Financial assistance???

MichelleLee71
MichelleLee71 Member Posts: 13
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I have been out of work since May 23, 2012. I used up all my FMLA and am now struggling to pay my bills and rent. Even close to being evicted because I have no money. I've been reading thru here and have read a couple of things about social security and some sort of allowment they have for people with head and neck cancer. I did try to apply for the disability and was told I had to be off of work for a year before I could get on disability. I am going to apply for unemployment and see what they have to say. I guess my question is what can I do to get some assistance?

Comments

  • Billie67
    Billie67 Member Posts: 898
    #2
    American Cancer Society
    Might be able to either offer assistance or guide you in the right direction. In California I think when you use up your FMLA then you can get long term disability. Not sure if the disability office told you that or human resources at your work? Maybe double check on that?
    Wish I had some better answers for you.
    Billie
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #3
    Billie67 said:

    American Cancer Society
    Might be able to either offer assistance or guide you in the right direction. In California I think when you use up your FMLA then you can get long term disability. Not sure if the disability office told you that or human resources at your work? Maybe double check on that?
    Wish I had some better answers for you.
    Billie

    Social Security ??? I think it is 6 months
    Go to your local SS office and get a case worker assigned. I may be wrong, but I think the out of work is 6 months, not one year. Get all your medical information, records together ...there is a fast track approval for H&N but you still have to wait 6 monhts FROM the date you STOPPED working / earning the allowable amount. I'm not a pro at this and I never did apply for SSI (by the way, there is a difference between SS and SSI) ...so check into this again. Take good notes and line up your questions.

    Certainly check with the American Cancer Society ...also check with local charities such as Catholic Charities and also check with County Aid (County Aid is your local county) ...the hospital will have you fill out a form and you or they can enroll you to see if you are able to get County Aid.

    Move fast...keep a good folder and be organized.

    There are public and private resources out there. I'm careful to say I was not in that situation...but as a avid planner of worst and best case scenarios I looked into many options and touched on all of them a bit just in case....so please do your own due diligence.

    Keep us posted .....

    Best,

    Tim
  • George_Baltimore
    George_Baltimore Member Posts: 303
    #4
    Tim6003 said:

    Social Security ??? I think it is 6 months
    Go to your local SS office and get a case worker assigned. I may be wrong, but I think the out of work is 6 months, not one year. Get all your medical information, records together ...there is a fast track approval for H&N but you still have to wait 6 monhts FROM the date you STOPPED working / earning the allowable amount. I'm not a pro at this and I never did apply for SSI (by the way, there is a difference between SS and SSI) ...so check into this again. Take good notes and line up your questions.

    Certainly check with the American Cancer Society ...also check with local charities such as Catholic Charities and also check with County Aid (County Aid is your local county) ...the hospital will have you fill out a form and you or they can enroll you to see if you are able to get County Aid.

    Move fast...keep a good folder and be organized.

    There are public and private resources out there. I'm careful to say I was not in that situation...but as a avid planner of worst and best case scenarios I looked into many options and touched on all of them a bit just in case....so please do your own due diligence.

    Keep us posted .....

    Best,

    Tim

    Unless they changed it
    In the last couple years, Tim is right. You have to be out of work for six months before you can draw a check. I would go to your local office if I were you and apply for both SS Disability AND SSI. When I applied for mine, the SS Rep. suggested I do that. You can't draw both at the same time however when they figured by retroactive pay, somehow I was given money from both.
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #5
    Compassionate Allowance
    Michelle,

    Either go to the Social Security Office or call and inquire about the Compassionate Allowance part of Social Security. When I inquired about Social Security back in 2004, I was told I had to be out of work for one year as stated earlier. In 2008, the Compassionate Allowance program was set up and Head and Neck cancers are on the list now.

    https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0423022190

    My Best to You and Everyone Here
  • George_Baltimore
    George_Baltimore Member Posts: 303
    #6
    MarineE5 said:

    Compassionate Allowance
    Michelle,

    Either go to the Social Security Office or call and inquire about the Compassionate Allowance part of Social Security. When I inquired about Social Security back in 2004, I was told I had to be out of work for one year as stated earlier. In 2008, the Compassionate Allowance program was set up and Head and Neck cancers are on the list now.

    https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0423022190

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

    Benefits start after the sixth full month of disability
    As stated before, SS Disability, if you are eligible, start after the sixth full month of disability.

    Http://ssa.gov.dibplan/dapproval.HTML

    They have to anticipate that you will be out of work for 1 year but the checks start after 6 months.
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #7
    George_Baltimore said:

    Benefits start after the sixth full month of disability
    As stated before, SS Disability, if you are eligible, start after the sixth full month of disability.

    Http://ssa.gov.dibplan/dapproval.HTML

    They have to anticipate that you will be out of work for 1 year but the checks start after 6 months.

    That may be correct
    George,

    I forget where exactly I read it, either on this site or the other one I view, but there has been several people that have stated that they started to receive benefits within a few months. Now, not knowing all the information on them, it might have actually been a 6 month span from the time they were actually out of work before they filed for benefits. Here is a small part of a site I found.
    -----------------------------------------------
    Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced 52 new Compassionate Allowances conditions, primarily involving neurological disorders, cancers and rare diseases. The Compassionate Allowances program fast-tracks disability decisions to ensure that Americans with the most serious disabilities receive their benefit decisions within days instead of months or years. Commissioner Astrue made the announcement during his remarks at the World Orphan Drug Congress near Washington, D.C.
  • George_Baltimore
    George_Baltimore Member Posts: 303
    #8
    MarineE5 said:

    That may be correct
    George,

    I forget where exactly I read it, either on this site or the other one I view, but there has been several people that have stated that they started to receive benefits within a few months. Now, not knowing all the information on them, it might have actually been a 6 month span from the time they were actually out of work before they filed for benefits. Here is a small part of a site I found.
    -----------------------------------------------
    Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced 52 new Compassionate Allowances conditions, primarily involving neurological disorders, cancers and rare diseases. The Compassionate Allowances program fast-tracks disability decisions to ensure that Americans with the most serious disabilities receive their benefit decisions within days instead of months or years. Commissioner Astrue made the announcement during his remarks at the World Orphan Drug Congress near Washington, D.C.

    I know absolutely nothing about the compassionate program
    I was talking about regular Social Security Disability. Sorry for the confusion.
  • George_Baltimore
    George_Baltimore Member Posts: 303
    #9
    MarineE5 said:

    That may be correct
    George,

    I forget where exactly I read it, either on this site or the other one I view, but there has been several people that have stated that they started to receive benefits within a few months. Now, not knowing all the information on them, it might have actually been a 6 month span from the time they were actually out of work before they filed for benefits. Here is a small part of a site I found.
    -----------------------------------------------
    Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced 52 new Compassionate Allowances conditions, primarily involving neurological disorders, cancers and rare diseases. The Compassionate Allowances program fast-tracks disability decisions to ensure that Americans with the most serious disabilities receive their benefit decisions within days instead of months or years. Commissioner Astrue made the announcement during his remarks at the World Orphan Drug Congress near Washington, D.C.

    I only pushed the post comment button once
    But two copies of the above response showed up sooooo, I edited this one so it wouldn't look like I had Phrannieitis. LOL
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #10
    George_Baltimore said:

    I know absolutely nothing about the compassionate program
    I was talking about regular Social Security Disability. Sorry for the confusion.

    That's Okay
    10-4 George, I'm confused most of the time : )

    Have a nice weekend
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    #11
    George_Baltimore said:

    I only pushed the post comment button once
    But two copies of the above response showed up sooooo, I edited this one so it wouldn't look like I had Phrannieitis. LOL

    Yes, Tim is correct because
    Yes, Tim is correct because we just received a letter today approving us for benefits and he has been out of work since August and the first check will come in February, which is six months. We applied on line less then 3 weeks ago and the response came that quickly. So, try on line if you are able. It seems to work well and we did have to call the local office and they helped walk us through a couple of questions. They were very nice.

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