The reconsideration involves an independent review of all the evidence of record, including any evidence received before or after the initial determination, as well as any available evidence from a prior folder(s).

For information on:

• •

  Developing evidence at reconsideration, see DI 27001.010.

• •

  Evidence evaluation, see DI 24501.016.

• •

  Evaluating symptoms, see DI 24501.021.

• •

  Categories of evidence, see DI 24503.005.

• •

  Prior folders, see DI 20505.010.

Update DCPS for consistency with any new evidence or changes to the claimant's medical condition(s).

For information on:

• •

  Reconsideration rationale preparation, see DI 27020.000.

• •

  Documenting symptom evaluation findings, see DI 24501.021D.

• •

  Articulation requirements for medical opinions and prior administrative medical findings (PAMF) for claims filed after March 27, 2017, see DI 24503.030.

After a complete, independent review of all the evidence in the file, the MC, PC, or both must perform an independent medical assessment of the claimant's impairment(s). The MC or PC is not bound by any findings from the initial determination. Thus, the MC or PC can find that the claimant has the same, more, or different medically determinable impairments (MDI). Likewise, the MC or PC can make the same or different findings about the severity of the MDIs and, if applicable, the claimant's RFC.

After a complete, independent, and thorough review of the evidence in the file, the MC or PC may adopt the prior medical assessment(s) prepared at the initial level.

Adoption means the adjudicative team agrees with all the findings and conclusions of the initial medical assessment and uses it to adjudicate the reconsideration determination, rather than completing an entirely duplicate medical assessment.

If the medical assessment at the reconsideration level will be exactly the same as the initial level assessment, the adjudicative team may adopt the initial level medical assessment.

If there are any changes in the functional limitations, the adjudicative team cannot adopt the initial level assessment and a new assessment will have to be prepared.

If the MC or PC adopts the initial level medical assessment(s), include the following statement on the adopted medical assessment: “I have reviewed all of the evidence in the file. I adopt as written the [medical assessment] (e.g., physical RFC, MRFC, etc.) of [date] by [MC or PC name].”

The MC or PC must sign and date the medical assessment using an approved electronic signature.

For information on:

• •

  Adopting an initial level Psychiatric Review Technique (PRT), see DI 24583.005G.1.

• •

  Adopting an initial level physical RFC or MRFC, see DI 24510.066B.

• •

  Adopting electronic medical assessments, see DI 81020.025D.

• •

  Adjudicating disabled child (DC) claims at the reconsideration level, see DI 25230.001B.6.

The following situations are considered a reconsideration affirmation:

The following situations are considered a reconsideration reversal: