Problem
When a person applies for Social Security disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) must obtain and review a complete medical record in order to make an accurate determination. It can take months for health care organizations to provide records for the claimant’s case. Dealing with an injury or sickness is a hardship unto itself, but waiting months for an eligibility determination can place undue burden on claimants. For providers, these medical record inquiries can take resources away from direct patient care and require additional administrative work. There is no guarantee that clinical information is not submitted to SSA from the hospitals.
Solution
Indiana has about 70,000 disability determinations each year. By partnering with IHIE, SSA can obtain information through CareWeb for these claimants in a matter of minutes. Social Security is able to obtain a claimant’s medical record for their care across the state, review it, and make a determination quicker than ever before.
