When you apply and are approved for Social Security Disability benefits, your case will be placed into one of three different categories including Medical Improvement Expected (MIE), Medical Improvement Possible (MIP) or Medical Improvement Not Expected (MINE). The category that your case is placed in determines how soon it will be before the Social Security Administration runs a continuing eligibility review on your case.
If your case is labeled as MIE (Medical Improvement Expected) you can expect to receive a continuing eligibility review within 6 to 18 months of being approved for Social Security Disability benefits. At this time the SSA will determine whether or not your disabling condition has indeed improved. If it has improved to the point where you are able to return to work, your Social Security Disability benefits will be discontinued. If your condition has not improved, your benefits will continue and if your case remains in the MIE category, you will receive another continuing eligibility review in another 6 to 18 months.
If your condition worsens, the status of your case may change from MIE to MIP or MINE. If this occurs, then you will still receive continuing eligibility reviews from the Social Security Administration but the length of time between the reviews will increase. For example, if your case changes from MIE to MIP, then a continuing eligibility review would be conducted every 3 years instead of every 6 to 18 months. If your case changes from MIE to MINE, your continuing eligibility reviews will likely be conducted every 7 years instead of every 6 to 18 months.
It is important to note that just because your case is placed in the MIE category and a continuing eligibility review is performed, that does not automatically mean you will lose benefits at the time of the review. Benefits will only be stopped if your condition has improved to the point where you no longer meet the disabling criteria that has been set forth by the SSA.
