SSDI Reconsideration in Massachusetts: What to Do

Receiving a denial from the Social Security Administration can feel devastating, especially when you are living with a serious disability and depending on those benefits to survive. However, a denial is not the end of the road. The SSA's multi-step appeals process begins with reconsideration — a critical stage that Massachusetts claimants must navigate carefully and promptly.

What Is SSDI Reconsideration?

Reconsideration is the first formal level of the SSA's four-step appeals process. When your initial SSDI claim is denied, you have the right to request that the SSA conduct a completely fresh review of your case. Crucially, this review is performed by a different examiner than the one who issued the original denial — someone who was not involved in the first decision.

During reconsideration, the SSA examiner will look at all the evidence already in your file, plus any new medical records, opinions, or documentation you submit. This is your opportunity to strengthen your claim before it ever reaches an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

Massachusetts claimants must file for reconsideration within 60 days of receiving the denial notice, plus an automatic five-day mail allowance. Missing this deadline can mean starting the entire claims process over from scratch, which costs months of time and potentially thousands of dollars in back pay.

Why Most Reconsiderations Are Denied — and Why You Should Still File

Statistically, reconsideration is the stage with the lowest approval rate in the SSA appeals process. Nationally, only about 10–15% of reconsideration requests are approved. Massachusetts reconsideration rates track closely with this national average. This discouraging figure leads some claimants to wonder whether filing is worth the effort at all.

The answer is unequivocally yes, for several important reasons:

• You must exhaust reconsideration before you can request a hearing before an ALJ, which is the stage where most successful appeals occur.
• Filing preserves your protected filing date, which determines how far back your back pay can reach.
• New evidence you submit at reconsideration strengthens your case for every stage that follows.
• A small percentage of cases — particularly those with new or updated medical records — do get approved at this stage.

Skipping reconsideration is not an option under SSA rules. Treat it as a necessary step toward the ALJ hearing, not as a final verdict on your claim.

How to File for Reconsideration in Massachusetts

The reconsideration request is filed using Form SSA-561 (Request for Reconsideration). Massachusetts residents can submit this form in three ways: online through the SSA's website, in person at a local Social Security field office, or by mail. Massachusetts has multiple SSA offices, including locations in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, and Brockton.

When submitting your reconsideration request, take every opportunity to bolster your medical evidence. Common submissions that strengthen reconsideration cases include:

• Updated treatment records from physicians, specialists, and therapists
• A Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) form completed by your treating doctor
• Mental health evaluations, if your disability has a psychological component
• Hospital discharge summaries and emergency room records
• Statements from vocational experts or social workers
• A personal statement describing how your condition affects your daily life and ability to work

One of the most powerful tools at the reconsideration stage is a Medical Source Statement — a detailed opinion from your treating physician explaining the specific functional limitations imposed by your condition. SSA examiners give significant weight to these statements, particularly when they are consistent with the broader medical record.

Massachusetts-Specific Considerations

Massachusetts claimants interact with the SSA through the Disability Determination Services (DDS) office, a state-run agency that contracts with the federal SSA to evaluate claims. Understanding how DDS operates is important. DDS examiners follow federal SSA criteria but work within the administrative structure of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission.

Massachusetts has a relatively robust public healthcare system, and many claimants have treatment histories through MassHealth (Medicaid), community health centers, or the state's network of mental health providers. This can be both an advantage and a challenge — a well-documented treatment history strengthens your claim, but gaps in care (which are common when people cannot afford treatment) can be used to argue your condition is less severe than claimed.

If your denial was based in part on insufficient medical evidence, the reconsideration stage is the time to close those gaps. Seek an evaluation from a treating provider who can document your condition thoroughly. If you have been managing your disability without consistent treatment due to financial barriers, explain this in your personal statement — the SSA is required to consider explanations for treatment gaps.

Massachusetts also has a strong network of legal aid organizations and disability advocacy groups, including Greater Boston Legal Services and Disability Law Center, which provide free or low-cost assistance to claimants at various stages of the appeals process.

After Reconsideration: The Path Forward

If reconsideration is denied — as it is in the majority of cases — the next step is requesting a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. This is where the statistics shift dramatically in your favor. ALJ hearings have a significantly higher approval rate than reconsideration, particularly when claimants are represented by an attorney or non-attorney representative.

At an ALJ hearing, you have the opportunity to appear in person (or via video), present testimony, question medical and vocational experts, and submit additional evidence. Hearings in Massachusetts are typically held through the SSA's Office of Hearings Operations, with locations in Boston, Worcester, and other regional offices.

The time between filing for reconsideration and receiving an ALJ hearing date can be lengthy — often 12 to 24 months in Massachusetts, depending on case backlogs. This makes it essential to file your reconsideration request and every subsequent appeal as quickly as possible. Every delay is a delay in receiving benefits.

One important note: if you are awarded benefits at any stage of the appeals process, you are generally entitled to retroactive back pay dating to your established onset date (subject to a five-month waiting period). Protecting that back pay by appealing promptly and preserving your filing date is one of the most financially significant things you can do throughout this process.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

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