Disability Determination Unit

Medical Record Managers assist disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicaid. Individuals must be referred by the Benefit Administration Division.

What is DDU?

The DDA (Disability Determination Area of the State of Ohio) determines whether or not an applicant is eligible for Medicaid benefits.

Who is eligible for DDU?

Persons who will be unable to work 12 months or longer are eligible for DDU determination.

Who determines eligibility for DDU?

Eligibility is determined by Disability Determination Area located in Columbus, OH.  The Disability Determination Area is charged with the duty of determining whether or not the applicant suffers from a medical or psychological disability that prevents the individual from engaging in gainful employment for 12 months or longer.

Why does an applicant need to see a DDU case manager in Muskingum County when eligibility is determined in Columbus, OH?

County DDU Medical Records managers are responsible for collecting health data pertaining to each alleged disabled individual who is requesting Medicaid disability benefits. When the data is collected, the Muskingum County DDU Medical Records manager submits the information to Disability Determination Area in Columbus, OH.

What types of information will the DDU Medical Records manager ask the applicant?

The County DDU Medical Records manager will conduct a face-to-face interview with the applicant. The interview includes social, work, education, and medical history. The information gathered is forwarded to Columbus where the individual is determined to be or not to be disabled using the established disability criteria.

How long will it take before the applicant knows if they are eligible for Medicaid benefits?

The length of time varies on a case-to-case basis.  Supplying current medical records in a timely manner is vital to the process.

What if the applicant thinks they are disabled, but do not have any documentation from either the physician or mental health professional?

It is the responsibility of the County DDU case manager to schedule appointments for medical evaluations, and/or psychological evaluations at no cost to the applicant. The County DDU case manager is trained to assist in securing and processing data relevant to the applicant’s alleged disability.

How does an applicant obtain an interview with the County DDU case manager?

All applicants must be referred by the Benefit Administration Division. An applicant should indicate to their Eligibility Worker  they believe they have a disability. The Eligibility Worker will refer the individual to the County DDU case manager.

For more information, contact the Disability Determination Unit/ Social Security Income (DDU/SSI) Records managers by telephone, e-mail, or by writing a letter.