Medical Retirement Benefits for Federal & Postal Employees: Listing the Medical Conditions

The rule on an application for Federal Disability Retirement benefits under FERS or CSRS is that, once the application is filed with the Office of Personnel Management, the application cannot be amended or modified with respect to the “list” of medical conditions.  Thus, on the Applicant’s Statement of Disability (SF 3112A), one must list the medical conditions upon which the entire application for eligibility is based.  Once it is filed with OPM and a CSA Number is assigned to the case, you are restricted from being able to “add” to the list of medical conditions which are delineated on your statement.  This is fair enough, if one stops and reflects upon it, for a number of reasons.  For one thing, it would be unfair to have the right to change the basis upon which one has filed for Federal Employee Disability Retirement benefits under FERS or CSRS.  For another, OPM must be able to begin the process of evaluating the eligibility of a case without the potential for modification of the medical conditions, or the adding or subtracting of the underlying basis of the claim.  However, the mere fact that one cannot “add” to the list of medical conditions, does not prevent one from submitting additional supporting medical documentation (even from a previously-unnamed medical provider) which would support the already-listed medical conditions. 

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire