Question about SSD

activern

So - I have been getting my monthly SSD Checks since April of this year.  I have been on Disability and not working since September of 2009.  I have pulled up my breeches and with my oncologist's blessing decided to return to work.  This was not an easy decision for me but I did it anyhow.  I had to do a little searching since my last employer advised that I will have to reapply for a job since I have been away for more than 6 months.  You would think that I have a contagious disease the way employers distanced themselves when they heard that I am returning to work after being 'disabled' for almost a year.  Okay, then I start a job on August 28 and like a good citizen report my start of work to SSA.  Through a third party company, I am now informed of all the stuff about Trial Work Period etc.  This company has now written me a letter informing me that SSA wants to take another look at their decision to award me benefits and if they determine that I did not meet the criteria for disability benefits I may have to repay.

Has anyone heard of this or experienced this?  Was SSA expecting me to die from my illness and not return to work within the first year of my cancer recurrence?  Did they know that for many months I did not eat or drink; ended up in urgent care centers a few times and the ER at least one time? Didn't they know that I was given a poor prognosis when I was diagnosed?  What is wrong with these people, can someone please tell me please?  Do they know that I am not off the hook?

Alpal

Congrats on your return to work. I've not heard of this, but rest assured that once they look at all your paper work and see you're Stage IV, there won't be a problem. I'm sure this is just SOP. I wouldn't give it a second thought. Someone is just being over zealous. As a wise friend once said - "Never forget the idiot factor."

bcincolorado

My DH is on SS disability.  I know they encourage people to return to work if they can and do have a third party company.  I do know Stage IV BC is a qualifier for disability right off the bat.  I also know from paperwork DH received about the trial work period.  What he received said after about 90 days they evaluated how you were and then you wouldn't have to re-apply for benefits if you can't handle working full time.  Of course to them, if you make $800/month you don't need SSI!!!!  And of course if you can work and then you can't after 6 months or something then I think they will probably make you apply again and have a stupid wait period again.  I would suggest before  you actually make a decision on returning full-time that  you go down and talk to someone at your SS office face to face and get the details specific to you.    My DH (who is a transplant patient) signed up to substitute teach and only works when he feels up to it.  Maybe a temp job might be a good way to test the waters for you too?  

activern

Thank you Allison and bcincolorado.  Allison I agree that this might be a fluke and once they reverify my info, nothing will become of it.  But still makes me irritated at the waste of taxpayers money.  Bcincolorado, another example of the bureaucracy.  I thought that working less than full time or a variable contract might help.  Thanks for the input.  God Bless.

Honeybear

I went on SS Disability when I was first diagnosed with stage IV mets in my bones.  I was approved very quickly and all went well in the beginning.  At some point during that first year, we got my pain under control, and I started to want to return to work.  I did so after 11 months of being out of work.  The SSA sent me a letter saying that they had made an error in granting me benefits because I was not out of work for at least one year and they said I owed all of the money they had paid me.  Luckily, there is a way to appeal.  You can appeal saying that they are wrong, you do deserve the benefits and/or you can appeal saying that the error was not something you did intentionally to obtain benefits you didn't deserve and that repaying the benefits would cause you undue harm....  I was so stressed and in disbelief at this added stress, but appealed and they granted the appeal saying that I didn't have to repay anything.

Good luck with this.  Peace and hugs to you.

germangal

Vilma, please keep us updated on what happens! I also would like to go back to work full-time (I can't stand not working!) but I'm not sure if I will be able to keep it up. Right now I feel like I could, but then every now and then I have a day where I am so tired, I stay in bed. 

I was dx'd with IBC in 12/06, worked full-time during treatment and after until 2/2009 (no disability insurance, no one told me about SSDI then!) when I was just couldn't do it anymore, BP was elevated, weight was increasing, and I was crying every night, docs said I was just totally worn out and told me to choose job or life.

Also, should I return to work, chances are it would be as a consultant, and I would not have health insurance. I am now scheduled to qualify for Medicare in March; I don't want returning to work to mess that up!

And, I don't  want to raise any flags with SS office, so I've been hesitant to ask them anything.

If I can learn from others experiences, well, that would be great!

So, thanks in advance .. and CONGRATULATIONS!!! on the recovery!