This segment of Social Security Disability Audio addresses the term “social security doctor” and explains that this commonly used phrase typically refers to the physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist who has agreed to perform an independent CE (consultative examination) for a social security disability or SSI claim. Consultative examinations, a.k.a. social security medical exams, are the subject of a great many forum discussions, mainly due to the following reasons: 1. Claimants who have been scheduled for an examination for their disability claim are usually curious as to the impact of the exam on their case, i.e. how will it affect the decision, 2) Many claimants who have gone to such exams often have the same complaints about their experience in going — “the exam was very short”, “the examining doctor knew nothing about the case”, “the examining doctor was rude”.

Claimants who file for disability and are scheduled to go a medical examination or a mental examination should probably keep the following in mind.

1. A consultative exam for a social security disability or SSI disability case is often scheduled simply because a claimant has no record of treatment for a particular medical condition, or because they have not been seen by a doctor in the last 90 days.

2. Going to a medical exam that has been scheduled is a requirement. Not going can result in a case being denied for failure to cooperate.

3. The purpose of the examination appointment is not to provide treatment, but, rather, for a disability examiner or disability judge to obtain recent medical evidence so a case can be closed (i.e. a decision can finally be made).

4. In most cases, the results of a social security exam will not significantly affect the outcome of a case. In other words, very cases are approved on the strength of an exam; likewise, very few cases are denied on the basis of an exam.