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OK applying for disiability, WHAT about INSUR?

CountryGirl46
0 Recommendations

I have been reading alot of discussions on here about applying and receiving disiability. But I am seeing that medicade/medicare doesn't kick in for two years after being accepted on disiability What do you do about insurance, I can't go two years without insurance! I am only 46 and right now I get insurance thru the company that I work for. I am in my second recurrance and have started a Phase I Trial. It is getting more and more difficult to work and I know that I am not giving them my 100%. Please can someone tell me if I apply for disiability what will I do about insurance.

Explore topics in this discussion:

Cancer Taxol Surgery Heart attack Stress Ovarian cancer

19 replies

cubsmom

I believe that if you are insured currently, your company would have to offer you "COBRA" for 18 months after you leave. You would have to pay for it, but at a reduced rate and would get all the benefits that you currently get as an employee.

Good luck to you!

Shearaw

Also, make sure that you understand the paid leave policy at your company. Many companies continue your regular health insurance benefits while you are on paid (sick, vacation) leave. The COBRA would kick in after that.

terriiam

I went through a very bad divorce in 2003 that continued into 2004 and beyond (as far as harassment) in Sept. 2003 my mother died suddenly-I was living with her at the time and she fell while getting up to turn the TV station-died of a heart attack. I know she felt a lot of stress from what I was going through and I have always felt guilty about that. Then in Aug of 2005 my brother died suddenly of a heart attack-he was in the gym at the time. There had just been my mother, father, brother and myself and now I was alone (I have my kids and grandkids but my roots were gone- parents, brother,aunts ,uncles grandparents!) I started a new job in July 2005 ( hadn't worked for 10 years) but wouldn't have insurance until the end of three months-in Oct. 2005. It was probably in June of that year that in our area thousands of people were screened for any kind of diseases because of maybe C8 being in our water from a plant that manufactured Teflon-You just signed up to get hundreds of dollars worth of blood work and they gave you $400.!!! Well I signed up because I needed the money and I had my testing done much earlier than if I had waited for them to finally get to my. The blood work came back and out of three pages of tests everything was ok but for my CA125-which I didn't even know what that was. I let a few days go by then I called a gyn. to make an appointment-he said right away it was probably ovarian cancer-did tests and made an appointment for my at James Cancer Center in Columbus OH Well I had complete surgery and found out I had stage and grade 3 cancer! I had 6 rounds of chemo. and then I was put on a trial for a year-I would either get one of two kinds of chemo or nothing-random picking--I got 12 rounds of Taxol and I have been cancer free ever since-will soon be 4 years!!!! This didn't start out to be such a long story but I have never told it and I went on and on I guess. Anyway I had insurance for a month and that covered my surgery-because of my doctor I got on Medicade within a month or a little longer and they picked up the rest!! I don't know what I would have done without it!!!!!!!!!! I had medicade until I was 62 and at that time I had to take my Social Security and that made my income to much for medicade except I have a 600. spenddown each month--I don't go to the doctor except my cancer doctor at Columbus and that is paid because of my income. At least I got through with the trial and everything while I was still covered. My doctor says I am doing very very good but still a 50 50 chance of it returning. I would like to hear from others that have had such good results and can I expect them to last?

CountryGirl46

thanks for the responses and the good wishes. It is just so scary to go thru this. I was told today by someone that you can't apply for disiability if you are still working at the time. I am just barely hanging on to my job. Is this true, do you have to quit working before you can apply?

momanderson920

You may want to verify this, but if you apply for Social Security disability and you should be approved with Stage III or IV ovarian cancer, you have to go on Medicare two years from the date of your disability. I did read that chemo is covered under Part B of Medicare, and is not considered a pharmaceutical which is only covered under the Medicare Part D insurance plans for drugs. I highly recommend a Medicare supplement as they are not too expensive and are well worth it if you have a serious disease. My father in law did not have a Medicare supplement and it has cost him a small fortune since he has had several hospitalizations and rehabs. Also the Part D plans are worth it if you have to take expensive anti nausea pills and other things during treatment and afterwards. Some of those anti nauseau pills are very very expensive.

momanderson920

Until the Medicare, you would definitely have to go on Cobra.

kmarienap

I live in Florida and received medicaid immediately. I eventually got medicare and still have it along with medicaid as medicaid covers what medicare doesn't. Medicaid is based on income and is there to cover you until medicare kicks in. I would look into this again. Karen

Jen457

Countrygirl, Call SS and talk to them. I thought they were very helpful. One of the first questions when I asked about disability was the date of the last day that I worked. I would get my ducks lined up before quitting my job. I do not know the answer to your question but wish you the best!

CountryGirl46

thanks everyone, your input is very helpful. And Jen getting my ducks all in a row is what this question in here is all about. I have been on the SS web site and have printed out the "Adult Disiability Starter Kit" and have started qathering the information that it calls for.
I am going to check into Cobra, which by the way do I find out that info from my insur. company (BCBS) or is Cobra some company I need to contact on my own?
I hope my questions don't seem dumb, I have never been threw this before, I have never even thought of quiting my job - EVER! It's scary to me, I have been working since I was 14 and have always supported my self. Even when I was married. Heck I even supported him! I have bought my own home and raised two wonderful children all by myself and I am only 46. To me - retiring was 20 years away yet, now all of a sudden I realize that I can't physically handel working anymore. My mind is still sharp and I can say that I truly, truly love my job and the company that I work for, but I know that they are not getting my best anymore and that is not fair to them. I need to really start concentrating on me and my health and this is why I have made this dicission to apply for disability. So thank you everyone for your input, I have you all in my prayers and hope the best for each and everyone of you.
Lynn - AKA Country Girl

BarbaraKB

I can't answer any of your medicare questions, but you sound like such a strong, fighting woman!! I wish you the best and hope you can quickly find answers and works well for you!

*hug*

Kat56

With Cobra you pay the premiums to your employer to cover you for 18 months. You should probably check into a leave of absence before you actually quit your job. You will need some source of income until S.S. kicks in. Can you collect disability from your job?

CountryGirl46

Thanks Barbara, that is so sweet of you to say. Hugs to you to girlfriend!

CountryGirl46

Hi Kat,
I am not sure if my company offers disability, most likely not - it is a small company. I got the handbook out yesterday but didn't have time to look at it. I am going to check into the medical leave of absence. Thanks for your reply, I think my nerves are starting to calm down some now where I can start to think straight on this. Just unsure of which step do I take first. Contacting SS for an appt., or take medical leave than contact them? I am going to go ahead and talk with my supervisor and let her know my plans and get her advise, by the way my supervisor is a 15 year cancer survivor. She is great and I know she will understand and help me out.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR HELP!! I will let you all know how it goes.

Shearaw

If your company is big enough to have an HR person or dept. talk to them first. At my company they knew all of the SS policies and restrictions, and sent me all of the COBRA paperwork. You will definitely need to make sure that you are coordinating between your company and SS. I was advised to get started filing the SS paperwork 3 months into the 6 month waiting period, as SS needs to request and review medical records. That process itself takes time on both the hospital and SS ends. Nothing is ever easy! You are smart to be proactive.

lovemnms

I can't offer any advice but best wishes to you.

Shamrock2009

I applied online for SSD and got a call the next day from my local SS office and was asked to gather my medical records and sign a release of records form. I requested the Cancer center to copy my records (you need pathology reports, lab tests results, operative reports, scan reports, chemo records and office visit notes). I dropped the request items off to the SS office and had approval in 2 weeks (total of 4 1/2 weeks from my online application). My benefits began 7/1/2009 and I haven't worked since 1/7/2009.

If you have a yearly statement report from SS it will give you the estimated amount you will receive from SSD. My monthly benefit is almost to the dollar stated on the report.

Cobra is applied for through your HR department. It is the same insurance that you carry at this time but you pay the same premium that your employer pays and it can be expensive. I am on my husbands plan so I will continue that until Medicare kicks in 7/2011. I asked my HR what my Cobra would cost if I had been enrolled in their plan and HR said $600.00/ month for just me not a family plan which would be lot more.
The new Obama Stimulus Bill of 2/2009 helps with a subsidy:
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/cobra.html

There is also a SSI supplemental income program. Information regarding this benefit is on the SS site, The program gives extra monthly money to you if you qualify. With SSI you would be eligible for medicaid immediately. I think you can start this program before SSD begins if qualified. Your SS office can tell you about this program.

Wish you much luck.

CountryGirl46

Well I informed my supervisor today that I was going to be checking into disability, and she cried. She don't want me to go and I don't either but she totally agrees that I need to take the time to take care of my self. She went to her boss and then the three of us sat down to discuss it. They got me the cobra papers to fill out and told me they would do what ever they can to help me thru this. Oh yal, they also told me that no matter what I will always have a position there with them! They were really sweet to me.

didi

please tell me what state you live in shamrock 2009 as I appled in north carolina and could get NO help at all because of my assets which are not paying my bills.

Shamrock2009

Hi didi,
I live in Pennsylvania but residence does not matter for SSD and SSI>
What did you apply for and turned down for?

SSD:
I applied for SSD. It is a federal benefit based on past earning (last 10 years of work) and is not based on your state of residence. Nor is it based on assets--anyone who has paid into SS and meets eligibility is able to qualify.
Link: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/links_disability.htm

SSI:
SSi is alsoa federal program.
I did not apply for SSI because I do not qualify (based on assets). I attended a SSD/SSI seminar sponsored by my local Wellness Community and the SS local office director said that if you qualify for SSI then automatically can get Medicaid--no matter what state you live in.
This is copied and pasted from SSI site: website:"Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes):
It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income; and
It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter."
Link: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/links_ssi.htm

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