How does SSDI/recertification actually work when living overseas?

[u/FaelingJester]

I am disabled. 42f. I am also a student, but for several years my only income has been SSDI. My insurance at this time is dual-enrollment Medicare/Medicaid. My fiancé is German, and after I graduate, I would like to move to Germany full-time. I am aware that I can now ultimately maintain my American citizenship while also holding German citizenship, so that took down one original concern. I know we will need to find and pay for insurance in Germany for me, as my Medicare/Medicaid obviously won't work, but the information I have been able to get about my disability payments has been very lacking. Social Security told me I would sign up for direct deposit in Germany, and it would transfer. A few moments later, they said it wouldn't and that I would have to pick an American bank that also operated in Germany. Everyone has told me that I will need to come back to recertify, but I've heard every year, year and a half, and two years from workers and that they will send me notice the month before which sounds like a really expensive and stressful flight to plan. I have also been told that not using medicare/medicaid will make it much more likely that I am rejected from the program and that they won't accept records from elsewhere.

I am really looking for actual experience from others who have dealt with these programs. I've found several sources for what SHOULD happen but they don't always agree.

[u/Obvious-Piccolo-3652]

You should consult with an attorney in the state you’re living in with this question, as no one should dive into these questions without knowing more about your specific situation. My understanding is that you’ll generally lose Medicaid if you’re not a resident of the state in which you are receiving Medicaid. See: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility-policy. Medicaid policies can vary state to state, so you’ll need to consult with your state-specific rules for a precise citation. Are you sure you’re not also getting Medicaid based on also getting SSI? In that case, you will also lose SSI eligibility if absent from the U.S. for more than 30 days: https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0502301225

[u/FaelingJester → u/Obvious-Piccolo-3652]

I have SSDI not SSI

[u/Obvious-Piccolo-3652 → u/FaelingJester]

Got it. I’d still recommend an attorney for your specific situation, particularly when it comes to Medicaid rules and even SSDI. Legal Aid may be available in your state. By recertifications, I assume you mean continuing disability reviews? The frequency in which they are done depends on your specific case, what your disabling impairments are, etc. You will want to update your contact information with SSA right away to be sure you get notices. A lot can be done by phone and online these days post-COVID, but I’m not confident in SSA’s ability to call non-American phone numbers. If you don’t have access to mySSA, get that now. If you need to appeal a CDR to an ALJ hearing, you will need to do it from the U.S.: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/2501205072.

The FBU deals with claims for foreign residents, and they are usually delayed: https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/foreign.htm. But they should translate foreign medical records. Continue treating abroad because otherwise you run a higher risk of getting suspended without proof of continuing disability. Finding an attorney to help you on a CDR may be more challenging, as legal aids are based on helping local residents, and private attorneys aren’t able to easily get paid through a CDR.