SSDI Reconsideration

The first appeal after an initial denial. Approval rates are low, but reconsideration is a required step before you can request an ALJ hearing.

What Is Reconsideration?

Reconsideration is a review of your entire claim by a Social Security claims examiner and a medical consultant at your state's Disability Determination Services (DDS) office. This reviewer was not involved in the original decision. You can — and should — submit any new medical evidence with your reconsideration request.

How to Request Reconsideration

1. File Form SSA-561 (Request for Reconsideration) online at ssa.gov/myaccount, by mail, or in person at your local Social Security office.
2. Submit a disability report (Form SSA-3441) with any new information about your medical condition, new doctors, new medications, or worsening symptoms since your initial application.
3. Include new medical evidence. If you have seen new doctors, received new test results, or received updated records since your initial application, submit them now.
4. Write a brief appeal statement explaining why you believe the initial decision was wrong. Point to specific evidence the examiner overlooked or misapplied.

What Happens Next

After you submit your reconsideration request, DDS will review your file and may send you to a consultative examination (CE) — a medical exam with a doctor hired by the SSA. You are required to attend if requested.

You will receive a written decision by mail. The process typically takes 3–5 months.

Realistic Expectations

Approximately 85–90% of reconsideration requests are denied. This is not unusual — the same agency that denied your initial claim is reviewing it again under the same standards. The reconsideration stage exists as a required procedural step before you can access the significantly higher-approval ALJ hearing.

Do not be discouraged by a reconsideration denial. Request an ALJ hearing immediately.