Stage IV and Medicare

I don't know about the Medicare wait without SSDI but I understand qualification is 24 months from qualifying for SSDI It sounds like she would qualify immediately for SSDI and be eligible for retroactive benefits. If you go to www.SSA.gov you should be able to get some info.

Mary, there is a thread with lots of answers to your questions on the Stage IV forum, I just bumped it up so it should show in recent discussions.



Your friend can fill the request for SSDI in line. My whole process took less than two weeks from application to approval. Yes, there is a wait for Medicare, but in the wait there is also money coming in which really helps.



The SS office will also check to see if she qualifies for SSI in addition to the SSDI, which could qualify her for Medicaid possibly (or the low income need based which applies in her state).

Hi Mary! 

Your friend needs to apply for SSDI, she can do it online, and then they will call her.  If you need help with this, I am very good at this whole process and can try to guide you if you need it.  It does take time, the sooner you get everything together the quicker it goes.  It would be best if she told her doctors that she is doing this, so they will be prepared and have all of the documents on hand to submit for her.

After 2 years of SSDI, Medicare kicks in.  Yes, there is a premium they deduct.  However, since you are in NY, if she has SSDI and goes to the office of the Aging (no matter the age, she is now considered disabled), they will help her with that and become an advocate for anything she needs, and they can especailly help with the prescription plans, which can be a huge headache.

But it sounds like she needs immediate help, instead of waiting two years. If you need help or guidance, please feel free to PM me, I am in NY and am unfortunately, very familiar with what she can do right now.  There is housing assistance, medical care, a lot of things that she can qualify for easily since she has no income, but again, you have to have all of the paperwork ready to go.

I hope this helps, and if I can help you at all, please let me know.

I can tell you for many people with SSDI claims you are often denied to start off with.  I knew someone who applied and was approved right away but many have to get a lawyer and do an appeal.  For this person the SSDI payments did not start (they were not eligible) until they had not been able to work for a year.  Then it took 6 months more before they were eligible for Medicare payments.

There is a very good chance that your friend will be eligible for significant back pay to the date of disability which appears to be a couple years ago.  It's a shame that she didn't apply sooner but that's not the issue now.

Stage IV cancer is typically automatic approval once all documentation has been verified.  The approval by the state's disability determination office is expedited based on "Compassionate Allowance".  She can submit her path reports herself to her local SS Office.  Payments are supposed to start 6 months from the last day of work or the established date of disability.  That makes me think your friend would get assistance sooner rather than later.  In any event they will back date benefits to the date of disability and that would be the day she had to leave work due to her disability.

Medicare follows two years from the date of disability as well.

Clearly your friend should either call the SSA or visit her local office.  Having as much information with her when she goes will help the SSA figure out all the timelines for her.

The hassle surely would be worth it in her situation.

Ok this is how it worked for me. I applied for SSDI and send in the application. Once they received it they sent me a letter that they did received it and it would take 3 to 6 months for approval. I called to let them know that I received it and that I am stage 4 from breast cancer. (IBC) They then told me I would have an answer in a week. So in a week I was called and told me that I was approved. They also told me it would be retroactive from the time of diagnosis. They are 6 months behind and they is when I will start receiving payments faithfully. Then once you are approved from SSDI then you may apply for medicare if you do not have any insurance at that time. I am sure your friend will be taken care of she just needs to take action. She does not need to worry about being declined. When she sends in her stuff to SSDI she needs to get the documentation of her diagnosis and the proper  wording for her approval. You should find this online on the SSDI gov page. As far as housing for section 8 the waiting list is at least 2 to 3 year wait. I hope you found this to be helpful. Now it is just a matter of time figuring out what to do before she gets her check from SSDI.

Blessings, Elizabeth

I think your friend sounds deeply depressed.  It may be difficult to encourage her to follow up on any of this.  If only we could wish away the dark clouds instead of waste precious energy fighting them off so we can take care of ourselves and our business.

MaryNY, you are a wonderful friend and she is lucky to have you.

Mary,

It is retroactive either to the time of DX or the date of application, so either way it is important to start it.  Even if you just start online and get some things in there, that would be the date.  Payment starts on the 6th month, they do not pay for the first 5.  You must have worked and earned enough credits in your lifetime to be eligible, that usually works out to a year and a half.  For instance, my husband was approved and payments came in on the 6th month, within a month the back payment came in, from the date of disability discounted for the first 5 months.  Prior to getting any regular payments, he was eligible to get SSI payments as soon as it was processed.  My BIL is terminal, his application was approved pretty quickly, and his full payments started right away, with no back pay and no wait for the 6th month.  Every year they send out a statement a couple months before your birthday, if she knows where hers is, it will tell you how much she is eligible for every month.

Mary - don't know whether this applies, but if she has dependent children, they would also receive a check if she was approved for SSDI. I think - but you need to check this out - that she would be able to withdraw IRA and 401-K funds without tax penalty because of her Stage IV status. Also, Stage IV would qualify her for forgiveness of federal student loans.