IMA Consultative Examinations

When filing for Social Security Disability ("SSD") benefits, the overwhelming vast majority of the time, the Social Security Administration ("SSA") sends notices to claimants that they have been scheduled for a “consultative examination” ("CE"). In New York, the CE notices are sent by the Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance (the “State agency”), which is responsible for making the initial medical decision on SSD claims. The notices say that IMA Disability Services will perform the CE. The notice is usually followed by phone calls from IMA warning that the SSD application will be denied if the claimant fails to appear for the appointment.

The CE notices are misleading because they state, “It will be necessary for you to be examined by the Specialist named below.” The so-called specialist is “IMA Disability Services.” The CE notices also state that, “You must keep this appointment at the time and date indicated below.” The use of the words “necessary” and “must” are untrue because most claimants do not need to be seen by a doctor from IMA.

The SSA rules and regulations actually provide for relatively few situations where a CE would be appropriate. Three of my SSD clients were approved for benefits today. The SSA had sent CE notices to all three of the claimants, but none of them went for the CE.

In all three cases, I filed written objections to the CE, specifying the factual and legal reasons why the CE would violate the SSA rules and regulations. In the limited circumstances where a CE is actually needed, it is supposed to be performed by a treating doctor. As discussed in my September 28, 2011 blog entry, the SSA cannot ask a claimant to go for a CE simply because it wants an “independent’ opinion. Before asking a claimant to go for a CE on the grounds that a treating doctor’s report supposedly contains a conflict or ambiguity that must be resolved, the SSA is obligated to ask the treating doctor to explain the alleged conflict or inconsistency.