I was dead set against the IME until my own doctor caved

Had my initial denial appeal hearing last month in Fresno, and I told the judge flat out I'd never agree to another Independent Medical Exam. Then my own rheumatologist said she wouldn't support my RA claim without a specialist second opinion, so I caved and went. The IME doctor actually found something my regular doc missed, a hip issue that counts as a separate condition. It felt backwards but I got approved for 14 months of benefits. Has anyone else had a forced exam work out better than their own doctor's notes?

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1 Comment

taylor.mary25d ago

Whoa, hold up. The IME doc caught something your own rheumatologist missed? That's wild. I mean, I've sat in those waiting rooms feeling like I was being set up to fail, so hearing that is honestly a bit of a shock. Like, the whole system is built on the idea that your doctor knows you best, and then this stranger walks in and finds a whole other condition? That must have thrown you for a loop. It's almost scary to think about what else gets missed when we're so focused on one diagnosis. Good for you for getting the 14 months though, even if it took a weird twist to get there.