Why You Need a Medical Source Statement

Everyone who files a Social Security disability claim has to show medical evidence of a serious condition that prevents them from working. A Medical Source Statement, or MSS, is one of the most useful pieces of that evidence.

An MSS is a form your treating doctor completes to describe the diagnosis, the severity of your condition, and the specific ways it limits what you can do. There are two common versions: Form HA-1151 for physical conditions and Form HA-1152 for mental conditions. Used well, an MSS can strengthen a claim, because it puts your limitations in the words of the doctor who knows you best.

Objective medical evidence is the most reliable proof you can submit, and a detailed MSS helps translate your records into the functional terms Social Security actually weighs.

How do I get a Medical Source Statement?

All Social Security forms are free and available on the agency’s website. If you cannot find the form, call our office at 833-833-2026 and we will provide the version we use with our clients.

Who can complete one?

Social Security rules limit who counts as an acceptable medical source. This generally includes physicians, psychologists, optometrists, some podiatrists, and certain qualified speech-language pathologists. If you are not sure whether one of your providers qualifies, call us and we will help you sort it out.

Tips for a stronger Medical Source Statement

• Give the form to providers who have actually treated you.
• Do not assume a diagnosis alone meets Social Security’s rules. We can explain what the rules require.
• If Social Security sends you to a specialist, bring your completed MSS with you.
• Attend every appointment your doctor recommends, including any Social Security refers you to.
• Describe your limits in concrete terms: "I can only walk about 100 feet before I have to rest," or "sharp pain wakes me up most nights."
• Talk through every physical and mental limitation with your doctor, and be specific about how often symptoms occur and how severe they are.

Why it helps

Most medical records focus on treatment, not on what you can and cannot do during a workday. Often you have to help your doctors connect your symptoms to your work capacity. A well-completed MSS goes beyond ordinary notes and spells out how your condition affects your ability to work. That connection is exactly what Social Security is looking for.