Why Does the SSA Conduct Disability Reviews?

The SSA conducts these reviews to:

• Confirm your medical condition still prevents you from working
• Determine if your health has improved enough for you to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA)

How Often Are Disability Reviews Conducted?

The frequency of your disability review depends on the severity of your condition and the likelihood of improvement:

• Medical Improvement Expected (MIE): Review occurs every 6 to 18 months
• Medical Improvement Possible (MIP): Review occurs approximately every 3 years
• Medical Improvement Not Expected (MINE): Review occurs approximately every 5 to 7 years

When you are first approved for benefits, the SSA assigns your case to one of these categories.

What Happens During a Disability Review?

1. Receiving a Review Notice

You will receive a letter from the SSA stating that your case is under review. This notice will include forms requesting updates about your:

• Medical treatments
• Daily activities
• Work status since your last review

2. Completing Disability Review Forms

Depending on your case, you may receive:

• Short Disability Update Report (Form SSA-455): For routine updates when improvement is not expected
• Long Continuing Disability Review Report (Form SSA-454): Requires detailed information about your condition, treatment, and work activity since your last review

3. Providing Updated Medical Evidence

The SSA will:

• Request updated medical records from your doctors, hospitals, and specialists
• Review recent test results, treatment notes, and doctor assessments
• Schedule a Consultative Examination (CE) with an SSA-appointed doctor if your current records are insufficient to determine your condition

4. Evaluating Your Work Activity

If you have returned to work, the SSA will assess:

• Whether your earnings exceed the SGA limit, which in 2025 is $1,550 per month ($2,590 if blind)
• Whether you can perform work tasks consistently despite your medical condition

Possible Outcomes of a Disability Review

After your review, the SSA will issue one of two decisions:

• Benefits Continue: If your medical condition still meets the SSA’s disability standards, your benefits will continue without changes
• Benefits End: If the SSA determines that your condition has improved enough for you to return to work, your benefits may be terminated. You will receive a notice explaining this decision and your right to appeal

What to Do If Your Benefits Are Terminated

If the SSA decides to end your benefits and you disagree with the decision, you can:

• File an appeal within 60 days of receiving the termination notice
• Request that your benefits continue while your appeal is pending, but this request must be made within 10 days of receiving the notice