what is your health insurance if you go on SSDI?

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  • Mazy1959
    Mazy1959 Member Posts: 1,431
    edited May 2011

    Fearless, The best way to get answers is to maybe check with the medicare site or call the social security office nearest you. I will tell you what they told me.....I am speaking of Social Security Disability....not regular Social Security that one would maybe get for being poor.

    I had to have documented evidence of my health condition. That included any medical records, scans, xrays, bloodwork etc. All the reports from all doctors who participated in my care.

    I had to have papers filled out by my employers verifying that I was no longer working.

    My benefit period started from the day after my "last" day I worked. I could not be working at all at the time I applied. I couldnt work at all so that was not a problem. The rep told me that if my oncologist wrote on my forms that I could work 2 hours a day..I would be refused benefits.

    My hubby's income, our savings, properties owned etc have nothing to do with qualifying for SSDI.

    My friend who was refused SSDI repeatedly has not had any income for years. However her husband does, so she does not qualify for SSI ( for low income). The problem is SSDI keeps denying her and implying she is capable of working. Her doctors all say she cant work but SSDI has the final say.She has a lawyer and has been to court many times over the years.

    I think you are talking about regular Social Security sometimes and SSDI at others LOL. SSI is income based. They have a scale they go by to determine if you qualify for benefits. Each state is different with SSI and they do count household income and your savings . When you own your home they ask what the equity is on the home etc. SSI isnt much here in Illinois for someone with no dependents but its better than nothing.

    For those people I know who are in a similar situation as you ( no other income) in the end they moved out of their homes since they could no longer afford the payments etc. They moved into subsidized housing and they let their homes go into foreclosure. Your situation may be totally different than theirs. You may have your home paid for, have alot of equity etc etc. Each situation is different.

    If you would end up not being able to work at all and have no form of money to fall back on, I assume you would qualify for subsidized housing, medicaid etc until your SSDI benefits begin. 6 months is a long time to wait when you are broke. Good luck, Mazy

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  • Fearless_One
    Fearless_One Member Posts: 3,300
    edited May 2011

    Hi Mazy, no I am referring to SSDI and I did speak to them.   They said it is possible in some cases to work part-time, but income cannot exceed 1K a month (it changes each year).  

    I don't own a home, and have no savings.   I looked into medicaid, and my income qualifies, but I don't (not pregnant, no kids under 18, etc)

    I don't think I will ever be able to get SSDI because I would be unable to just walk away from my job without income coming in - yet no disablitly income can come in until I quit my job.   This is how people end up homeless, sometimes.   It's a circle.

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  • petjunkie
    petjunkie Member Posts: 317
    edited May 2011

    I wonder if there is a social worker where you are getting treatment? He/she might have some ideas. There are some organizations that offer grants and such to women in our position. There is also a federal healthcare program for women with breast or ovarian cancers. I'm not sure the details about it and I know you have to qualify by having a low income. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? One of the stage IV gals in my support group is on this, I'll see if I can get some info from her.

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  • Fearless_One
    Fearless_One Member Posts: 3,300
    edited May 2011

    Thanks, PetJunkie.   I know I am acting prematurely, but I just think it's important that I am aware of my options if this thing progresses.   I suppose I could speak to a social worker .   Thank you for your responses - I love that photo, too  :-)    

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  • Mazy1959
    Mazy1959 Member Posts: 1,431
    edited May 2011

    Pet, I know Illinois has a similar program for breast/ cervical/ prostate. I dont know about the federal one. It sounds like Fearless should check it out. Good advice. HUgs, Mazy

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  • Thriver
    Thriver Member Posts: 10
    edited May 2011

    I am an insurance advocate and this is a big hole for most of the cancer patients that I work with.  What do you do for 24 months while waiting for Medicare?  I am a long term cancer surviovr and was worried about this while I was going through treatment.  Would I be able to obtain insurance if I lost my job and went on disability?  There are only a few options:

    *If you had work insurance before you left your job, then you would have a right to Cobra - and then HIPAA .   However, most folks can't afford the Cobra/HIPAA payments.

    *A few employers allow you to stay on your work policy for a time. 

    *Most states  offer insurance for those with prior conditions - but that type of insurance is expensive too.  In California, the program is called Mr. MIP - Medically Uninsurables Program.  They are now requiring patients to pay and exhaust Cobra before they can get into the Mr. MIP program.

    *Also, many states now have the new PCIP program.  This is the start of the new health insurance program that will go into effect nationwide in 2014. This program will fill in some of the gaps until the 2014 program goes into effect. It is for folks who have a medical diagnosis and can't get insurance because of it. The problem is that you have to have had no insurance during the last 6 months to qualify.  The premiums are partially subsidized by the government.

    *That leaves MediCaid or a related program called MSI in California- this program used to be called Medical Services for the Indigent.   The MSI program is for those who can't qualify for MediCaid.  The income limitations are not too restrictive.  You must be under 65 to get it though.

    *Also, there is the BCCPT - the Breast and Cervical Cancer program.  They will pay for cancer treatment for breast and cervical cancer.

    *Once you get on Medicare - after 24 months - you will have a whole new set of decisions to make.  Medicare only covers 80% with parts A & B.  You will have a right - for a short period of time - to buy a Medicare supplement if you could afford it. After that, they won't sell it to you again until you are 65 because of your prior conditions.  Your other options would be a Medicare HMO/PPO, etc.  However, many Medicare HMOs are charging 20% for chemo these days.  Don't think that they are free.  Chemo could cost up to $7,000 - $8,000 per infusion.  Your share within the Medicare HMO could be over a thousand dollars every few weeks.  Beware.

    Thriver

    Hope this helps.

    Thriver

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