SSD

jim2011
jim2011 Member Posts: 115
in Esophageal Cancer #1
EC is on the SSD fast track for approval however you still need to answer the list of questions. Are you totally disabled? As far as SSD there is no such thing as a partial disability. You must be totally disabled. When did you become disabled? The date you put down will be the date you became disabled whether you still worked or not. Probably many months before the actual diagnosis. I think there is a waiting period of 5-6 months (I cant remember)to begin collecting even after you are approved.

Anyone...please correct me if I am wrong and also offer other suggestions if any.

Comments

  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #2
    SSD Approval
    Maybe I was extremely lucky, but I was approved about three weeks after I got all the papework submitted and began rec. payment in the next pay cycle. I was already rec. SS so that may have moved me along a little faster. Sam
  • LilChemoSmoker
    LilChemoSmoker Member Posts: 185
    #3
    SSI and SSD
    We just went through the process in July. We had to fill out the paperwork (we did it online) and then had an interview by phone with a worker. The worker told us that EC (if stage III or IV) is an 'automatic qualifier' for full disability. All they needed to confirm was his pathology (which had already been faxed by the cancer center social worker. So when we did the phone interview it was to verify information given and that was it. We signed up for SSI to fill the gap as SSD wouldn't start until December and we wouldn't receive the December payment until January. The SSI kicked in right away and along with that came TennCare (Medicaid). In December he switches to Medicare. It was really an easy process.

    Now the TennCare (medicaid) was a totally different experience. Once pain management began, TennCare denied to pay for ANY of his current pain meds! What a nightmare! $1700 paid out of pocket for one months pain meds (and that was just one of the meds)! That is when we found out about Hospice and that they would do his pain management for free! What a Blessing sent our way! Since then we have had a couple of hiccups with the meds but he has not and I repeat NOT been put at risk of having NO pain relief since. Now that all the hiccups are taken care of we are having a much easier time just being able to focus on a quality life!

    Thank God for Hospice!
    Michelle
  • cher76
    cher76 Member Posts: 292
    #4
    LilChemoSmoker said:

    SSI and SSD
    We just went through the process in July. We had to fill out the paperwork (we did it online) and then had an interview by phone with a worker. The worker told us that EC (if stage III or IV) is an 'automatic qualifier' for full disability. All they needed to confirm was his pathology (which had already been faxed by the cancer center social worker. So when we did the phone interview it was to verify information given and that was it. We signed up for SSI to fill the gap as SSD wouldn't start until December and we wouldn't receive the December payment until January. The SSI kicked in right away and along with that came TennCare (Medicaid). In December he switches to Medicare. It was really an easy process.

    Now the TennCare (medicaid) was a totally different experience. Once pain management began, TennCare denied to pay for ANY of his current pain meds! What a nightmare! $1700 paid out of pocket for one months pain meds (and that was just one of the meds)! That is when we found out about Hospice and that they would do his pain management for free! What a Blessing sent our way! Since then we have had a couple of hiccups with the meds but he has not and I repeat NOT been put at risk of having NO pain relief since. Now that all the hiccups are taken care of we are having a much easier time just being able to focus on a quality life!

    Thank God for Hospice!
    Michelle

    Once you are on disability,
    Once you are on disability, what happens if you have private insurance? Do you automatically go on Medicare?
    I'm a little confused how it works.
    Cheryl
  • chemosmoker
    chemosmoker Member Posts: 501
    #5
    cher76 said:

    Once you are on disability,
    Once you are on disability, what happens if you have private insurance? Do you automatically go on Medicare?
    I'm a little confused how it works.
    Cheryl

    Private Insurance on disability...
    Cheryl,
    The way they did us, we still had private insurance coverage going for a few months paid, so they kept the private work insurance going as PRIMARY for as long as it was effective, and listed the medicare/Tenncare as SECONDARY insurance coverage, filling in any gaps and making so-pays go away.

    We DID automatically GO ON medicare as that's how they have it set up here anyway.
    Probably depends on your state and a MILE of red tape, too!

    Usually, they expect you to NOT have any income or insurance I believe, of you are in need of their coverage, although they didn't seem to care much with us. You can DROP the private coverage, just make sure that 1)you are covered 100% and 2) that it is NOT like Tenncare was, making roadblocks and denying all my medications as Michelle explained above.

    Hope this helps.
    God bless,
    -Eric
  • LilChemoSmoker
    LilChemoSmoker Member Posts: 185
    #6
    chemosmoker said:

    Private Insurance on disability...
    Cheryl,
    The way they did us, we still had private insurance coverage going for a few months paid, so they kept the private work insurance going as PRIMARY for as long as it was effective, and listed the medicare/Tenncare as SECONDARY insurance coverage, filling in any gaps and making so-pays go away.

    We DID automatically GO ON medicare as that's how they have it set up here anyway.
    Probably depends on your state and a MILE of red tape, too!

    Usually, they expect you to NOT have any income or insurance I believe, of you are in need of their coverage, although they didn't seem to care much with us. You can DROP the private coverage, just make sure that 1)you are covered 100% and 2) that it is NOT like Tenncare was, making roadblocks and denying all my medications as Michelle explained above.

    Hope this helps.
    God bless,
    -Eric

    Don't let him scare you....LOL
    Cheryl,

    It is much like Eric said, though with TennCare as our secondary insurance they did not cover co-pays. The co-pays went away when private insurance dropped off and TennCare picked up. It was a seamless transition though. There was no gap in coverage, as soon as private care ended the TennCare picked up. As for the Medicare, we aren't there yet. We are still on SSI and TennCare until December. In December we transition to Medicare, and SSD. I am hopeful that the transition will be as smooth, but there is no more paperwork to do. It was all completed at one time. As for the income qualifiers, the income is only a factor with SSI. SSI is a supplemental insurance program designed to fill in the gap between your filing and receiving of SSD. You only receive it if you qualify like welfare. If you have substantial income, they won't give you benefits on SSI. The income qualifiers are different for Medicaid as well, but easier to qualify for. Let me know if you have any other questions or if I missed something. ; )

    Regards,
    Michelle
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #7
    I was approved immediately.
    I was approved immediately. I also was already receiving ss. I had long term disability at work and they made me apply. I was shocked I was approved so fast.

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