At some point in the disability process, there is a good chance that you will receive a letter in the mail informing you that you need to attend a consultative examination.
Though the exact type of exam can vary from case to case, what this basically means is that the Social Security Administration believes that there is not enough medical evidence in your file to make a decision one way or another about your case, so they are asking a doctor or other medical professional to examine you and gather more information.
Consultative examinations may be with a medical doctor or a psychologist. They are usually conducted in-person, and a short drive from your home, though it is becoming more common for the psychological exams to be conducted by video.
And while the physical exams are often very general doctor’s visits, on occasion, Social Security will also pay for specific testing, such as x-rays, pulmonary function tests, or eye exams.
These exams can also be ordered at any time point in the disability process. Some claimants are sent to consultative examinations soon after filing their initial application, but it’s also not uncommon for an administrative law judge to order an exam after a hearing, particularly if you haven’t received any treatment in awhile, and they believe they need more evidence before issuing a decision.
Regardless of when a consultative exam is ordered, it’s very important that you attend, as Social Security almost always denies claims for people who can’t make it to these exams, though they can usually be rescheduled if an emergency arises.
