> Thus I suspect that the only phrase the review physician really needed to make a disability determination--"diagnosis: inoperable stage IV metastatic cancer"-

> Thus I suspect that the only phrase the review physician really needed to make a disability determination--"diagnosis: inoperable stage IV metastatic cancer"--was intentionally omitted from the review materials, because it was the only way to plausibly deny the application. A vital missing record can plausibly be explained as accidental, if you intentionally make the bureaucratic process onerous enough. Absent that vital datum, the whole dossier of review materials was absolutely useless. This is the key insight I took away as well. I have not applied for SSDI (nor made determinations for it); however, if the physician reviewing the records is not provided the information nor provided an opportunity to question to patient directly, you will of course have "garbage in, garbage out". This is a systemic issue, and the system at fault is the local government.