What Happens After You Apply for SSDI With Advocate

After you file your initial application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI), there’s typically a long waiting period before you get a decision. This article covers what happens after applying for SSDI or SSI when Advocate is your disability representative. 

It explains how we track your claim, stay in touch, and handle Social Security Administration (SSA) requests.

Here’s what to expect.

Your Welcome Call After Applying for SSDI

One to three business days after you complete onboarding with Advocate, your disability claim is submitted. Within 48 hours, you have a welcome call to meet your new case manager. If you miss the call, you can schedule a time that’s more convenient for you.

On this call, we give you an overview of what to expect next and ask about any upcoming medical appointments you have.

What We Cover on the Call

First, we need to know how you like to stay in touch - phone, email, or text. We use all three, but want to know what’s most convenient for you.

Then we explain how to keep us updated on changes in your medical care, major tests, hospital visits, or SSA mail. We also explain how we document updates in your file.

Regular SSDI Claim Status Check-Ins

While your claim is pending, we have quarterly medical update calls to keep your claim current.

A typical check-in focuses on:

• New SSA mail or requests
• Upcoming appointments
• New medical care, tests, or hospital visits
• Changes to your address, phone, or email
• Questions you may have

Between those meetings, you may get an automated text or email when your SSDI claim status changes. We also call you if the update is important or has a deadline.

Quiet Periods and What No News Usually Means

Weeks may go by when you don’t hear anything about your disability claim. Waiting for updates can be stressful, but quiet periods are normal. It takes time for the disability examiner at Disability Determination Services (DDS) to request and review your medical evidence. An initial claim decision usually takes five to eight months, which is a common disability claim timeline.

We won’t contact you unless there’s an update, we have a quarterly check-in, or we are returning your call, text, or email. We act immediately when something needs attention.

If you aren’t working with us yet and need help, reach out. We can check your eligibility and help you build a strong claim.

How to Keep Your SSDI Claim Updated

To keep your claim current, let us know about changes in your work, earnings, or contact information. We also need to know if your medical care or ability to function daily changes.

Update us about new:

• Clinics
• Providers
• Diagnoses
• Specialists
• Hospitalizations
• Emergency room visits
• Tests like an MRI or CT scan

You only need to tell us about new diagnoses if they are related to your claim or make it harder for you to work and function daily.

If you are not sure whether something is important, send it to your case manager. Your message doesn’t have to be lengthy, just let us know what to document.

How to Send Updates

You can communicate with us by phone, text, or email. If you’re not sure where to send something, call and ask our team.

When you send an update, include the date, the provider or facility name, and what changed. If it’s a form or request with a deadline, please send it the day you get it  or the next day if possible.

Checklist for updates:

• Date of the visit, test, or change
• Provider, clinic, or facility name
• What happened and what changed
• Any paperwork you received
• Any due date listed on the paperwork

Examples:

• “I went to the ER on March 10 at Mercy Hospital for shortness of breath. They ran bloodwork and a chest X-ray. I can share the paperwork if you need it.”
• “I started seeing a new neurologist. The office is Pine Ridge Neurology, and my first visit was April 2.”
• “I had an MRI on my lower back on May 6 at Valley Imaging. I am waiting on the results.”
• “I was admitted to the hospital overnight on June 14. I can send the discharge papers I got.”

How We Log and Use Your Updates

When you send an update, we document the date, how we got the update, and the information you’re sharing. We assign next steps and may follow up with you for more information or paperwork.

Logging your updates in our system keeps your file organized and helps avoid missed steps or deadlines. This also helps your case manager respond quickly to SSA or DDS requests.

Example log entry: June 14. Client reported overnight hospitalization at City Hospital. Discharge paperwork available.

Next step: Ask the client to send a discharge summary and see if they have follow-up appointments.

How We Handle SSA Mail and Requests

Mail is the primary way the SSA or DDS reviewers reach you. We are supposed to get a copy of your SSA/DDS letters, but sometimes we don’t. You might also get notices before we do, so send us a copy of your letters when you get them if you can. Texting a picture of the letter helps your manager quickly review it and provide next steps. If the letter has a deadline or appointment date, it’s urgent so please don’t delay.

What We Do When a Letter or Request Comes In

When we get a notice or request, we read it, log it, and respond if we have the information. If we need something from you, we reach out. As mentioned above, if it’s an urgent matter, we will call you.

Letters you may receive while your claim is pending:

• A request for additional information
• A consultative exam (CE) notice
• An SSA decision letter reporting an approval or a denial

When Advocate Contacts the SSA or DDS

An important part of our work is resolving issues about your claim and answering questions for the SSA or DDS. We provide missing medical records, share your updates, and make sure reviewers get what they need. We contact you if we need details or paperwork from you.

Who We Contact

Depending on the request, we respond to the office that sent it. The SSA handles the administrative parts of the claim like notices, work records, and status updates. DDS handles the medical review for the SSA.

If You Are Scheduled for a Consultative Exam

When a disability examiner at DDS needs more information to prove you meet the definition of disability, they may schedule a CE. This medical exam or test is usually done by a provider in the SSA’s network and the SSA pays for it.

If you receive a CE notice, take these steps:

• Send the notice to Advocate the same day
• Put the appointment date, time, and location on your calendar
• Plan to attend the appointment
• If you cannot make it, tell us right away so we can reschedule
• After the exam, share any paperwork you received

We can help you prepare for the CE and follow up for the CE report. Often, we can get missing records from your provider so you can avoid the CE.

Communication Expectations

When We Reach Out

You can expect to hear from us when:

• Your case manager is assigned or you schedule a welcome call
• You have a regular check-in like a quarterly medical update call
• A status change in your claim triggers an automated text or email
• We receive time-sensitive mail or a request that needs your input
• Something in your file changes and we need to confirm details with you
• A decision is made on your case, prompting a notice

When You Should Contact Us Right Away

Contact us right away when:

• You get a letter from the SSA or DDS
• You get an appointment notice like a CE notice
• You have a major medical event, hospitalization, or new diagnosis
• You change your address, phone number, or email

If your case manager is unavailable, our support team can help and log the update in our system.

What Advocate Cannot Control

The SSA controls the outcome of your claim and how long it takes to get a decision. Advocate can’t speed up the agency’s internal process or promise an outcome.

Yet, we keep your case organized, document your updates, stay in contact, explain notices, and respond when the SSA asks for something. We aim to reduce your stress and keep you informed (we don’t provide legal or medical advice).

Need help applying for disability benefits or appealing a denial?

FAQs

I haven’t heard anything in a while, what should I do?

Quiet times are normal while your claim is being processed. You can check your SSDI claim status online or call your case manager and ask for an update.

I received a decision letter, what happens next?

Send the SSA decision letter to us immediately. We will explain what it says and help you plan the next step.

If I move or change my phone number, what is the risk?

You can miss letters, appointments, and due dates if your contact information changes and the SSA and DDS reviewers don’t know. If you move or change your phone number, let us know right away.