Social Security Disability Forum

Artista928

I accidentally posted this in the stage IV forum. I tend to react to inquiries before looking at what forum I'm in. Anyway, SSDI is funded through 2021. This forum is very and thoroughly informative and helpful of anyone on social security disability or looking to get on. Includes other pertinent categories like Medicare/Medicaid. It's saved me..

http://www.ssdfacts.com/forum

iz1999

hello artista928, I was diagnosed March 2016, IDC-TN stage 3, have not worked since thinking of applying for ssdi, any sugestions

Artista928

I would sign up for that forum and post questions. There are cancer people there, too. I'm on ssdi but before cancer. I know it's hard to get on. You have to have I believe a year history minimum of what you're looking to go on and be shown that it will take more than a year for you to be able to work again. Otherwise state disability is the way to go as all it takes is your pcp to put you off work, at least in CA.

Do check out the forum. All kinds of questions and advice there. I'm amazed how thorough it is. It's like this forum with bc.

iz1999

I live in CA, and receiving state disability, but I will be off work for more than a year, if I can ever return to work. Thank

gardengypsy

Thanks, Artist. My employer-based disability insurance company began playing games as soon as they approved me. They said that I had to apply for SSDI.

They also said that if I am found to be eligible for SSDI retroactively, I'd have to pay them back for what they gave me for 2016..

Meow13

My company pushed me into apply for SSDI. I was rejected. Come to find out I am doing better health insurance wise without it.

SpecialK

garden - it is pretty standard for any disability insurance companies to prompt the insured to apply for SSDI if the thought is that you have a situation that will cause an inability to return to work that is more permanent. Their reasoning is that even if they continue to pay the benefit to you for the term covered by the policy your employer has with them, it is reduced and offset by the amount SSDI pays. You would have both SSDI and LTD - say your LTD payment was $1500 prior to SSDI, but after approval SSDI pays you $1200. Now your LTD insurer only has to pay you the $300 difference. I had an elected STD benefit that ran concurrently with FMLA, when that was used up and I still could not return to work the company paid LTD kicked in. I had originally planned to return to work after the full FMLA period was over, but I had a number of unforeseen surgeries that delayed chemo by about 12 weeks so I had not even started chemo when the FMLA expired. I was granted an ADA accommodation and LTD started with that time period. After a few months of receiving LTD benefits I was contacted by the LTD folks and urged to apply for SSDI so that they could reduce the amount they were paying me by the amount I would receive from SSDI. I declined to apply, explaining that I would return to work on the previously agreed upon date, which I did. They further explained that even if I could not return to work and perform the expected duties I could elect to apply for SSDI due to my age - if you are 53 or older SSDI considers you "untrainable" for a new field of work if you are unable to perform up to your previous level of capability.

Meow13

Interesting Specialk, I "retired" early at 56 years old after being given a layoff notice. My company has a contract agency to handle retirees that may be disabled. They sent me a survey and I answered it next thing I know they are helping me apply for SSDI. I was rejected by SS about that time I was off AI drugs and feeling better. I thought that was that but I got scheduled for a hearing. I called and asked to back out. I just sent in the form saying I no longer want to be considered for SSDI.

I was very uninformed about SSDI and what that meant health insurance wise. In my case I have excellent health insurance through my company until I receach 65. The best part is both my son's are on it until 26 years old.

I could work now that my health is improving especially that terrible fatigue. Some people have little to no trouble with tge hormone treatment but I wasn't one of them.

Kind of wish I knew more before I started the process.

gardengypsy

Your responses have been invaluable. Thank you for taking the time to write.

Meow~Can you clarify what you were uninformed about? What would you have like to have known?

Special: Is it true that to be eligible for SSDI, you 1) need to be seen as either not expected to recover or 2) expected to be disabled for more than 1 year?

What if you have been out of work or off and on periods? So not a full year at a time?

Do you think I need to get a lawyer?

Artista928

For SSDI you need to first have 40 work credits over the course of 10 years. I forget how they calculate that but that's first and foremost. Next they need to think that you're illness is so severe that you will be out for at least a year, no going back and forth to work. It's tough. No one gets a lawyer until they've applied and been denied. Waste of money.

Please go to the forum I posted the link to. Only folks there know because they've worked in SSA or they've been through the trenches. Folks here like me can only mostly speculate. I was approved before bc on my first try, but that's rare. Roughly 80% are denied first try. So again, go to that forum and read read read, fantastic tips about everything and anything to do with the process, and post! Tips on how to deal with the forms, what they advise for responses received, etc. The mods there are extremely informed. They are on SSDI/SSI as well.

gardengypsy

Artist~

I went back and forth, not a full year out.

This is actually good news for me. As I have already started receiving employer disability benefits (plus additional retroactive payments) I do NOT want to be SSDI approved.

But they want me to apply..

I registered for the site you recd. TY

Artista928

Cool. You don't have to apply. I can't imagine they want more apps than they get from someone who doesn't want to go on it and also doesn't qualify yet. Maybe they are just saying apply because you showed interest.

Anyway, best wishes gardengypsy.

gardengypsy

Artist,

It's the private disability company (through my employer) that's requiring me to apply for SSDI.

That SS site sure is "busy." I can't figure out where I go to post something!

Artista928

Oh I see. Thought SSA was saying apply. The place to start:

http://ssdfacts.com/forum/index.php/board,2.0.html

Initial Filing Questions
Thinking about filing for SSDI or SSI Disability or is this the first time you have sent in an application. Ask your questions here.

Meow13

Artista, I was uninformed that I would lose my company sponsored medical (which I have 2 kids on) if I got SSDI and would be on medicare. I knew the benefit, of SSDI, would be to not be penalised for retiring at 56 instead of 65, the years inbetween making minimal pension wouldn't be calculated in how much social security I would receive. Now I am not sure just how much I will get at 65. I have about 35 years of paying in but the average they use will lower the amount I will potentially receive. Had I not been diagnosed with breast cancer I would most likely worked until 65 but when layoffs came, my taking time off for surgeries played against me.

I was not planning on SSDI so I hadn't researched it before being talked into applying. I allowed someone to convince me to apply before understanding it by doing my own research. My company is motivated to get me off their early retiree medical that wasn't understood by me. But luckily I stopped the process no SSDI.

gardengypsy

Meow and Artist

So, if we are on SSDI we automatically lose our employer-based medical insurance and have to go on Medicaid?

I am hope to stay on my private disability insurance. I just got on it. I wonder how long that will last...

peaches1

If you are on SSDI, you are automatically eligible to apply for medicare. My brother was on SSDI after he was diagnosed with MS until he died, and it took him over a year to get it

Artista928

It's 2 years before they automatically put you on Medicare. No need to apply for it. It's automatic. I had BC until 12/31/16. In Sept which was 2 years since I was approved I received a notice from MC with my card saying I'm on it effective 1/1/17. No need to do anything. But I did call BC to let them know. I've had insurance snags before and I never let things just go on their own anymore.

It's more expensive for us than for seniors even though it's the same plans because we are on disability and so we all use medical more. Part A is premium free. Part B this year for me costs $134 a mo as a new enrollee. Part D Rx you have to get if you don't want to get penalties added up each year for not having it until you do get it. Since I'm over 50 I am eligible to get AARP supp insurance. I got plan F which is $270 a mo and includes everything except some little things that I can't even think of since I'm a frequent visitor to the hospital/doc offices and always have issues going on. So add it all up and that's my bill each month whether I use services or not. At least on BC you pay your premium but nothing else unless you utilize services then you pay toward your deductible/oop max. Not so with MC. And there is no out of pocket max. The tough part is this. I got MC on 1/1/17. I had until June to decide on supp plan if I want it. Once I lock in on a plan, I can't change it to go up in benefits until I turn 65 and am on SS rather than SSDI. But I can go down. So I started with the top at plan F and can go down. Let's say I go plan C during open enrollment. That's it for me for plan F. No more until I get to 65. So I have issues beyond bc stuff so it was an easy decision to get plan F, but the cost each month is a killer.

About Medicaid, that's only for folks who make very low income or no income. I don't know too much about it. There is a MC/Medicaid forum on that site where you can post questions. Folks there know a lot more than me.

gardengypsy

Artist,

I got a letter today from a lawyer hired by the insurance company saying they would help me apply with SSDI application.

It was accompanied by a letter from the insurance company saying I was a "good candidate" for SSDI.

I understand why they want me on SSDI, but why would I trust their lawyer to help me??

SpecialK

garden - do you plan to return to full, or part-time employment at a later point? If so, the insurance company may back off the SSDI. If not, you need to be off work continuously for five months to be eligible to apply, but without stage IV cancer which has compassionate allowance expedited approval, SSDI would be contingent on treatment induced incapacity and/or age. You would not be eligible for Medicare until you had been receiving SSDI for two years, so you would need to maintain health coverage until that point. The insurance company lawyer is motivated to get you approved to save the insurance company money, they are his/her employer and that is where loyalty would lie, but if you wish to pursue SSDI, the lawyer's goal is the same as yours. The upside of using their lawyer is that you don't have to pay their fee.

gardengypsy

Thanks, Special.

Oh, I thought it was one year of being out of work or "expected" to be out of work.

Yes, I plan on going back to work.

I am worried now about retroactive stuff. I was out of work 8 months last year.

On top of my sick leave pay, I received an "offset" payment from the company for that time. I don't really know what it was for, but it was a good deal of cash..

They said I'd have to pay that back if I am found retroactively eligible for last year.

gardengypsy

Being on LTD has been going well. The lawyer they offered me for the SSDI paperwork has been very helpful.

I may need to retire from my high-paced and stressful career, but don't know how long I will actually be "disabled."

srosenbeck

I just recently have received calls from SSDI broker? Have not worked since 4/18/17 and with addtional surgeries and soon chemo I am not seeing myself back to work for a year at least. I am a dog groomer (physically demanding is an understatement) and must groom a minimum of 4 dogs/day. I had a bilateral with GAP flap reconstruction (right side failed). Last week was a PAP flap/latissimus (no muscle used). So far so good. I am wondering if I should in fact start the SSDI process. Chemo starts in about a month. I turn 57 in August. Still have a couple of surgeries after chemo as well. Has anyone received a call from a company like this? Perhaps broker is not a good word, if they get you SSDI the take 25%. Thank you.

Artista928

Sounds suspicious. Visit the board I liNked for the mods there are experts. Ask your SSDI related questions there.

gardengypsy

I'm with Artist.

rosiesgirl

My company had required me to apply for SSDI once I was off for 6 months. I was approved due to IBC being a compassionate allowance (automatic approval). After a year on SS I was automatically signed up for medicare. I was able to refuse part B medicare with no penalty since I am on my employers health plan. You do not automatically lose your health care through your employer once you are on medicare. My employer Blue Cross is my primary and medicare part A (hospitalization) is secondary.

edwards750

I'm with Artist too. Sounds bogus to me. 25% seriously?

People I know who applied for SSD all say typically you get rejected the first time. We are constantly inundated with law firms infomercials offering their expertise in getting you approved the first go around. I would hire a lawyer before I would pay some broker.

Diane

Artista928

Let me say that as someone who hangs on that board almost as much as I do here since I am on SSDI that you don't need a lawyer until you are denied. I'm not even sure if a lawyer would take a case before a decision is reached, but just in case, it's waste of money.

edwards750

You obviously know the drill Artista but where I live several people I know hired an attorney from the getgo to avoid the hassle of jumping through hoops andanticipating a first round rejection. Lawyers are expensive to be sure. With the exception of one person they were all approved the first time.

Diane

Artista928

There is a guy on there, Different Perspective, that used to work for SSA for many years. Very savvy. The mods are too.But DP isn't known per his warm and fuzzy. He's a straight shooter and some people have been offended in the past. He's gotten better. The point is though to pick his brain and not to make a friend.

The reason why some people get approved on the first try is because they hit a medical listing on the head. Not many people do. So there is no magic a lawyer does to make it happen. It won't happen unless it is proven that they meet all the criteria for whatever they asking disability for.

Also be careful about commercials. There is a certain amount they shouldn't be asking for if the case is won. Some lawyers try anyway. Forget what it is but you can search or ask them there. There was one commercial that made me lmao. This Medicare lawyer was saying he can get you on MC once you are on disability. Uh. You are automatically put on MC after receiving 2 years of disability payments. That commercial disappeared. Lots of scams and misinformation out there for vulnerable people who don't really research credible sources, which is why I gave the link to that site. Mis-information is quickly corrected as it's not often that you won't find a mod monitoring the board. You can see who's online whereas you can't here.

gardengypsy

I was just approved for SSDI on the first try. My private insurer required me to apply and they hired a lawyer for me who specializes in SSDI.