If My Medical Condition Heals on Its Own, Will I Still Be Able to Receive Benefits?

On This Page

1. Understanding the Disability Review Process
2. You Have a Responsibility to Report Changes in Your Condition
3. Our Team Will Fight to Help You Keep Your Disability Benefits
4. Call Berger and Green About Your Case Today

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

December 12, 2023

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

If your medical condition heals on its own, you may not be able to receive benefits any longer. In general, there are two reasons the Social Security Administration will stop your monthly payment:

• You earn more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit, which is $1,220 per month for 2019; or
• Your medical condition improves enough that you no longer meet the qualifications for disability

The Social Security Administration regularly reviews disability benefits cases, and you must prove that your disability is so severe it keeps you from working during each review. However, there are ways to continue receiving benefits even if your condition improves dramatically.

Understanding the Disability Review Process

The Social Security Administration will review your impairments and health qualifications at regular intervals depending on your prognosis. When these reviews occur, you may need to provide evidence that your condition has not improved. If it has, you may lose your monthly cash benefits unless you are a part of the Ticket to Work program or a similar program.

The frequency of your Social Security disability reviews depends on the nature and severity of your impairment and your prognosis. This includes:

• If you should improve, your case reviews will occur every six to 18 months
• If improvement is possible, your case reviews will occur every three years
• If improvement is unlikely, your case reviews will occur every seven years

Some impairment listings also have their own reviews, included in the Blue Book under that listing. For example, if you received an organ transplant, they will review your condition one-year post-transplant. If your condition improved after the transplant and you no longer suffer from a qualifying condition, they will likely stop your disability benefits.

You Have a Responsibility to Report Changes in Your Condition

When you receive Social Security disability, you have a responsibility to report any changes in your impairment or ability to work to the Social Security Administration. If you do not report changes and the agency learns about your improvement during a review, you will likely lose your benefits.

Applying for a program designed for recipients returning to work is the best way to keep your benefits if your condition improves.

The Ticket to Work Program and Other Back-to-Work Programs

Your best option for keeping the benefits you need while you get back on your feet is to apply to one of the Social Security Administration’s programs for people returning to work. These programs allow you to continue to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits while you rejoin the workforce.

The Ticket to Work program continues to pay out your monthly benefits, reduced only when you exceed a monthly limit. This will continue until your income regularly exceeds the current SGA limit. You can also quit working if necessary because of your medical condition during this period, reduce hours, or take other steps to ensure you do not cause yourself further harm.

Our Team Will Fight to Help You Keep Your Disability Benefits

If the Social Security Administration stops your disability benefits following a review, we may be able to fight this decision. Give us a call as soon as possible at 412-661-1400 to get started. When we file an appeal, we will ask that they continue your payments during this process. However, you may need to repay these benefits if we cannot win your appeal.

We will file your appeal and represent you before an Administrative Law Judge in your appeals hearing. We will present a case for continuing benefits and allowing you to return to work under one of the agency’s programs. Call us at 412-661-1400 and let us get started today.

We may also be able to pursue compensation if your impairment occurred in an accident. We can file a civil claim and hold the at-fault party liable, collecting a payout to cover your medical care, lost wages, and more.

Call Berger and Green About Your Case Today

If you have questions about keeping your Pittsburgh Social Security disability benefits, the team from Berger and Green can help. Our Social Security disability attorneys can appeal a denial on your behalf or fight to keep your benefits. Let us take care of your case for you.

Call or text our team today at 412-661-1400 for your free case evaluation.