NeuroTalk Support Groups - Not Sure What to Do..Advice?

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- Social Security Disability (https://www.neurotalk.org/social-security-disability/)

- - Not Sure What to Do..Advice? (https://www.neurotalk.org/social-security-disability/80472-advice.html)

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/T...r08summary.pdf

http://www.ssa.gov/legislation/testimony_011608.htm

Paying for Medicare is expensive. Medicare is expected to be insolvent long before Social Security is expected to be insolvent.

The first link talks about anticipated dates of insolvency for Hospital Insurance (HI Part A) and Supplemental Medical Insurance (SMI Part B). The second link includes a paragraph about proposals to remove the 24 month wating period in some or all cases. For ESRD or MLS, there is no 24 month waiting period already, but those are pretty bad diseases.

I tried to find the original rationale for including or excluding disability, but the history lesson got too long and boring. It started with Roosevelt, got heated with Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy tried to make it work and then Johnson got Medicare passed in 1965. But cost is always a factor.

Remember basic economics. There is no free lunch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janke (Post 480195)

Paying for Medicare is expensive. Medicare is expected to be insolvent long before Social Security is expected to be insolvent.

The first link talks about anticipated dates of insolvency for Hospital Insurance (HI Part A) and Supplemental Medical Insurance (SMI Part B). The second link includes a paragraph about proposals to remove the 24 month wating period in some or all cases. For ESRD or MLS, there is no 24 month waiting period already, but those are pretty bad diseases.

I tried to find the original rationale for including or excluding disability, but the history lesson got too long and boring. It started with Roosevelt, got heated with Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy tried to make it work and then Johnson got Medicare passed in 1965. But cost is always a factor.

Remember basic economics. There is no free lunch.

sorry! I had to take out your links! It wouldn't let me quote you with the links in there, I don't have enough posts yet!:)

Very true indeed. That there is no free lunch! I used to get so frustrated for people when I was a caseworker, I didn't know much if anything about SSD or SSI. I did know foodstamps, the medical card for pregnant women and children and the AFDC program. So many adults that were struggling working jobs that offered no insurance for minimum wage. They couldn't afford to pick it up for themselves. I hated to have to explain that to get coverage for that monthly medication they needed or to get that bad tooth pulled they would have to apply for and be declared disabled. That's the way it was then, I was hoping it might have changed a little since. I should've known better.

Our hospitals are bogged with people who just need to get to the doctor for more or less routine illnesses but can't afford to pay up front to walk into the Dr.s office. It's a shame as well that so many have scammed the system over the years to get disability. Really makes it rough for the true disabled.

I remember one client I had, he was applying for benefits and had full blown AIDS. He had been denied disability!! Was on appeal...now that man definitely had a condition that was going to result in his death!! Also a man I knew that was born almost completely blind. In fact he was declared legally blind but because he had held a job for a month or two as a janitor, before they let him go for poor performance, was also denied disability. The last time we saw this man he was homeless...on the same token though there was a gal who was approved pretty quickly who was suffering from depression? She received medical coverage.

So sad.. I honestly don't think most people are looking for a free lunch with medical coverage. Just looking to live a half way human existence is all.

btw~~my husband is at the MRI place as I type. I'm beginning to think he should have just stayed home. I'm really afraid that by going ahead with it, no matter what it shows, the test alone will really hurt us only more. There's no WAY we can lose our house with these three kids depending on us.

I guess the point of my last post is that the cost of Medicare is probably what currently drives the decision not to change the 24 month waiting period.

Universal health care is an option, but there will be a cost for that as well. One of the things that makes America great (IMO) is that we can all have different opinions about how to run the country. I think the hardest part is deciding how to redistribute the wealth of the citizens. If you are a person that because of either good luck or hard work or a combination, you have the ability to earn a big living, how much of your money should be taken by the government and given to those less fortunate? When you are on the bottom, because of bad luck or bad decision making or a combination, why should you have to struggle so much to lead a comfortable life when other people don't have to?

Pure capitalism is heartless. Pure socialism rewards slackers and brings us all down. The hard question is where to draw the line. I think the U.S. will ALWAYS struggle with this divisive issue.

What worked for me

Hi eRed,

Unless the law has changed, I don't think you can retain a lawyer, until after you have been denied for SSD. When I applied, a few years back, I had 2-3 disabeling conditions, but none that were on "their list" that would get me approved right away. If you go to the SSD web site, you can find that list.

What I did was buy a book, which helped me big time. By following it's suggestions, I didn't make any of the common mistakes that will get you automatically denied. The book I bought was printed by Nolo. I believe that it's named, Nolo's guide to SSD, getting and keeping your benefits.
That may not be the exact name, but it's close.
You can get it at any of the big book stores, in person or on line.

I would ensure that you have included everything that will help your case. I paid a small fee to get copies of my records from the different doctors I had seen. I also had my primary doctor write a letter to Social Security, which I included in my original package. I believe that this letter helped me the most. Send them copies of everything you have. I also kept a "pain chart" that I filled in three times a day, for about a month. Along with this chart, I also included the daily activities that I was no longer able to do.

It is harder to get approved if your under age 50. I know, that's wrong, but it's true. If you follow their guidelines, and give them all the information you have, you will greatly increase your chances of winning your case. If you do loose, you'll have copies of everything that you can then give to an attorney, which will save you time and money. If necessary, make sure you pick an attorney that specializes in SSD. Don't use your local attorney, as they are not up to date of everything that can help your case. It won't cost you any extra money, to hire an expert, as they do not get paid unless you win. They will then take a certain precentage of your winnings. It's usually a set amount.

If you feel that you can win without an attorney, go for it. Just realize you will probably not be up to date on the everything that can help you, should you end up before the judge.

Good luck, you can win !!!!!!!
AChronicPainer

You can retain a lawyer at any stage. No law prevents that.

Many lawyers, however, may have a policy that they will not represent you until you have had an initial denial.

Being thorough is always a good idea.

Hi ered,

I wish I could be more encouraging that this was a simple process. For many of us, it takes years to get approved.

I would caution that I would be really leary of having your hubby stop meds and fib on the physical to try to get hired. I do understand your logic, but the possible ramifications are numerous. What if he is seriously injured at a new job and they deny his whole claim because he lied ? What if SS gets a hold of that physical saying he is fine ?

I wish your family luck going through this

I have a question that may help eRed. I know that at one time, someone
who was waiting for an appointment with a judge could ask their local state rep
to move their application to "the top of the pile", if they were in great
financial difficulty. Is this this possible ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by eRed (Post 477815)

Hi

I'm new to the site and to the process of SSD so please bear with me. My husband is 42 years old and was diagnosed approx. 3 or 4 years ago with several things. He has 4 severely herniated discs, mild/moderate Rheumatoid Arthritis in his spine, compression in his tail bone, as well as slight scoliosis.

He has continued to work through all of the pain he's in, his Dr. has been prescribing a narcotic pain med. for the last several years all the while telling my husband that his job was like hitting a broken bone with a hammer over and over again.

Two weeks ago he went back to the Dr. and is scheduled for another MRI as the Dr. feels his conditions have worsened. He now has almost no reflex in his left leg and has nerve pain that shoots all the way through the leg from the hip downward. Added to the back problems his blood pressure was sky high and his heart rate was very concerning to the Dr. So he was put on meds for both the high b/p and the racing heart.

My husband worked in the printing/bindery business as a multi machine operator and has been hiding his condition from his employers basically because we could not afford for him NOT to work. Now it makes no difference. His company had a major reduction in work force due to the economy and as of Friday my husband is out of a job. I am currently unemployed as well... not sure what we will do but anyway.

My husband was thinking of going ahead and applying for SSD. It's a slim to none chance that he'll find work again in his field, he only knows the bindery/printing biz, has been in it nearly 20 years now. Even if he does it will be hard in his worsening condition to hide it. Starting a new job he couldn't try for LTD.

Our problem is we are still so very unsure about the process not to mention the financial problems. Our health insurance ended, when I called the insurance company the day he was laid off they told me "last day worked, last day covered". Even with the reduction of Cobra premiums to 35% I'm not sure we will be able to afford it. As I said I'm also unemployed and we have 3 small kids. My oldest is just 10.

We don't know what to do. The more I read about the process of filing and being approved the more discouraging it all sounds. Especially with back problems and pain. Do those conditions ever get approved anymore?

I'm applying for work myself everywhere and hoping to find something with insurance benefits so that both he and I can go to the Dr. for our medications. I've had some extreme high blood pressure issues that thankfully seem to be somewhat under control with medication.

I'm sorry:( I'm not even sure what it is I'm asking here. I guess I'm just scared. We have talked and at first were going to cancel the MRI (scheduled for this coming Friday) and his follow up office visit with the Dr. as we now have no heath insurance but then we decided that he really should go. They can't garnish wages we don't have for payment of that MRI! Maybe we can afford a month or 2 of the Cobra? sigh...

I guess in the end I'm asking if it's worth it for him to even try to apply for SSD? With a mortgage and little kids after his unemployment ends I'm not at all sure just me working will be enough. I've never been the bread winner.

Sorry this is so long I'm just so scared and unsure and so is my husband. Oh and I'm in the state of Kentucky if that makes any difference.

TIA
M.J.

My brother has herniated discs and was approved within four months without any denials. You have nothing to lose by applying!

Ouch! You 5 will be facing multiple challenges. The first step is for you to find a job. Based on the limited information provided, your husband is facing an uphill battle to be approved for benefits.

SSA understands he may not be able to continue to perform his past work but based on his age (under 50), semi to skilled work experience, presumably a high school education & a condition that is hard to assess it is expected that he can make vocational adjustments and perform some other type of work that does not require him to stand of lift heavy objects.

High blood pressure can normally be controlled & is not considered disabling unless the “silent killer” causes kidney failure, blindness, or stroke.

Is it worth applying for SSDI benefits – absolutely. The limited information you can provide in this forum is not enough to give a solid answer. Each case is different. You may not want to place all of your eggs in that one basket, however. He may want to contact the local unemployment office for job retraining, or the local state rehabilitation office for help in retraining.