WHO CAN PROVIDE MEDICAL EVIDENCE?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses medical evidence to decide if you are disabled and eligible for disability payments.  They also decide who they view as "acceptable medical sources" to provide this evidence.  Traditionally, this has included
  • Licensed physicians
  • Licensed or certified psychologists
  • Licensed optometrists
  • Licensed podiatrists
  • Qualified speech-language pathologists
On March 17, 2017, Social Security added to that list
  • Physicians Assistants (PAs)
  • Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)
  • Licensed audiologists and optometrists (when circumstances are specific to their specialty practices)
Yet, there are still some healthcare professionals who are not on the list of "accepted medical sources."  These include
  • Registered Nurses
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Chiropractors
  • Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) 
  • Licensed Professional Counselors  (LPC)

What this means to you when you file a claim

If you receive some of your medical care from a chiropractor, nurse practitioner or licensed professional counselor, records from these providers cannot be used to establish the fact that you have a disabling medical condition.  For example, you see a counselor for mental health treatment but never see a psychiatrist.  The counselor cannot satisfy Social Security that you have an illness such as depression, anxiety or schizophrenia.  Or, you visit a clinic which uses a nurse practitioner but you never see a doctor.  You will not be able to use the nurse practitioner's records to prove that you have a disabling physical or mental condition.

Why did Social Security add physician's assistants (PA) to their approved list and not nurse practitioners?  Their rationale was that the various states have strict and fairly similar licensing requirements for PAs, but not for nurse practitioners.  

 

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