If your SSDI (or SSI) stopped because you tried working, you may not need to start over. Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) lets Social Security restart benefits without a new application, and even pay provisional (temporary) benefits for up to 6 months while they review your case. In many situations, Medicare (or Medicaid) can continue during this period. This guide explains who qualifies, what to expect, and how to file — in plain English. (Social Security Administration, GovInfo)
EXR in One Minute: What It Is & Why It Helps
- No new application. Tell SSA you want Expedited Reinstatement; they collect updated info and do a medical review, but you skip the full initial claim. (Social Security Administration)
- Provisional benefits (up to 6 months). SSA can pay temporary cash and reinstate Medicare during review. Payments start the filing month (or the next month if you worked at SGA the filing month). (GovInfo)
- Fast safety net. If approved, you resume benefits; if denied, provisional payments generally aren’t reclaimed except in specific cases (e.g., paid after a denial notice or when you knew you didn’t qualify). (GovInfo, vcu-ntdc.org)
Do You Qualify for EXR?
You can request EXR if all of the following are true:
- You previously received SSDI or SSI disability benefits.
- Your benefits ended because of work/earnings (not due to medical recovery alone).
- You cannot perform SGA now because of your same or related medical condition.
- You request EXR within 60 months (5 years) of when benefits terminated. (Social Security Administration, eCFR)
2025 SGA amounts: $1,620/month (non-blind) and $2,700/month (blind). SSA looks at countable earnings after allowable deductions (e.g., IRWEs). (Social Security Administration)
What You Get While SSA Reviews Your EXR (Provisional Benefits)
- Cash + Medicare (Title II/SSDI). Provisional payments can run up to 6 consecutive months. If you worked at SGA the month you filed, provisional benefits begin the following month; otherwise they can begin in the filing month. (GovInfo)
- SSI cases. Similar provisional SSI may start the month after your request; Medicaid may be available. (Social Security Administration)
- If EXR is approved: SSA offsets any overlapping provisional month against the reinstated month (if provisional exceeded the regular benefit for that month, the difference can be an overpayment). (GovInfo)
- If EXR is denied: In practice, SSA usually does not reclaim provisional payments except for months after a denial notice, months you were at SGA (Title II), or if you knew/should have known you didn’t qualify. (GovInfo, Improving MI Practices)
After Approval: The 24-Month Initial Reinstatement Period (IRP)
Think of the IRP as a 24-month (not necessarily consecutive) runway that pays you for non-SGA months while you settle back into work or stability:
| During the IRP (Title II/SSDI) | What happens |
| Month below SGA | You’re paid for that month. |
| Month at/above SGA | No cash for that month; the month doesn’t count toward the 24. |
| Medicare | Continues throughout the IRP, even in SGA months. |
| During the IRP (Title XVI/SSI) | What counts toward 24 months |
| Any month paid SSI, eligible for 1619(b), or would be paid but for offsets (e.g., overpayment recovery) | Counts toward the 24. |
- After you accrue 24 payable months, you re-enter normal work rules (a new TWP/EPE cycle for SSDI). Title XVI recipients complete IRP and, if later terminated again due to earnings, can get a new 60-month EXR window. (Social Security Administration)
Retroactive Reinstatement: Can EXR Pay You for Earlier Months?
Yes, if you met all EXR requirements earlier, SSA can reinstate back to the earliest month in the 12 months before you filed when you would have qualified — potentially adding retroactive months to your IRP tally and payment history. (Social Security Administration)
EXR vs. Filing a New Application (Which Should You Choose?)
| Situation | Pick EXR | File New Application |
| Prior benefits ended due to work and it’s within 5 years | ✅ Fast path with provisional benefits & no new application. (Social Security Administration) | |
| Condition is same/related and you’re now below SGA | ✅ | |
| It’s been over 5 years since termination | ✅ Typically required (unless SSA finds good cause otherwise). (yourtickettowork.ssa.gov) | |
| Medical situation is entirely new | ✅ New claim likely appropriate. | |
| You want potential 12-month retro | ✅ Allowed under EXR rules. (Social Security Administration) |
How to Request EXR (Step-by-Step)
- Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and say: “I want to file for Expedited Reinstatement.” SSA will ask screening questions and start your request. (Social Security Administration)
- Prepare documents: ID, SSN, prior award/termination dates, recent medical records, provider list, medications, and recent work/earnings details. (SSA may send forms and schedule exams.) (Social Security Administration)
- Ask about provisional benefits: Confirm your provisional cash and Medicare/Medicaid status and the expected start month under the rules. (GovInfo)
- Keep copies & follow up: Track mail, upload documents promptly, and keep notes of calls.
Tip: If you’re also exploring work again, connect with a WIPA benefits counselor or Employment Network for free guidance on work incentives and reporting — they can help you avoid overpayments. (Choose Work)
Key Numbers for 2025 (Handy Reference)
| Rule | 2025 amount | Why it matters |
| SGA (non-blind) | $1,620/mo | Used to judge ability to work for SSDI/SSI & EXR eligibility. (Social Security Administration) |
| SGA (blind) | $2,700/mo | Higher threshold for statutory blindness. (Social Security Administration) |
| Provisional benefits | Up to 6 months | Temporary cash + Medicare during review. (GovInfo) |
| IRP | 24 payable months | After IRP, SSDI gets new TWP/EPE; SSI gets new EXR window. (Social Security Administration) |
| Retroactive EXR | Up to 12 months back | EXR can be reinstated to an earlier month you met criteria. (Social Security Administration) |
Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
- Waiting too long. The EXR window is 5 years from termination — mark that date and act early. (Social Security Administration)
- Working above SGA during the provisional period. That can stop provisional benefits and create overpayment exposure for those months. (GovInfo)
- Thin medical evidence. EXR still requires a medical review — send updated records quickly. (Social Security Administration)
- Assuming Medicare/Medicaid will stop. For SSDI, Medicare continues during the IRP (even SGA months). For SSI, Medicaid may continue; confirm with SSA/your state. (Social Security Administration, Social Security Administration)
Summary Takeaways
- EXR can restart SSDI/SSI without a new application and pay provisional benefits (up to 6 months) — often with Medicare/Medicaid during review. (Social Security Administration, GovInfo)
- You must be within 5 years of termination due to work, be below SGA now because of the same/related condition, and meet non-medical rules. (Social Security Administration)
- If approved, you enter a 24-month IRP with Medicare continuing; after the IRP, SSDI gets new TWP/EPE. (Social Security Administration)
- Retroactive reinstatement can reach 12 months back if you met EXR criteria earlier. (Social Security Administration)
FAQs
1) How fast can SSDI be reinstated with EXR?
SSA can pay provisional cash (and reinstate Medicare) for up to 6 months while it reviews your EXR request — so money can start right away or the following month depending on SGA that month. Final approval follows a medical review. (GovInfo)
2) Do I have to repay provisional benefits if my EXR is denied?
Usually no, but there are exceptions — e.g., provisional payments after a denial notice, months you were at SGA (Title II), or if you knew/should have known you didn’t qualify. (GovInfo, Improving MI Practices)
3) Does EXR waive the SSDI five-month waiting period?
EXR is not a new initial claim — it reinstates entitlement, so the initial waiting period does not reapply. (Policy describes EXR as a new period of disability with reinstated entitlement and provisional pay during review.) (Social Security Administration)
4) Can EXR pay me for months before I applied?
Yes. SSA can reinstate back to the earliest month in the 12 months before you filed when you met EXR requirements. (Social Security Administration)
5) What are the SGA amounts for 2025?
$1,620/month (non-blind) and $2,700/month (blind). (Social Security Administration)
6) What happens after EXR is approved?
You enter a 24-month IRP: paid for non-SGA months; Medicare continues; after 24 payable months, SSDI beneficiaries get a new TWP/EPE cycle; SSI beneficiaries complete IRP and may get a new 60-month EXR window if terminated again due to earnings. (Social Security Administration)
7) How do I start EXR?
Call SSA 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and say you want to file for Expedited Reinstatement; ask about provisional benefits and what medical/work documents to send. (Social Security Administration)