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ss disability

cat7
  • By cat7
  • Posted January 27, 2009 at 9:00 pm · 28 replies
  • In Financial issues
  • Shared with the public
0 Recommendations

I went into a older discussion about ss benefits, a
couple of weeks ago. The conversation was if stage 4
bc is a automatic ok for ss disability. Just to let you guys know i filled for ss disability one week ago on
a monday ,today is tues jan 27,2009 and i just got
word I'VE been accepted for benefits. I will get my 1st check in april . Just want to let you guys know to give it a chance. With no check in the last few months I
was to say the least getting worried. This group has helped me is sooo many ways, i hope this helps someone else.

Explore topics in this discussion:

Taxotere Cancer Melanoma Avastin Stress

28 replies

mom2acat

(((Hugs)))) I'm glad you got your approval, I'm sure it's a big relief knowing that, as it was for me.

SecondtimeSuz

I have those SS forms to fill out... don't know why I'm dragging my feet on this one.

ReneP

unfortunately as a teacher for the past 5+ years i do not have enough work credits for SS disability and yet i don't have enough years (7) in the school district system to qualify for their disability program...

so while i love my job and i am glad to be working, I also have less choice...

EWB

Hang in there Cat...good to hear the porcess was not hard or drawn out- enough to deal with!

Suz- It took me a while to fill out the papers, I think it was hard for me to accept the idea of disability (lots of preconceived notions). It was the right thing to do, but not the easiest thing to do (all mental).

Rene- 5 yrs teaching doesn't give you enough credits?

Be well all...Elaine

cat7

to secondtimesuz,
Dear suz , I didn't have to feel out paper work. The very kind lady at ss disability totally did this for me on her computer to my great relief. I also took recent biopsy's , cat scan, and bone scan reports to her.
Don't try to do it by yourself let ssdisability help.
good luck
cat 7

lmiller

Just an FYI; I applied in December, got word recently I was approved, but won't receive anything until June. Wonder what the difference is? To SecondtimeSuz: I called to get an appointment, received paperwork to mail back to the local office to verify my identity, etc. and filled out all the paperwork online. Got a call the very next a.m. to say I had done the hard part and didn't have to come in to the office. Most of the info they needed was at my fingertips from billing, appt cards, etc. It did take a huge amount of time online to do though, so beware!

peggyr

one explanation for the difference when benfits are being paid................. It may depend on when your disability is determined to have begun. It may have been on the date of your dx, or when you actually stopped work, whatever your dr and you decided on. I was re-dx in Sept 03 but kept working until this past Nov 08. I then applied for SSDI, and was approved. I had been on it before in 95-98. So my SS benefits will start in May, 6 months after the date of disabilty. I was lucky that I bought short term disability last year in May thru work. It is designed to provide benefits in the six months before the LTD kicks in.
Because there is that good old 6 month's pre-existing clause, I could not make a claim on the STD for br ca w/ mets for six months. That was the reason I struggled to work until Nov. As a teacher I got a break in the summer, and then started back fully intending to continue working. But after my first treatment of Taxotere and Avastin, I decided I could not do the full time thing anymore. I have steadily have had more difficult treatments. I worked for a church school and we had LTD as part of our benefits package. The short term disability will pay until May, then it will convert to LTD. At the same time, Social Security will begin. My benefit for work LTD will be reduced by the amount of my SSDI, so my actual $$ wil not increase. DARN! But I will then be eligible for medicare in 2 years and will no longer have to pay for my medical insurance thru Cobra. but until then it will be a tricky proposition. Some months I will eat, some I won't!!! But i don't have to start that until May, when my old job discontinues paying for my health insurance.

So sorry ReneP, you do not have coverage thru work.. :-(

Yeah, as part of the eligibilty for SSDI, you would have had to work enough in the past. When I first called about getting SSDI before, in 1995, I was told I was lacking one quarter's work and therefore that one quarter's contribution to the SSDI insurance system. By a miracle, i think, it was suggested that I go work for a temp agency, anything, even for one week, just to fullfill that one quarter's requirement and contribute to the system so I would be eligible. That person was my angel!!!
and not everyone would have been so helpful. Another person might have told me, no, you don't qualify and thats it.

We need more agencies to help those of us with inadeqaute insurance and disability benefits!!!!

Peggyr

EWB

Date of disability is considered the date you no longer worked- if if last date worked was 1/1, the disability is considered to have started 1/2; it is not when you were dxed.

Beachbabe

In the grand scheme of governmental beaurocracy, I too had a relatively "easy" time with SS...but now I've decided to continue working part-time and can't seem to get anyone to "turn it off"...I'm afraid the Feds (or some other scary big guys) will come to my house and say, "Yo, Beachbabe, you might have cancer but you went back to work...give us your favorite child!"

The rules are somewhat messed up (big surprise)...you have to have the right amount of work credits accumulated to collect. A dear fellow Stage 4 friend did not have the right amount of work credit (because she's been alligator wrestling for years), and had recently been widowed by a hubby who DID qualify...but get this...she was too young to collect...the system has a few flaws.

Do not hesitate to submit your paperwork. We all have a hard time accepting assistance, but if it makes one thing easier in this wrestling match we call life, then let it be.

Hugs~

cat7

beachbabe
i was told you can make up to 950.00 a month and still draw ss disability. My state is tennessee, check with your ss office
cat 7

ReneP

with school we have our own retirement/disability program which i am not vested in for 7 years....

and i can't access SSD even though i worked in the non school world for 25 years!!!

Analemma

Ladies, as part of this conversation, be aware that you can also get forgiven for any federal student loans, including PLUS loans you may have taken for your children, if they are solely in your name (not jointly with a spouse). I didn't realize this until nine months after my disability date - and they don't refund any payments you already made. You can download the paperwork from the student loan website, then take to your doctor for signature. Once they get the paperwork, your loans are "suspended" for three years, after which they are forgiven if you are still disabled (or immediately upon your death.)

ReneP

YES!! thank you thank you thank you!

what a relief to hear abou the student loans.
i went backt to school at 38 to be a teacher so i have student loans and its one of those nagging things about my future - not wanting to leave my family in debt...

i will follow up on that....

We are smarter together than we are alone....

fightin4myboys

Dear cat7,

I am so glad to hear you were accepted rather quickly!
I too was soon told after filing that I was eligible. The only hard part was waiting for 3-6 months. to receive the initial check, but if your income is low enough, as mine was, you may immediately file and receive SSI. My circumstances forced me to quit working, I would much rather be amongst my old office buddies (who sadly I never hear from anymore) because I feel I was more socially healthy than now, but I am so grateful, because this is the only way I could receive insurance, as I am a single mom of 2.
I tried to cut my hours back to P.T., but the company I worked for, of course cut off my health insurance. I also cannot stand to even sit at a desk for any long period of time because I have mets to the bone, especially in my lower spine & mid thoracic spine and shoulder. So, I am very thankful.
I wish the best of luck, keep up the faith and the fight!!!! :-)

Beachbabe

Hi cat7~ Thanks for the info, I was 'fortunate' that I returned to work at 60% salary and full benefits so I exceed the "cap" earnings-wise for SS...but as I said I know I am among the lucky ones. I never dreamed I would be able to 'cut' a deal like that, so I share the story with all of you to impress upon you that sometimes we don't recognize our own worth at work...sometimes there are possibilities we wouldn't even considering asking...so take a leap and ask.

Big hugs~

chloemom

Social Security has an expedited application process called Compassionate Allowances which is suppose to have at a maximum 6-7 week determination. There is a list of about 50 Diagnoses...BC Mets is included. I recommend the online application process for speed as well. I applied last Sunday, received an email Monday with a telephone interview scheduled for Feb. 3rd and have received two letters by mail this week! I am amazed (and grateful). I spent 15 years helping people with psychiatric disabilities apply for these benefits .... it took months if not years for eligibility determinations.

If you google SSA Compassionate Allowances News Releases you will be able to find info about this.

For anyone who has applied and been denied, I suggest you appeal, appeal, and continue to appeal.

Dreamy

BeachBabe.... under SSD you are allowed to work part-time and received up to a certain amount annually. And they check this when they get a copy of your tax form sent from Revenue Services directly to SSD.... If you are over, you will be taxed and SSD will reduce your payments accordingly. In actuality it is not a bad system

Lou6

ReneP - how many quarters of work doi you need to qualify for SSD? Have you ever worked any other jobs in the past - even as a student in the summer etc that could count? I think it is a pretty low amount of income needed in any quarter to qualify as an "employed" quarter

ReneP

before being a teacher i worked for years 25+ outside of the school and contributed lots. but its been 5 years since i was in the ss system. so when i get my statement its says i am not eligible for SSD because i don't have enought credits contributed recently.

i should talk with someone though and find out what i would need to do. at my school they have a disability option but i need more credits for that. so i am stuck in teh middle.

good think i adore my job and am presently healthy enough to work....

CSF

Rene -
I have the exact same problem with SSD. Not enough credits in a certain period of time. When Dx'd in 2003 at age 37, I was about 1 year short. I would at this point have to work full-time for another 5 years to get the credits, so that idea is out the window for me.
They do it in 10 year increments I think. This is one of the problems that younger people have with disability - work history is not long enough sometimes.
There is SSSI which I/we can apply for once we are totally broke, but you cannot work for the most part, and the benefits are pretty small - I did the online calculator a few months back and it said I could get $278/month, plus you become eligible for Medicaid and food stamps in most states. It beats nothing, and I will apply once all my remaining savings are gone (you can't have more than $1600 - 2000 in assets).
Best of luck, Rene and congrats to all who got SSD! What a life-saver, and I'm soooo glad they finally came up with a fast-track for those who are desperately in need!

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