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Has anyone applied for Disability Benefits for Stage 3 NSCLC

janiegirl
0 Recommendations

I have just finished the online application for SS disability. I finished my treatment for Stage 3A NSCLC in May but continue to have many issues related to the cancer treatments.....neuropathy, tachycardia, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and a constant drippy nose. My doctors fully support this, but the cancer itself has improved greatly. I had a lesion in the lung and 3 lymph nodes involved and now there is only a small lesion in the lung showing. Does it have to have gotten worse to qualify? I know nothing about disability and wouldn't have considered it if the doc hadn't mentioned it to me.

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27 replies

bjuneau

I dont think you have to wait for it to get worse. My dad was able to get his right away as soon as he got the diagnoses. My mother on the otherhand had a delay but it was due to her Doctor unsure about what her outcome would be. My dads doctors just filled out the paperwork right away. I dont think that it has to do with specifics just with what the doctor has to say. It sounds like your Doc. is on the right page though and will sign whatever paperwork SS needs.
Sounds like great news on your progress. That gives me hope for my dad.
Take care
Bonnie

gonehiking

Jane,

We're in Canada so things are probably a bit different here, but I don't think you need to be "worsening" in order to quality for disability. I think some conditions, probably especially something like a diagnosis of certain cancers, pretty much get approved immediately regardless of how things are going at a particular point in time.


bev

janiegirl

I wish I HAD applied immediately, that's what the SS lady kept saying when I called..."you should have applied when you first got sick". Well, I was too sick immediately from the treatments to do anything but survive AND I had no idea I could apply. I thought you had to be out of work for 6 months at least before applying. Also, I had no idea the treatments would hit me so hard. I had stage 2 breast cancer 6 years ago and was out & about almost the whole time I was in treatment. I did have fatigue, etc, but nothing to compare to the lung cancer at all.

gonehiking

Jane,

We felt the same way about things when my husband was ill. It was really sort of overwhelming to try to get all the forms filled out for both long term disability through his group plan at work, and also the paperwork required for the federal long term disability. I took care of filling out most of the paperwork and getting copies made of everything, and dropping it off for doctors to do their part, etc... I kept thinking to myself, "Whoa! What do people do when they don't have someone else to take care of all of this stuff and do all the running around to get everything filled, copied and mailed?!!" In our case, we had to do this a.s.a.p. as my husband was far too ill to continue working and I am self-employed and dealing with my husband's illness instantly took over my life to the point that I had (and have) no time to devote to my work. We had to get his disability paperwork taken care of in the middle of the whole medical crisis last year or we would have been living off our savings almost immediately. Anyhow, all this to say that I fully appreciate why people often don't get all the forms sent in early on in their illness.

take care,
bev

BECKY1

Hello Janie.
I am also stage 3 a and have gotten disabiltiy since my lung was removed. I was told that it was almost automatic.
I would check with SS, but if you have worked your whole life, as I have, it helps greatly.
It will be 2 years in March since I went through my treatments and I am still NED. PRAISE GOD~ BUTTTT
I still have issues, require tests, and have many office visits. The money helps so I dont have to bust it, so to speak and can enjoy the time I have more.
Hope this helps.

janiegirl

I wish I could have had surgery but 2 doctors, one from UNC and one from Duke, said it was not in an area they could operate. There was a lesion in the lung and 3 nodes but one node was right in the center of my chest and it had the most cancer. I think that was what made it inoperable. I've heard of surgery after treatment if it's no longer in the nodes but both said no to that too...too much scar tissue and the risk outweighs the benefit. I'm sure I could probably find someone to do surgery, but I am OK with the opinions I've gotten. I'm glad you are doing so well!

MarionW

I was 3a and had my whole lung removed 4/07. It is pretty much up to your doctor to fill out the forms and send in for you. I had no problem at all but it took some time.Also be prepared that you do not get paid for the first 5 months after you are declared disabled and you do not ever get that money.

I am so grateful for the extra money -it comes to about $2000 a month for me.

It really wasn't hard and you DEFINITELY should qualify.

Go for it!

janiegirl

Marion, Is that 5 months from the date I applied (8/4/08) or 5 months from the date I last worked which was 3/3/08. I should have stopped in late Jan when I had the biopsy, but I was determined not to be quitter. Instead I decided to be dumb and keep on going when I could hardly stand up. Finally, I came to my senses. I only worked part time 25 hours a week but I had been with the small family company for 14 years. Alas, no company disability or benefits of any kind. Thank God my husband has insurance!!! Thanks to all for your helpful replies. Jane

rghera

iam to stag 3a and i get it hope it helped iam 47

L2d2b3a

Dear Marion, I am interested in your SS disability reply. My husband applied under what they call a TERI case, for terminally ill, which here in NY is supposed to expidite it. He heard with in two weeks that he was accepted and would start getting checks but not until November 26th. It has been four months, I have heard from a friend whose son recieves a check that he only had to wait four months and he had a check. Did your checks start early? We are in a bind and it looks like, if we dont get a check within the next month I will have to go back to work, and my husband gets all nervous when I even mention it. I was just wondering. Thanks, Lucy

Ruthy

I got my social security 2 months after I applied . Stage 4 lung cancer. It's my social security not disablity.. I turned 55 in Dec and I had enough points from working so many years that I quailified.. So I got my social security early. Also I hadn't worked in 5 months when I applied..

Gweena

Janie, I didn't apply because I had no clue I would be eligible. It wasn't until I got my annual S.S. statement indicating if you retire at __ age you will get this, and if you retire at ....... Anyway, at the bottom, in a fine print I had never noticed before, there was a statement that if you become disabled, you may be eligible for $_____ after 6 six months (from the date of diagnosis). I had already surpassed that, so I applied over the phone, took copies of all my records, scans, dr's prognosis right down to their offices, and received retroactive payments within about 5 wks of my phone call. So, payments start 6 months after diagnosis. I would imagine earlier stages that might go into regression would require occasional updates, but other than that, lung cancer is almost an automatic qualifier and is usually expedited. Hope this help.
Gweena

robinwd

All you have to do is sign the medical release papers, and SS takes care of getting the records from all of your providers. Lung cancer, because it is always "considered" terminal, is automatic qualifier from what SS told me, and they will expedite claim. You can't apply until you have been off work for 5 mos., and payment is retroactive to the 1st of the 6th month once approved.

MarionW

I think it is timed from when your doctor documents you became disabled. For me I believe it was the date of surgery.

janiegirl

I find it a bit overwhelming that I might actually qualify. I guess with breast cancer it was so different because there are so many more survivors. That is not to say people still don't die from B/C but the survival rate is definitely better stage for stage than LC. I almost want to withdraw the application so maybe it won't seem so serious, but we could use the extra money. It won't be much because I was a stay at home mom for over 20 years and then worked part time for 14 years, but it will be more than 0. I do have enough credits to qualify to get something.

slbs

Yes, I applied for SS Disability. Was told that lung cancer was a shoe-in just by the nature of the disease. I went directly to our town SS office and in a few short weeks the ball started to move. I taught elementary school for 27 years and get about $1,500 a mo. in disability, Like you say,,,,better than nothing.

slbs/sue

slbs

Oh, SS Disability check was retroactive to diagnonis date. slbs/sue

dands

Let me try to get this straight. You must be off work 5 months before you can apply, right? And once you aply it goes through quickly and when you get approved it is retroactive from the date of surgery or diagnosis, right? I think this is important info that should be told to more people with lung cancer, i sure did not know this was possible. Does disability amount to as much as regular ss? If you are only 58 years old can you still get disability ? What happens to your ss at age 65 then?

stephanie410

I though it was 6 months from the last date worked, versus from the date of diagnosis. Could we get clarification?

--Steph

janiegirl

Stephanie, It is my understanding you get it 5 months after the last date you worked related to the illness, You can apply as soon as you are diagnosed since it takes 120 days to process your application, or at least that's what the website for SS says. Someone else said it was 6 months after diagnosis OR last date worked. Unfortunately I attempted to work on and off for the first month (bad idea) was really sick from the chemo, but I didn't want to give in to it. It just made me sicker to keep on. I think the the first thing I got from SS said the date they are using is the last date I worked. They didn't say I would get it but that IF I did, that's the date they would use. I did everything online except I hand delivered the consent forms and birth certificate. Hope this helps, but be sure to check the official website for the details. Jane

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