Medical Retirement for Federal Workers: Post Submissions

In preparing, formulating and filing a Federal Disability Retirement application under FERS or CSRS, the best of all worlds would be for the diverse and scattered elements of information which must be compiled, gathered and compacted for a completed OPM Disability Retirement packet, to be accomplished as a unified whole within a single state of time and being.  

But doctor’s reports are prepared based upon the time, schedule and availability of each medical provider; and other documentary evidence may not be obtained or available within a reasonable timeframe of each other.  As such, submitting some of the medical evidence after the packet has been sent to the Office of Personnel Management, is perfectly acceptable, with certain caveats:  Since a Federal Disability Retirement application cannot be altered or amended to “add” any medical conditions once a CSA number has been assigned to a case, it is important to include any and all medical conditions which form the basis of post-submissions.  

While legal arguments which were not previously part of the original OPM Disability Retirement packet can be supplemented, amended and added, the Federal or Postal employee who is filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits cannot add any new medical conditions which were previously formulated on the Applicant’s Statement of Disability (SF 3112A).  Thus, any additional medical narratives, reports or diagnostic tests submitted after the assignment by the Office of Personnel Management of a CSA Number, cannot reflect a “new” and previously undisclosed medical condition.

Post submissions are perfectly acceptable, but they must reflect medical conditions which have already been identified.  As always, preparation is the key to success, and properly preparing, formulating and filing an OPM Disability Retirement application must necessarily include anticipating the medical conditions which might be discussed in any submission presented after the fact.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire