Important News: ACS with SSA on disability!

KathiM
KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
From Dixchi on the colorectal board...

I am a volunteer for the local ACS and just received this newsletter information;
some may already know about this but for those who dont: The Social Security
Administration recently launched the Compassionate Allowances Intiative, a pilot program that wiill enable people with certain cancers and rare diseases to obtain disability benefits as quickly as possible. ACS Cancer Action Network and the SSA developed the initiative. CA
will allow the SSA to make a disability determination in a matter of days rather than months. Cancer patients will not only be able to receive benefits as quickly as possible but
they also will be automatically eligible for Medicare after colleting disability benefits for
24 months; it automatically begins to clock on the required 24 month waiting period for Medicare. Hope this helps someone!

Hugs, Kathi

Comments

  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #2
    ACS/SSA
    WOW!!! This will undoubtably ( or is that undoubtedly??) be great news for lots of people! Thanks Kathi for passing this vital info on...you are a dearheart yourself!

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • dorothyt
    dorothyt Member Posts: 103
    #3
    chenheart said:

    ACS/SSA
    WOW!!! This will undoubtably ( or is that undoubtedly??) be great news for lots of people! Thanks Kathi for passing this vital info on...you are a dearheart yourself!

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    Hi Kathi, I also saw this
    Hi Kathi, I also saw this information on the SSA web-site. This is very good news. I know of people who died before they received their benefits from SS.
  • base61ball
    base61ball Member Posts: 125
    #4
    How do you apply for that? Just call SSA? I am getting pretty desperate with finances, etc since I lost my job, etc. Does this also work in Florida?
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #5
    Great news
    Gosh Kathi that is wonderful news! I am quite sure this will be extremely helpful for many. Thanks for passing the information on.

    Rena
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #6
    base61ball said:

    How do you apply for that? Just call SSA? I am getting pretty desperate with finances, etc since I lost my job, etc. Does this also work in Florida?

    It's a national program...
    Talk to your oncologist. He/she can determine that you are disabled. That starts the ball rolling.

    Hugs, kathi
  • kevindee
    kevindee Member Posts: 72
    #7
    ? ssa
    whats ssa and how old do you have to be right now im on ssi they say i dont have enough work time in for ss im only 54. i get medicaid. right now in ind but they said in 2 yrs that will stop. i have stage 3 8 node pos. her-pos on arimidex . im so thankful for that but the state says i have to prove here that im disabled all over again ohio and west va approved me but ind is different i guess. its rough. i have a pacemaker sugar hbp and low thyriod, some blockage and terrible panic attacks. i cant drive anymore because of it. sometimes i try to make it to church. i need delivered from this ugly thing. i worry about about reacurrance cause i started smoking agin when i got here my only dau died in oct. deedee
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #8
    kevindee said:

    ? ssa
    whats ssa and how old do you have to be right now im on ssi they say i dont have enough work time in for ss im only 54. i get medicaid. right now in ind but they said in 2 yrs that will stop. i have stage 3 8 node pos. her-pos on arimidex . im so thankful for that but the state says i have to prove here that im disabled all over again ohio and west va approved me but ind is different i guess. its rough. i have a pacemaker sugar hbp and low thyriod, some blockage and terrible panic attacks. i cant drive anymore because of it. sometimes i try to make it to church. i need delivered from this ugly thing. i worry about about reacurrance cause i started smoking agin when i got here my only dau died in oct. deedee

    SSA is disability....
    ...it's not age-dependent. Your doctor has to declare you to be disabled, in order to apply.

    Hugs, Kathi
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #9
    kevindee said:

    ? ssa
    whats ssa and how old do you have to be right now im on ssi they say i dont have enough work time in for ss im only 54. i get medicaid. right now in ind but they said in 2 yrs that will stop. i have stage 3 8 node pos. her-pos on arimidex . im so thankful for that but the state says i have to prove here that im disabled all over again ohio and west va approved me but ind is different i guess. its rough. i have a pacemaker sugar hbp and low thyriod, some blockage and terrible panic attacks. i cant drive anymore because of it. sometimes i try to make it to church. i need delivered from this ugly thing. i worry about about reacurrance cause i started smoking agin when i got here my only dau died in oct. deedee

    SSA
    SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is not dependent on age, but does require a work history in order to quality. You must have paid into the system for a certain length of time as well as have a recent work history. Although I don't work at an SSA field office, I am a SSA headquarters employee working on SSI and some disability policy issues. If anyone has questions, I can help research the answers for you (the SSA website is very good. You can also call the 800-number or contact your local field office). SSI is a need-based program that doesn't require work history, but the medical disability portions for both programs (SSI and SSDI) are essentially the same. Let me know if you have any questions.

    Mimi
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #10
    mimivac said:

    SSA
    SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is not dependent on age, but does require a work history in order to quality. You must have paid into the system for a certain length of time as well as have a recent work history. Although I don't work at an SSA field office, I am a SSA headquarters employee working on SSI and some disability policy issues. If anyone has questions, I can help research the answers for you (the SSA website is very good. You can also call the 800-number or contact your local field office). SSI is a need-based program that doesn't require work history, but the medical disability portions for both programs (SSI and SSDI) are essentially the same. Let me know if you have any questions.

    Mimi

    Thanks for the great info!!!
    TeeHee...my surviving daughter is involved with the process...it can be VERY tedious at times...I could write a book on my questions...lol! Hey! Maybe we have talked on the phone!

    Thank you!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #11
    KathiM said:

    Thanks for the great info!!!
    TeeHee...my surviving daughter is involved with the process...it can be VERY tedious at times...I could write a book on my questions...lol! Hey! Maybe we have talked on the phone!

    Thank you!

    Hugs, Kathi

    Yes it can!
    I know the process can be very time-consuming and tedious. I have lots of questions, too. I don't work in a field office, so I'm not familiar with the myriad rules and regulations of the programs. I took a 2-week field training course in Baltimore a few years ago, and let me tell you, those claims reps. have to have years of experience to truly know their stuff. It's not easy. I do a lot of "esoteric" research on how certain issues could affect disability, etc. I sometimes wish I helped people more directly. It must be satisfying.
  • dorothyt
    dorothyt Member Posts: 103
    #12
    mimivac said:

    Yes it can!
    I know the process can be very time-consuming and tedious. I have lots of questions, too. I don't work in a field office, so I'm not familiar with the myriad rules and regulations of the programs. I took a 2-week field training course in Baltimore a few years ago, and let me tell you, those claims reps. have to have years of experience to truly know their stuff. It's not easy. I do a lot of "esoteric" research on how certain issues could affect disability, etc. I sometimes wish I helped people more directly. It must be satisfying.

    SSDI long process
    MiMi, I applied for my SSDI and got turn down . The social worker at the hospital told me to call the SSA after I had my surgery. I knew I could not go back to work right away, because I'm a personal care assistant. Anyway I have 35 years of work history, and I still got turn down.
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #13
    dorothyt said:

    SSDI long process
    MiMi, I applied for my SSDI and got turn down . The social worker at the hospital told me to call the SSA after I had my surgery. I knew I could not go back to work right away, because I'm a personal care assistant. Anyway I have 35 years of work history, and I still got turn down.

    SSDI
    I'm sorry to hear that, Dorothy. My guess is that you were qualified in terms of work history, but were deemed medically not disabled for SSA purposes. SSA's definition of disability is extremely strict. Did they give you a reason for the denial?
  • dorothyt
    dorothyt Member Posts: 103
    #14
    mimivac said:

    SSDI
    I'm sorry to hear that, Dorothy. My guess is that you were qualified in terms of work history, but were deemed medically not disabled for SSA purposes. SSA's definition of disability is extremely strict. Did they give you a reason for the denial?

    They told me that I could
    They told me that I could still do the work I did over 10 years ago which was in a clothing manufacture. This work do not exist in my area anymore. IF they only knew the hell we go through when we find out that we have cancer of any kind.
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #15
    dorothyt said:

    They told me that I could
    They told me that I could still do the work I did over 10 years ago which was in a clothing manufacture. This work do not exist in my area anymore. IF they only knew the hell we go through when we find out that we have cancer of any kind.

    Unfortunately
    They can deny you on the basis of being able to do past work even if that work is not in your immediate area. It only has to exist in the national economy. I know it is hell just to have cancer, and then to deal with this, too. So sorry.
  • dorothyt
    dorothyt Member Posts: 103
    #16
    mimivac said:

    Unfortunately
    They can deny you on the basis of being able to do past work even if that work is not in your immediate area. It only has to exist in the national economy. I know it is hell just to have cancer, and then to deal with this, too. So sorry.

    Thank You MiMi
    Thank you MiMi, don't worry about me. I will be alright . I want you to take care of your self.Bless you.
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #17
    dorothyt said:

    Thank You MiMi
    Thank you MiMi, don't worry about me. I will be alright . I want you to take care of your self.Bless you.

    Let me know if you have any more questions or concerns
    At least I can try to help someone other than myself for a change!

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