SSI / SSDI Are Determined to be Confusing

[flutterby]

Of course, everything with this process is "interesting". I was also told that SSDI would only go back one year prior to the application date and the judge took my disability date back to September, 2007, when I had to stop working, and I didn't apply until September, 2009. So, I guess those are more guidelines than hard and fast rules.

[Hound dog]

Thanks Heather. That helped.

It's a confusing process, and yeah, I think they do it that way on purpose. We were told he would be declared disabled from the date of filing, regardless that the majority of his issues qualified by age 14, when we last filed, if not prior to that. Social security is doing everything possible to avoid paying out any large sums of money. We had two or three CWs tell us that point blank, and in our area these people treat you like the next door neighbor, not like they do in larger cities, so when they say it......well, they mean it.

We've got food stamps and medicaid in the works.

[flutterby]

They have you apply for both because SSDI has that waiting period where they don't pay for 5 months after the date the person is found to be disabled. I don't know why they have that waiting period. It doesn't make sense - if you're disabled, you're disabled. In the event you were found disabled as soon as you applied, or your disability date wasn't back dated, SSI pays for the first 5 months then SSDI takes over.

The confusion comes in when they backdate the disability date prior to the date you filed. SSI doesn't go beyond the application date. So, in my case, even though I started getting SSI quickly, it was all deducted from my SSDI retro-pay. The letters were confusing as hell, but I didn't actually get both because SSI was essentially paid back by deducting it from my SSDI retro. SSDI found me disabled as of September 20, 2007, and SSDI benefits would have started March, 2008, so my retro pay went back almost 4 years by the time I received it. Since SSI doesn't go beyond the date of the application and only found me disabled as of the date I applied in 2009, what I received from SSI was deducted from SSDI retro. What was nice, however, is that I started getting money sooner because of SSI so I had cash on hand until I got the SSDI monthly and retro pay. It's confusing and hard to explain. It needs a powerpoint presentation or something. LOL!

One other thing, I think you have to be on SSDI for 2 years before you can get medicare. Since my disability date went back so long, I didn't have a waiting period, but Travis may have a waiting period (a year if they only took him back a year) before he can get medicare. Medicaid covers much better anyway.

[Hound dog]

Actually, Heather, you explain it quite well. I understand it now and it makes sense. And that is something, lemme tell you. LOL

And yes, the CW said he was having Travis apply for both because our household income was zero, which obviously meant we needed money. Doesn't surprise me that medicaid is better coverage than medicare. I just need to get him on it cuz he needs to get to his docs asap. Stinks that for his hemotologist at least, I'm going to have to look in the dayton area. The ones in our area blow major wind and use labs notorious for their incompetence and inaccuracy. He's been having some symptoms of late that have us a bit worried, Not sure if it might be a vitamin deficiency or worst case a blood clot, but I wasn't able to talk him into the ER when it flared ugly the last time last week. I don't blame him over the ER in a way as neither lab is worth a crud 90 percent of the time and he couldn't see sitting there for heaven knows how long to have the lab mess it up and come back with a bogus blood count result. (we've just had it happen too many times)

[flutterby]

God, it looks like his income might be too high for medicaid. That is horrifying given what his income is going to be. Hopefully he qualifies for some deductions - and hopefully this income guideline is outdated.

http://jfs.ohio.gov/ohp/consumers/incGuide.stm

[Hound dog]

Good lord I hope so! Cuz it was the CW who told him to apply for them both. It does say that it might be adjusted due to expenses. And Travis IS helping here. He's paying the AEP and the water bill. Honestly, that might be enough to get him under that amt if it's something they'll use.

How in hades would anyone survive on that little monthly income?? I thought what they're giving him was outdated given the cost of living currently. But for him it's not so bad because he's here and there are HUD apartments with utilities paid he can move to when he doesn't want to be here anymore.

[Dammit Janet]

Thats an ungodly low income limit for medicaid. It is normally at least the SSI amount. Here it just increased to 825 I think for single people but it was 800 when I first went on medicaid. It goes up slightly every year that we get a cost of living increase to keep those of us that need this help to stay on it. I get 789 and will never get a part time job because it would put me over the income limits and that would not even be worth the money I could possibly make.