Medical Disability

arndog64
arndog64 Member Posts: 537
edited May 2011 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I applied for SSI medical disability for my husband in April. He is stage 4a - T2N2Mo. We got a letter within 30 days stating he was approved and within 2 weeks we got a letter stating how much and when we will receive the funds. I have my fingers crossed that he will be back to work soon, but I filed just in case things went south. I just wanted to share this info.It was a very easy process and we did not need a lawyer for this. People told us to get a lawyer and have them apply for us. I am sorry, but I have a problem giving a lawyer 25% of my husbands disability money.
«1

Comments

  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537
    Sorry, SSI Disability.

    Sorry, SSI Disability.
  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    arndog64 said:

    Sorry, SSI Disability.

    Sorry, SSI Disability.

    arndog
    Did you do the ssi disability on line?? or go to the office? Just need to know what the best course of action is....
    thanks Steve
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    arndog64 said:

    Sorry, SSI Disability.

    Sorry, SSI Disability.

    Do you know?
    if a person who dose not have all of their quarters filled is eligible? Unfortunately I only have 12 quarters on the books. I am more interested in the medical coverage side of things?
  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537
    hawk711 said:

    arndog
    Did you do the ssi disability on line?? or go to the office? Just need to know what the best course of action is....
    thanks Steve

    We called in and requested a
    We called in and requested a phone interview. They then ask you to go to their website and print out the medical release form and you sign that and send in. I recommend having copies of your diagnosis and send in with the medical release form. I did that and it sped things up. Or, you can go in to the office. I heard it's better to go in rather than applying online. Good Luck..
  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537
    ratface said:

    Do you know?
    if a person who dose not have all of their quarters filled is eligible? Unfortunately I only have 12 quarters on the books. I am more interested in the medical coverage side of things?

    What does quarters filled
    What does quarters filled mean. I am a little slow today.. LOL
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    arndog64 said:

    What does quarters filled
    What does quarters filled mean. I am a little slow today.. LOL

    SSI

    Great news glad you got approved so fast, it is a big relief

    Take care
    Hondo
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    ratface said:

    Do you know?
    if a person who dose not have all of their quarters filled is eligible? Unfortunately I only have 12 quarters on the books. I am more interested in the medical coverage side of things?

    Ratface
    I don’t believe it goes by the quarters you have fulfilled, if you put into the system you should receive something back out of it if you become disable to work in any way.

    It does not hurt to check, take care
    Hondo
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    That is fast
    That is what I call fast. Mine took 2 1/2 years without an attorney. We did it by filing the paper work that lead to two turn downs and finally an approval. Nice that it was retro active and we had all the money within 10 days, which shocked me. We were told it might take 3-5 years up front.

    Great news.
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    fisrpotpe said:

    That is fast
    That is what I call fast. Mine took 2 1/2 years without an attorney. We did it by filing the paper work that lead to two turn downs and finally an approval. Nice that it was retro active and we had all the money within 10 days, which shocked me. We were told it might take 3-5 years up front.

    Great news.

    Taxes
    Be aware in many cases and I am not sure which type but one of them included my wife and I that we have to pay taxes on the money's when tax time come around. Ours was approx. 25% ouch that sucks the more I think of it. We actually had two professionals look at it and they both said yep that is Social Security and the Federal Government.
  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537
    fisrpotpe said:

    Taxes
    Be aware in many cases and I am not sure which type but one of them included my wife and I that we have to pay taxes on the money's when tax time come around. Ours was approx. 25% ouch that sucks the more I think of it. We actually had two professionals look at it and they both said yep that is Social Security and the Federal Government.

    Good to know, I will be sure
    Good to know, I will be sure to put 25% away..
  • HAWVET
    HAWVET Member Posts: 318
    arndog64 said:

    Good to know, I will be sure
    Good to know, I will be sure to put 25% away..

    I do not believe SSI is
    I do not believe SSI is taxable. If you are drawing regular Social Security Benefits, then the taxable amount depends on your income.
  • Daddisgrl
    Daddisgrl Member Posts: 116
    I'm almost positive there
    I'm almost positive there are 2 types; one is temporary which is easier to get & I'm pretty sure it only lasts about 8-12 weeks.

    It took me years to get SSD & I had an attorney. I was on my last appeal when I finally got it. I did get a temporary one for 8-12 weeks in the beginning
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    HAWVET said:

    I do not believe SSI is
    I do not believe SSI is taxable. If you are drawing regular Social Security Benefits, then the taxable amount depends on your income.

    I pay
    I checked my notes why we pay. I pay because my wife is under 65, working and makes a certain amount. Your right some don't but there are some that do. It's based on how much they make as to the percentage. We had two professional tax people review and they said with out a doubt we pay and it's been that way for a while.


    John
  • Jamie_Ann
    Jamie_Ann Member Posts: 35
    Thank you for the
    Thank you for the information. I am under Short Term Disability right now (which I paid for, thankfully). However, my employer told me to go ahead and file my Long Term paperwork as it takes longer to process. As a requirement of Long Term, they require you to apply for SSDI. I guess they pay the "difference" between your percentage of salary and whatever SSDI pays. I've never had to do any of this before and was feeling kind of lost! I will call them tomorrow to get the process started.
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    Things have changed since I first filed
    Hi,

    One thing that changed in the past several years was the waiting period before you could be included in the Social Security Disability files. You had to have a disease that was going to keep you out of work for longer then a year. If you didn't fall into that time frame, you were denied.

    In 2008 Social Security changed that rule to the new Compassionate Allowance list in which Head and Neck Cancers now fall into. So the waiting period is waivered, it still takes some time due to the paperwork, but it is much faster now.

    Taxes, allot of Social Security is Taxable if your total income goes above the limits set by Social Security. If you are single and you earn more the $25,000 a year, your Social Security can be taxed as much as 85% of it. The same goes for a married couple that earns above $32,000 combined per year. Currently, as much as 85% of the Social Security can be taxed. I am pretty sure, in 2009 it was at 50% taxable for anything over those amounts but jumped up to 85% for 2010. It won't be long before it jumps up to 100% for any amounts above the set limits. The best thing to do is go to the Social Security site and read up on it.

    Here is a link to a page that can help figure some of this out--

    http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepC/Taxing disability benefits.htm

    If you are married and your spouse is still working, you can ask Social Security to withhold different percentages from your checks.

    My Best to Everyone Here
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194
    Jamie_Ann said:

    Thank you for the
    Thank you for the information. I am under Short Term Disability right now (which I paid for, thankfully). However, my employer told me to go ahead and file my Long Term paperwork as it takes longer to process. As a requirement of Long Term, they require you to apply for SSDI. I guess they pay the "difference" between your percentage of salary and whatever SSDI pays. I've never had to do any of this before and was feeling kind of lost! I will call them tomorrow to get the process started.

    about the disablitly
    Well I am currently on disability right now and when I filled for mine (online) I was approved very fast because my cancer did spread to the lymph nodes. If course if your cancer didnt spread anywhere else your claim will be denied from what I was told by the social security office when I had my phone interview. If you want to see what cancers are approved to get disability here is a good link: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/conditions.htm

    if your cancer is in the top 88 im sure you will get approved very fast from the federal government.

    mine was listed as: 34 Head and Neck Cancers - with distant metastasis or inoperable or uresectable

    after this dec I will find out if I can continue with my disability after they do a medical review which I do believe I will still get it since I am having problems with my neck and shoulder and dry mouth and TMJD after all the cancer treatments as ended.

    Tim
  • palmyrafan
    palmyrafan Member Posts: 396
    SSI
    I was approved in 1996 (pre-dated approval to 1993) only after hiring a Social Security attorney. Things were a lot more complicated then and I was denied due to a screw up in the SSI office. They had listed my disability as blurred vision instead of brain tumors. The blurred vision was a symptom of the tumors and thus the denial. Once we got the paperwork straightened out, I was approved. I would not have gotten the approval if not for the attorney.

    SSI gave me 3 years of back pay (I was a secretary making about $9K-$10K a year) and they also paid my attorney fees since they were the reason I had to file an appeal. We got lucky.

    I am glad to hear that the process is a lot smoother for those who are filing. However, I still hear horror stories from people who say that with their stage 4 cancers and this and that they are still denied. I am not surprised.

    When I was filing for SSI and had hired my attorney, he had another client who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and was given at best only 5 years to live. She was denied SSI. The reason (she had it in writing from SSI)? They felt that since she had been diagnosed as terminal and was going to die anyway, why should they pay her and not at least stand a chance of her returning to work and paying back into the system. I still remember her name, her story still haunts me 15 years later. She did not survive but SSI was particularly cruel with her and it made me re-think who is in charge making these decisions.

    One other note: I was also required to undergo a lenghtly psychiatric exam conducted by an SSI approved psychiatrist to make sure I wasn't "faking it" I also must have a review of my case every 3 years to see if I have improved. I haven't. I was upgraded to brain cancer in 2005.

    I think SSI is amazing. Unfortunately, many people do not. I have been called many bad names by people who don't understand what SSI is about and who it is for. I have been accused of "milking the system" and have heard comments like "it must be nice". My answer? "Yeah, it's real nice to have brain cancer and have all the treatments, tests and uncertainty in my life".

    Peace.

    Teresa
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194

    SSI
    I was approved in 1996 (pre-dated approval to 1993) only after hiring a Social Security attorney. Things were a lot more complicated then and I was denied due to a screw up in the SSI office. They had listed my disability as blurred vision instead of brain tumors. The blurred vision was a symptom of the tumors and thus the denial. Once we got the paperwork straightened out, I was approved. I would not have gotten the approval if not for the attorney.

    SSI gave me 3 years of back pay (I was a secretary making about $9K-$10K a year) and they also paid my attorney fees since they were the reason I had to file an appeal. We got lucky.

    I am glad to hear that the process is a lot smoother for those who are filing. However, I still hear horror stories from people who say that with their stage 4 cancers and this and that they are still denied. I am not surprised.

    When I was filing for SSI and had hired my attorney, he had another client who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and was given at best only 5 years to live. She was denied SSI. The reason (she had it in writing from SSI)? They felt that since she had been diagnosed as terminal and was going to die anyway, why should they pay her and not at least stand a chance of her returning to work and paying back into the system. I still remember her name, her story still haunts me 15 years later. She did not survive but SSI was particularly cruel with her and it made me re-think who is in charge making these decisions.

    One other note: I was also required to undergo a lenghtly psychiatric exam conducted by an SSI approved psychiatrist to make sure I wasn't "faking it" I also must have a review of my case every 3 years to see if I have improved. I haven't. I was upgraded to brain cancer in 2005.

    I think SSI is amazing. Unfortunately, many people do not. I have been called many bad names by people who don't understand what SSI is about and who it is for. I have been accused of "milking the system" and have heard comments like "it must be nice". My answer? "Yeah, it's real nice to have brain cancer and have all the treatments, tests and uncertainty in my life".

    Peace.

    Teresa

    about the disablitly part 2
    I know how you feel teresa it looks like next 3 years of my life I would have to get more test and PET scans to make sure my NPC doesnt come back. Which I really hope I can still get disability because right now its hard for me to get back to work since I am dealing with neck and shoulder problems long with the stupid TMJD.

    Tim
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228

    about the disablitly part 2
    I know how you feel teresa it looks like next 3 years of my life I would have to get more test and PET scans to make sure my NPC doesnt come back. Which I really hope I can still get disability because right now its hard for me to get back to work since I am dealing with neck and shoulder problems long with the stupid TMJD.

    Tim

    I took my unpaid FMLA leave
    I took my unpaid FMLA leave and then after a month after that 90 days I was allowed to apply for my disability insurance that I had through work. I was approved with that right away. After being on that for almost a year, they were pushing me to file for SSD. This way my insurance company would only have to pay me the amount that soc sec did not cover. Plus, if I was approved, my back pay had to go to my disability insurance co. (UNUUM). UNUUM has a company that does all the paper work and applying for you. I was approved right away, pretty much. So, I'm still getting the same amount per month as I was, it's just split between my insurance and SSD.

    Last week I got the paper work that UNUUM is reviewing me to make sure I am still not able to do my job. There is no way, but I'm still a nervous wreck. My doctor filled out the paper work for me and I am supposed to pick it up tomorrow. Then I will send it off. I will be a nervous wreck until I hopefully hear that there will be no change in my benefits.
  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537

    I took my unpaid FMLA leave
    I took my unpaid FMLA leave and then after a month after that 90 days I was allowed to apply for my disability insurance that I had through work. I was approved with that right away. After being on that for almost a year, they were pushing me to file for SSD. This way my insurance company would only have to pay me the amount that soc sec did not cover. Plus, if I was approved, my back pay had to go to my disability insurance co. (UNUUM). UNUUM has a company that does all the paper work and applying for you. I was approved right away, pretty much. So, I'm still getting the same amount per month as I was, it's just split between my insurance and SSD.

    Last week I got the paper work that UNUUM is reviewing me to make sure I am still not able to do my job. There is no way, but I'm still a nervous wreck. My doctor filled out the paper work for me and I am supposed to pick it up tomorrow. Then I will send it off. I will be a nervous wreck until I hopefully hear that there will be no change in my benefits.

    Good Luck on your review...

    Good Luck on your review...