How to Navigate Disability Benefits in Maryland, Virginia & Washington

Andrew Mathis
Sep 6, 2018 · 4 min read

by Andrew Mathis

Andrew Mathis is an Accredited Disability Representative helping people in the Washington, D.C., metro area win Social Security Disability benefits. He has worked for his family’s firm, Mathis & Mathis Disability Advocates, since 1992.

When you live in the Washington, D.C. area, you encounter differences in how the state governments work in Maryland, Washington and Virginia. Sometimes the differences are small, sometimes large, sometimes annoying.

If you experience health problems that prevent you from working, you may see some of these inconsistencies when you apply for Social Security Disability benefits.

The good news is that Social Security Disability is a federal government program with the same fundamental rules everywhere in the United States.

When you lose your income because of a medical crisis, it’s a potential financial lifeline.

But applying for benefits and appealing denials are often long, complicated processes. You may wonder if the state where you live makes any difference.

In my work serving disability applicants in the Washington, D.C. metro area, I’ve seen firsthand how the benefits process can differ in certain areas.

In this post I’ll explain these three ways the system varies from state to state in the Washington region:

· Which state agency screens your initial application

· The benefits approval rates in different areas

· How states manage extra payments for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits

Who Screens Your Initial Application?

Although Social Security Disability is a federal program, state government agencies help with the initial application process. They receive Social Security funding to conduct the first review of your disability claim.

These offices are usually called Disability Determination Services (DDS). They serve an important role in collecting the medical evidence and documentation necessary to determine whether or not you will qualify for benefits.

State DDS offices may also make the initial decision on your appeal after you’re first denied benefits but you’re still pursuing your claim.

In the D.C. area, this work happens inside one of these agencies:

· The Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services

· The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services

· The Washington, D.C., Department on Disability Services

How Often Do Disability Judges in Your Area Approve Benefits?

One of the biggest differences in the Social Security Disability system among the different parts of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area is the benefits approval rate from disability judges.

If your initial application for disability benefits is denied, you’ll need to appeal the decision in order to move forward.

First you ask for a reconsideration, which will be performed by a state DDS office. If you get denied again, your next step is going to a hearing with a Social Security administrative law judge (ALJ).

Judges are based in specific locations, covering the communities around them. Depending on where you are, the wait time you’ll see in your area varies. So does the chance that a local judge will award you benefits.

The following are wait times and approval ratings for the Washington area, as of March 2017:

· Maryland — Wait time 579 days. Approval rate 45%

· Virginia — Wait time 638 days. Approval rate 38%

· Washington, D.C. — Wait time 651 days. Approval rate 34%

Does Your State Pay More for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is one form of disability benefit provided by Social Security, designed for people with limited work histories, incomes and resources.

It’s different from other Social Security Disability benefits, which go to people who worked a substantial amount and could’ve earned any level of income before health problems forced them to stop working.

Many states provide an additional supplement to the amount you receive from the federal government in SSI.

These amounts can vary by region and change over time. Some of these supplements are only offered to people in certain situations.

Some states run their own supplement system, while others let the federal government manage it.

The way it’s managed provides the main difference between Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

All three provide supplements to SSI, specifically for people in adult foster care or assisted living centers.

As with other states, if you’re applying for benefits in these three jurisdictions, you will also have to file a supplemental state application with your benefits application.

This is how Washington area states administer their SSI supplement programs:

· Maryland runs the program itself.

· Virginia runs the program itself.

· Washington lets the Social Security Administration run the program directly.

Navigating Social Security Disability in the Washington Area

Statistics have shown that you have an increased chance of winning benefits when you have a professional representative working with you on your claim.

In fact, a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that people with representatives at their disability hearings were almost three times more likely to be awarded benefits.

A disability advocate based locally will be well acquainted with local Social Security offices, local doctors, local health care facilities and social service agencies.

Many national disability firms won’t take the time to familiarize themselves with the particulars of how the system works in your area, or even to get to know you personally.

If you have any questions about Social Security Disability benefits and you live in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia, my firm is happy to help clear up any complications or confusion.

Contact Mathis & Mathis Disability Advocates today for your free initial evaluation.

Andrew Mathis is an Accredited Disability Representative helping people in the Washington, D.C., metro area win Social Security Disability benefits. He has worked for his family’s firm, Mathis & Mathis Disability Advocates, since 1992.