The best thing you can do to prepare for a mental consultative examination (CE) for the Social Security Administration (SSA) is to learn what to expect.
The type of tests or evaluations that will be done during the CE depends on each individual case. The reviewer at Disability Determination Services (DDS) will request tests and evaluations that they need in order to get a more complete picture of your disability and make a decision regarding disability benefits.
With a mental examination, a majority of the appointment will be spent in discussion regarding your past and present situation. However, there are a few things that you will need to bring with you for the physician, including:
The goal of the examination is to fill in holes in your medical records. The physician is going to want to know the following information:
This is information that you know, but it would be helpful to think about these areas prior to your CE in order to insure you remember everything, and to speed along the examination.
It is important to remember that the purpose of these mental examinations is to gather more information about you so that the reviewer is able to make a more accurate assessment of your disability. You should answer all questions accurately and honestly.
It is important that you provide the physician with an accurate account of your past and present medical and social history. It would be beneficial to write down certain information and bring it with you to insure that you do not accidentally forget something, including:
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