The majority of Pennsylvania residents go about their daily lives never anticipating that they may experience a life-altering illness or injury. Unfortunately, there are some events that cannot be prepared for adequately, and an individual may find that he or she now needs to apply for Social Security Disability benefits. This makes the announcement concerning some regulation changes worrisome for those who may be affected.
Before the recent policy revisions, an attending physician's report was taken into consideration in approving a disability claim. The change in policy is a departure from this previous regulation that a doctor's medical opinion could enable a patient to qualify for this program. The new rules purportedly state that no extra consideration be given to the Veteran's Affairs agency either when considering a veteran's application for disability benefits.
There are some who have stated their concerns that it will be much more laborious to apply for and qualify for these often vital benefits. However, others report that provided a claim is assembled properly, an applicant who is disabled will be able to qualify under the new rules. These changes come at a time when applications for disability are reportedly down for the first time in almost three decades.
The recent changes were reportedly made in order to more accurately reflect the current changes in the overall approach to health care. It is expected that the changes will make it more difficult to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits and that the number of rejected applications will rise. In the event that a Pennsylvania resident finds that he or she is experiencing difficulties in getting a justifiable claim approved, he or she may seek the assistance of an attorney who is knowledgeable about the claim process in order to receive timely approval for all the benefits to which one is entitled.