The Electronic Records Express (ERE) program is an initiative by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the state Disability Determination Services (DDS) to offer electronic options for submitting health and school records related to disability claims.
When they receive a request from SSA for health or school records or other information about a person who has applied for Social Security disability benefits, they can choose the method of sending the information that works best for you:
- Online using Social Security’s secure website
- By fax to your state DDS or to Social Security.
The records sent are automatically associated with the applicant’s unique disability claim folder.
An individual can apply for disability benefits in one of three ways: in a field office, using the 1-800 national phone number, or online. When an individual applies for disability, SSA collects several key pieces of information: demographics, facts about his or her allegation(s) of disability, work history, and a full list of his or her medical treating sources. SSA also collects a patient authorization form (Form SSA-827). SSA is not a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), but is covered under the Privacy Act. Therefore, a patient signs the SSA-827 to allow his or her healthcare providers to release information to SSA to adjudicate his or her disability claim.
Once the application is completed, the case is transferred to the state Disability Determination Services (DDS). The DDS is a federally funded state service that makes medical determinations on behalf of SSA. The DDS reviews the case upon receipt and sends out requests for medical records to the treating sources listed via fax, mail, or ERE (Electronic Records Express). The treating source receives the request, pulls the information requested, and sends it back to the DDS via fax, mail, or ERE website.
Sending records electronically with ERE comes with a lot of benefits and cost savings.
For providers it eliminates paper copies and postage fees, and via a secure transaction with easy tracking of submissions. It adds convenience and flexibility as files for an individual and/or multiple cases can be submitted via a standard web browser.
For claimants it helps expedite the disability determination process as records are submitted directly to SSA or their states DDS and follow-up is eliminated due to mail transit time.
For the DDS and SSA it eliminates paper from the process and streamlines disability determination process.
- Email: ere.outreach.center@ssa.gov
- Phone: 877-405-3624
- Send us your contact information and we will contact you
- Name
- Phone Number
- Facility Name and Address
- Username and Password emailed
- Training scheduled at your convenience
- Ready to start sending records
- ERE Secure Site Overview – Powerpoint overview of ERE it's goals and the advantages to using it.
- ERE Secure Site Screens – Powerpoint presentation of ERE Screens.
- SSA Disability Programs: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/
- SSA ERE Program: https://www.ssa.gov/ere
- SSA ERE Outreach Mailbox: ere.outreach.center@ssa.gov
- SSA ERE Mailbox: electronic-records-express@ssa.gov
- SSA Secure Site Demo: https://www.ssa.gov/ere/ere_demo_public/index.html