Quote:
Originally Posted by finz
Hope,
I think that if you are confident that someone has faked their level of disability to fraudulently collect SSDI/SSI, you should report them to the SSA. I believe that every faker and exaggerator out their costs the taxpayers a lot, and costs those who are truly disabled and now have to suffer financially while waiting a long time for their decision and benefits, even more.
That said, I believe one should be quite sure about such an accusation/report. So many of us suffer with "invisible" disabilities and can look "okay" on our rare trips to the outside world, but look very different most of the time when we are suffering at home. Picking up on your reference to your card playing acquaintance, I play poker......a few times a year. I take extra meds, need transportation and frequent ice packs, but I look GOOD (small brag, but I do get happy when I have the energy to get dressed up and put on make up, etc) Someone who just sees me then would, and should, think I look good. If I wasn't having a good day, I wouldn't be able to be there. Before that person decides that I "can't" be disabled, they would have to follow me home, see the poor state of the house because I can't do most household tasks and my husband refuses to, see me spend the next three days in bed with severe pain and exhaustion, etc They should also "see" all the invites out to play cards that I had to decline because I couldn't get bathed and dressed those days. They should "see" the extra meds that I have to take on days that I am trying to go out into the real world. They should "see" me have to ask one of my teenage sons to help me get a bra on or help me get from my bed to the bathroom. Looks can be deceiving on the outside looking in.
If you do know these people/their situation well and your sure about your read on them, I'd report them.
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I totally agree with your comment and I guess I may have been out of line with my assessment of others that I
think I know as I do NOT walk in their shoes. I know them fairly well but then again there are people that I encounter that do not know what my life is like. I would never report them as I do not know for sure what their life is really like. Thank you for your comment. I too have an invisible condition and should be more considerate and less judgemental of the persons to whom I referred. One is a very long time friend that I spent a lot of time with when I was still very able. She was up to at all times, everything and anything, but was on disability. I was often at her home. She bragged about the advantage of having an MD as a relative in getting her approval for disability. Many years have past since that time and if she was NOT disabled back then, I do think she is now.
To the card playing friend...... she is ALWAYS on the go, never stops, is never home and even invisible conditions slow people down. This is why I have my doubts but as I said a few lines up, I do not live in her shoes so I can not and should not judge.
My comment was more to say how SSDI decisions can seem so unfair and arbitrary, at least to a casual observer. One friend that was an amputee was denied as she still had the other leg.
Thank you again for your comment. You are so correct and I feel I was out of line making assessments that are not my place to make. You are a very wise person and someone I admire from your comments.