How Many Stage 4 Girls are getting SS disability..

Shepgirl

Sorry Catgirl! kick some butt!

Jeano - do not know the answer - please check their site!

Imraithnimphais

I applied and got approved immediately, however, I have to wait 6 months for payments to begin. I won't get payments till the end of December this year. Also, since I"m not married, but have a child, SHE is also getting benefits. I had no idea that it worked that way. We even live with her father, and we've been together since our daughter was born. However, since we are not married, they are not counting his income. I haven't worked since the middle of May, and it's been a financial nightmare for us. Unfortunately, they tell me that the payments are NOT retroactive. I've been working again just starting this month, only about 6 hours a week or so. I think I was told I can earn up to $860 per month and not have it affect my payments.

Shepgirl

I recently learned, even if you are married, his income does not count. It is based on what you paid in........ Your kids payment is also based on your contribution not the fathers.

Roza

Hi girls,
Don't give me exact numbers, I am just curious - approximately how much do they pay from SSD? When I made the calculation on their website, I saw something about $800, how that could be enough for living...
Hugs-
Roza

Shepgirl

It is based on what you paid into the system. So are your surviver benefits for your children under 18 yrs. I know it can be as high as 3,200 a month for an indiv with two children under 18 yrs old. Due to my contribution, my kids (being under 18 yrs old) would get a good chunk of change.

The SS department mails everyone an annual statement that tells you exactly what your portion would be- if you did not get yours.... ask for a copy.

Again, my hubby's income is irrelevant even through he would be the sole provider for the kids. If I'm disabled or die, they get their share of my contribution until they are 18 yrs old.

Shepgirl

I also believe the 6 month "waiting period" is based on date "they" determine you are disabled. So techically, if you been stage 4 for one year- and they "agree" with that date- this is no waiting time. I also believe you would be eligible for 6 month of back payments.

This is the way I understand it works? Can anyone receiving it verify that?

Roza

Thank you, Shepgirl...
Being in USA for 8 years, I would be not eligible for this much money...And only my daughter would be eligible for some money, my son is over 18...
Thank God - I have this Long term disability plan and will have 60% of my paycheck until I am 65...Obviously SSD doesn't work great for me.
hugs-
Roza

shelliks

I applied about a few weeks ago. I wonder how long it will take to approve SSDI for breast cancer to the brain???? My LTD carrier wants "their" money, but they know it usually takes forever.

Betsey

Roza,
Usually your LTD continues to pay any difference between the SSDI benefit and your 60% LTD. You might want to check. I had to file for SSDI, they gave me no choice. But, I do get the difference every month.

Shelli,
My SSDI approval took about 3 weeks (I have bone mets). Seems like you should be hearing something soon.

Have a great day, ladies!
Joanie

Imraithnimphais

For some reason, I was not approved for SSI, but only for regular disability, not sure why. Something about the way they count the entire household income for the SSI, and only mine for the regular SS? Anyway, for the person that asked the rates, I think between my daughter and I we will be getting around $1600 per month. Not anywhere near what I was making at work, but better than a kick in the pants!

KariLynn

SS Disability is based on your ability to work, income isn't used at all for approval. SSI is help for low-income.

Imraithnimphais

I know that SSI is for low income, but apparently, they count my partners income because I don't qualify. We are not married, and I haven't worked since May, but we do live together. They said I only qualified for regular disability.
It's pretty confusing!
Holley

Shepgirl

Kariann is right as far as what I have learned. SS disability is based on your ability to work... period. You need to have worked and "paid in" some type of amount to receive the benefit. Your husband or significant other has no influence on the SS disability benefit. With SSI, family income is a factor.

beachgirldaisy

Hey Everyone,
I have not been on for a long time. My mom just started getting SS disability and she is 62. She is doing great!
Margarita

pinkyreeny

Hi,
(first post on the BC forum.)

Is there a time restriction on the most recent job you've had? I haven't worked a 'job' since Jan '98.

KariLynn

Pinky,

You have to work so many of the last 10 - I think it differs by your age. I had not worked since 2001 when I decided to be a full time mom and still was eligible. Don't know how old you are, but one of the questions was if you were off work to raise your own child younger than ___ (I forget the age.)

I suggest you go to www.ssa.gov and look around the web site - they have a lot of info and you can apply on line. The worst that can happen is they say no - might as well give it a try!

Kari

jmumpower

I applied after reading this post and was turned down because they said I didn't have enough credits in the last 10 years. I was 4 credits short. But on the last SS statement I received under the estimated benefits it said that I have earned enough credits to qualify and it said my payment would be about $686 a month. I don't understand. I stayed home for several years to raise my children and returned to work when they went to college. If I don't qualify, that's okay - I just don't understand why my last SS statement said I would. Any comments?
Jeanie

Roza

Jeanie,
I don't have 10 years - came to USA 8 years ago. And still - because of the BC I am eligible for SSD. Maybe you should check one more time.
Hugs-
Roza

PaulaBeth

Call you local SS office and ask for an appointment to come in and have it explained to you. Take the letter and your last statement with you to your appointment. I have found the local people to be very helpful. They may have some ideas for helping you qualify, too.

KariLynn

I think the letter is an "if you qualify, this is how much you'd get" thing. Not sure though.

Good advice to go to the local office for help, they'll have more ideas.

Shepgirl

Not to brag........but I received mine in 3 1/2 weeks after the application was taken over the phone. They put it right in my checking account. Yes, the date "they" determine you disabled has to be at least 6 months back for you to get your check. There is a 6 month waiting period if you are declared disabled on the date you apply. My date was a year back, which is the max amount of time they will go back.

pinkyreeny

Quote:

---

Mena said:

You can even apply online at socialsecurity.gov. Please let your onc know what you are doing, and they'd better cooperate! (or have me to contend with ahahahah)./quote]


I mentioned applying for SSD to my Oncologist yesterday, and he said to go for it. "You don't need to be working right now, anyway." (So he won't have to deal with Mena. )

For some reason neither she nor I could figure out, he sent me to talk to the Cancer Center Social Worker. She did tell me to ask for retro-active coverage from the time of diagnosis.
I'll get the ball rolling tomorrow. Gotta gather up some of the stuff needed . . .

I jokingly talked about this with my DDH a few months ago. I had absolutely no clue it could actually be done until last week when I found this site!

DEAK95

Hi Ladies,
I applied and got approved in about 4 weeks. I filled out the info with a ss counsellor over the phone in about 1.5 hours and got a follow-up phone call or two before the process was over and got approved for myself and my two kids. It even got direct deposited at the bank. I was already 7 mos out from Stage IV diagnosis so I got retroactive $$ for 1 month and $$ for the kids, too. Of course, the LTD co wants their $$ back and I will get a 10% check (of the original LTD $ amount) per month since the SSDI for me and the kids is more than the original LTD $$$.. I know each LTD co. policy is slightly different but you always have to re-pay them any overpayment of LTD$$. Best of luck to everyone!!! I was originally afraid to apply for fear of being denied and all the paperwork hassle but it is finally worth it and was not much trouble at all!!! Please make sure you have all the dates and MD info. and testing dates ready for your appt.
Pat

catgirl

Wow...been 3 months for me and still no answers. I gpo on-line to check the status and it says pending medical decision. I have extensive bone and liver mets that so far are not responding to chemo. What is the hold-up? I need money now! Does anyone know what can be done to get the process sped up?

pinkyreeny

Pat,
What kind of testing are they wanting? Blood tests, scans or both? The Social Worker at our Cancer said that most of that would be supplied from there with the medical records.

I'm starting to gather the info to apply.

KariLynn

I'd call the local office and see what the hold up is - maybe the physicians haven't been timely about getting records to them.

Once you find out where the problem is, it should be easy to fix.

Buzz

It is my understanding that the Social Security Administration contracts out, in each state, the actual determination of a person's case. In other words, the decision is not made by SSA, but by some state person, usually in a vocational rehab department. So a person who applies in Idaho, for example, may get a determination much faster than a person who applies in New York, simply because the workload may be smaller, or the state voc rehab department may have different rules about how they process claims. This is why some people get an answer in 3 weeks and others are still waiting 3 months later.

The waiting period is 5 months, not six.

After 24 months on SSDI, you become eligible for Medicare.

A person on SSDI who turns 65 is switched from SSDI to regular social security. However, the amount of money does not change. If the person is getting $1,200 on SSDI, and would be eligible for only $1,000 as a 65 year old, they are still switched to regular social security, but continue to receive the $1,200.

Stage 4 breast cancer was, in the past, an "automatically qualifying" condition. However, my understanding is that in December of 2005 a change was made and now each case is looked at in relation to how extensive the mets are, where they are (vital organs like liver or lungs, as opposed to just bones) and what the persons actual physical condition is, according to their doctor's report.

I hope this information is helpful to some. I am fairly confident it is correct. I've been collecting for several years and these are things I've been told along the way.

Shepgirl

FYI-

I got copies all all my records and sent them directly for I figured the doctor office(s) would delay the process. I also wrote a letter that contained an outline with a timeline that reference each report. I sent the pathology report, surgery discharge reports and all CT, PET, MRI, BONE SCAN written copies.

It seem to help, mine took 3 1/2 weeks. I've been in big businesses before and anything you can do to make their job easier- HELPS. BTW- The money showed up in the acct before I got the letter, later that afternoon.

Social Security Administration is a federal program that can be adminstrated by the states; however the "rules" on who gets it should be the same. Yes, the process might take longer due to the each state's admistration but it is federally ran program.

CatGirl- I suggest you call both the central hotline and the local office to see the specific reason. If its your records get to your doctor's medical records folks. I remember signing a medical release wavior- make sure that is not it!!!

Better yet, if your able send the records yourself! YOU do qualify and even if they are late they should give some of it in a lump sum back to your dx date or 12 months (that the max).

BTW- Has it been at least 6 months since your dx? If not, they might not be in a hurry with the application for you can't get paid until 6 months from your disability date.

Sounds like most folks disability date is their stage 4 dx date. GOOD LUCK!!

Buzz

The date used to determine eligibility is the date one stops working. My dx date was Feb 9, 2004, but I continued to work full time until Sept. 27, 2004. Once my claim was approved, the Sept 27th date started the clock on my 5 month waiting period.

kimmytoo

my doctor wrote them a letter the week that she told me to apply. she also gave me a packet of scans, etc. so that I could take them in personally when they said that they didn't receive them. the letter specifically said that i was unable to work and that I had less than 5% chance of a cure, yada yada yada....

i got the supervisor's card and called him personally every week until it was approved. (*about 2 months after i went in, and this was before stage iv diagnosis....)