Social Security Disabilty eligibility

LDD123
LDD123 Member Posts: 8 Member
edited May 2022 in Ovarian Cancer #1

I am the wage earner/caregiver in my household and I was recently diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer Stage IV on 5/13/16, my chemo started 6/2/16.  I applied for Social Security Disability online on 5/31 as a precautionary measure in case I can't work in the near futire.  After starting the online application I decided to finish it after I had more information from my doctor so I saved it.  I received a call from a woman at SSA the very next day, she set up an appiontment for me at the local office and asked that I bring my birth certificate, picture ID, income information for the past 2 years, and documents supporting my OV CA diagnosis.  At the appointment we discussed options for my family.  I am 55 and my husband is 61, he is unable to maintain employment due to mild cognitive impairment.  We decided that he will file for retirement benefits to begin the month following his 62nd birthday.  He has not worked much over the past several years so his benefit will be supplemented by my work record IF I receive disability benefits.  If I die he will then receive the full amount of my benefits.  This will make it easier for him to survive without my income.

My reason for posting is I am wondering if anyone is willing to share their experience with SSDI.  It has been a couple of weeks since the interview so i went online to check the status of my claim and I was directed to call an 800 number.  The woman I spoke with informed me that a decision was made the day after the appointment in the local office but that the letter had not gone out yet and she could not give me any information.  My options are to wait for the letter or go to the local office and see if they can give me any information.   It looks as though my diagnosis qualifies for the Compassionate Allowance and the speed of the decision is encouraging but the lack of confirmation is confusing.  Is it normal to have the confirmation/denial letter held back?   I am a planner so it makes me feel better to know I am accomplishing something!  Any insight will be appreciated.

 

Comments

  • LorettaMarshall
    LorettaMarshall Member Posts: 662 Member
    edited June 2016 #2
    Lori-U do know that Gov't. dept. can be slow~so stay on them!

    Hi Lori,

     Just wanted you to know that your letter regarding disability qualifications did not go unread.  These two web links might be of benefit to other Ovarian cancer patients.  Looks like you’re doing your homework.  But you know these days, “efficiency at government levels” seems to be lagging if the VA Health system is any indicator.  Let’s hope you don’t get placed on a “waiting list” that is somehow filed away in “File 13.”  In days gone by, that classification meant the waste paper basket.  So I would be sure to keep the name of the persons with whom I spoke, and if I didn’t hear anything within a week, I would contact them again, and see where you are in the system.  Remembering “the wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the most grease!”  :)

     Loretta

      P.S.  I'm not personally familiar with this but, thought I would post this site in case others are in need of the same kind of information.  You already know what to do.  You've just got to be sure the request isn't dropped on the other end.

     http://www.ovariancancer.org/2009/10/28/social-security-disability-rules-changed/

     “…In October, 2009, the Social Security Agency released new rules affecting Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for people with cancer, including ovarian cancer.  The final rule includes the following types of ovarian cancer as automatically qualifying:

     All tumors except germ cell tumors, with at least one of the following:
    a. Tumor extension beyond the pelvis; for example, tumor implants on peritoneal, omental, or bowel surfaces.
    b. Metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes.
    c. Recurrent following initial antineoplastic therapy.

     In the comments to the rule, the Social Security Agency specifically addressed the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance’s concern regarding the effects of treatment, the lasting side effects of treatment and potential for recurrence for ovarian cancer patients, even those diagnosed in Stage I.  The Agency wrote: “While we appreciate the second commenter’s concerns—and we agree that some women with the findings in the prior listing will be disabled—we did not adopt the recommendation to keep the listing, primarily because many women [Stage IC] will not be unable to work for at least 12 months. Even though they may be debilitated while they undergo treatment and for some time afterward, many of these women will have only minimal functional limitations 12 months after diagnosis. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for us to keep the prior listing, which would require us to find that all women with the listed criteria are disabled. We must evaluate these cases on an individual basis.”

     Women with any stage ovarian cancer may qualify for disability, and women with Stage III or IV ovarian cancer automatically qualify based on the new rules.  For more on qualifying as disabled, please see the Social Security Administration’s web site."

     https://www.ssa.gov/planners/disability/dqualify4.html

       

  • worldsojourner
    worldsojourner Member Posts: 11
    #3
    disability

    I got my letter 6 weeks after applying, after my first recurrence. I wouldnt worry.

  • LDD123
    LDD123 Member Posts: 8 Member
    #4
    SSDI

    Thank you for the response(s) Loretta.  I will share my experiences with SSA so others can benefit. I spoke with the local SSA office here in Tampa FL this morning, the claims counselor confirmed that my disability benefit was approved (WOW, that was fast!) she gave me the name of my local case manager and put me through to her voice mail. I have a 5 month waiting period that began in May 2016 so if I am unable to earn more than $1140/mo. between May and September I will qualify for benefits beginning in October (pd. in November), My worst case financial scenario can be crossed off!   The voice message I left for the case manager was asking when the confirmation letter woud be mailed to me so I can ease my landlord's concern as I sign a new lease.  I will update after I hear from her.

    Lori

  • LDD123
    LDD123 Member Posts: 8 Member
    #5
    worldsojourner said:

    disability

    I got my letter 6 weeks after applying, after my first recurrence. I wouldnt worry.

    Thanks Worlds!

    Thanks Worlds!

  • Montgo55
    Montgo55 Member Posts: 2 Member
    #6

    Hi may I ask what stage are you I am stage 3

  • Zura
    Zura Member Posts: 2 Member
    #7

    Hello, I log in daily to check mine. It moves 1% a day (week days only). I currently have an estimated 212 days until a decision is made. You were very smart to start early. I did get food stamps pretty easily but this is my third application to SSDI. As for the speed, it was only in the case worker deciding same day to push it into queue, but the queue time seems to be the same 6 + months for me.

    Just a quick rant: As a teen and young adult I worked two jobs when ever I could thinking I was paying into my disability/FICA because that is what I was taught in school. But when my employer shut down for covid I missed a 4 year consecutively requirement by just 4 months (because I didn't work while raising kids and only returned to work when my youngest entered high school).

    Young people need to know what they pay to FICA vanishes if they don't work 4 years connectively prior to needing disability. I paid so much into when I was young and healthy. It seem so unfair. If I had known I would have worked less and played more. haha

    Best of luck to all of you waiting for an answer from SS. :)

Discussion Boards