If you have a date set for a medical review
A medical review of your disability allows us to make sure that you continue to meet the Ontario Disability Support Program’s definition of disability.
A medical review date is set when a person’s condition might improve over time. In this way, we can be sure that the people who most need financial help under the Ontario Disability Support Program are getting it.
Recipients will receive Income Support and other benefits while we do their medical review as long as they continue to meet all other eligibility requirements.
How the medical review process works
When it is time for your medical review, you will receive a package of forms called the Disability Determination Package. It contains:
- instructions on who has to fill out the forms
- a Health Status Report and Activities of Daily Living Index form
- a Self-Report form
- a Consent to Release Medical Information form.
The Health Status Report and Activities of Daily Living Index form will need to be filled out by an approved health care professional, such as your doctor.
After we receive your completed forms, specially trained staff who work in the Disability Adjudication Unit will:
- review the information you gave us
- decide if you meet the definition of a person with a disability under the program
- send you a letter to tell you what our decision is.
If you meet the definition of a person with a disability
If you still meet the program’s definition of disability, you will continue to receive Income Support as long as you continue to meet all other eligibility requirements of the program.
If you no longer meet the definition of a person with a disability
If you no longer meet the program’s definition of disability, you will no longer be eligible for Income Support as a person with a disability. However, this decision will not affect your Income Support for three months. This is to give you time to get used to the change in your circumstances.
- if you are single, your Income Support and other benefits will stop after three months
- if you have a spouse who does not meet the program’s definition of disability, your family’s Income Support and other benefits will stop after three months
- if you have a spouse who meets the program’s definition of disability, your family’s Income Support will be reduced after three months.
If you disagree with this decision, you can ask to have the decision reviewed. This is the first step in the appeal process and is called an Internal Review.
If you no longer qualify for Income Support from the Ontario Disability Support Program you may be eligible for support from Ontario Works.