based on events such as voluntary or third-party reports of medical improvement. These CDRs are always sent for a full medical review. There is also a subset of cases that we initiate as periodic CDRs, in which we curtail further development for technical reasons, such as the suspension or termination of benefits for non-medical reasons. We refer to these cases as "administrative closures."

http://www.ssa.gov/legislation/FY%202009%20CDR%20Report.pdf

After reviewing the relevant regulations and program guidance, I could not find a way to appeal the FREQUENCY of CDRs.

http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/416/416-0990.htm

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.NSF/LNX/0428001020

From the Code of Federal Regulations sections 416.99 : When and how often we will conduct a continuing disability review.

Frequency of review. If your impairment is expected to improve, generally we will review your continuing eligibility for payments based on disability or blindness at intervals from 6 months to 18 months following our most recent decision. Our notice to you about the review of your case will tell you more precisely when the review will be conducted. If your disability is not considered permanent but is such that any medical improvement in your impairment(s) cannot be accurately predicted, we will review your continuing eligibility for payments at least once every 3 years. If your disability is considered permanent, we will review your continuing eligibility for payments no less frequently than once every 7 years but no more frequently than once every 5 years. Regardless of your classification we will conduct an immediate continuing disability review if a question of continuing disability is raised pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section.

If you receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income disability benefits, you now have more opportunities to test your ability to work. Under the "Ticket to Work" program you will have:

• Choices when seeking employment services;
• Increased options for health care
  coverage;
• Local benefit planning services;
• A simpler process to get benefits started again if your medical problem keeps you from continuing to work.

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10060.html

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/work/

Social Security does not provide "short-term" disability insurance. Social Security disability benefits can be paid only after you have been disabled continuously throughout a period of five full calendar months. Therefore, Social Security disability benefits will be paid beginning with the sixth full month after the date your disability began. You are not entitled to benefits for any month in the waiting period.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/151

Some states, like California, provide short-term disability insurance, but qualifications vary so check with your state agency. Also, many employers provide short-term disability as an option which workers can purchase, often at a discount. Check with your employer benefits.

I assume your husband is looking to qualify for Social Security disability.

To qualify for disability, you must have a sufficient work history and be unable to perform "substantial" work in any occupation.

If you don't have sufficient work history but are indigent and disabled (or elderly), you may qualify for SSI.

See here for details on qualifying and applying :

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/dibplan/dqualify5.htm

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/326

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/270

I have not heard of a case where request for dropping a representative payee has lead to loss of disability payments. However, dropping of a representative payee is fairly rare. In general, the two should be independent, but if your disability case is marginal, you may not want to bring attention to your case.

The SSA will send you a letter telling you that they have decided to pay your benefits to a payee. If you don't agree that you need a payee, or if you want a different payee, you have 60 days to appeal that decision by sending the SSA a letter.

http://www.ssa.gov/payee/bene.htm