Disability questions??

goldenguru

Active Member
I am being told by hubby's therapist that going back to work is a bad idea. Great.

How does one go about inquiring about disability for an adult? What are the chances he might be eligible? What kind of benefits are available?

I would appreciate any and all directions. Because at this point, I don't have a clue where to start.

Thanks in advance.
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/links_disability.htm

You can start the process online. It's a lengthy process and you'll need letters from doctors stating his disability, I believe. If you've kept your social security statements that you get every year, you can refer to that as it explains how much benefits he would be eligible to receive for disability. If he qualifies, he'll also be covered under medicare.

From people I've talked to, it's been easier to get approved based on mental illness than, say, a chronic health condition.

It's very common to be turned down at first and have to appeal. And appeal again. A lot of people end up hiring an attorney that specializes in social security disability cases. But, that's not where you start. Your husband may very well be approved the first time through because of the nature of his illness. I just wanted to let you know that if you don't get approved the first time, it's not the end of the road. Also, if you have to go through a lengthy appeal process and then he gets approved, the benefits would be retroactive to the date filed.

Hope this helps.
 

crazymama30

Active Member
How long has your husband worked for? If he has worked for many years, he would probably be eligible for social security disability. If he has not then he may be eligible for ssi, but your income would play into that. With ssd, your income does not matter. We just applied for ssd for my husband, due to chronic pain and BiPolar (BP) II. It is a crazy process, and husband finally just made an appointment and went down to the social security office. I think it took about 2-3 hrs. They have an online app, but it is nuts as it asks for all the doctors and clinics you have seen, the first time you saw them, all the hospitals and clinics you went to, your prescriptions, etc. I know that husband took a list of his medications, and a list of his docs (past and present) with address and phone numbers and clinics and hospitals with the same. We filed for husband 2.5 yrs ago and he was denied, but he did not have the mental health diagnosis then,(though he had had the condition) so now maybe we have a better chance.

Good luck, and like wynter said be persistent. Dammit Janet had hard time getting her disability, and did end up getting an attorney if I remember right.
 

Ropefree

Banned
Just hang in there and get the documents and apply. If it is denied the first pass appeal it right away, go to the hearing. The response to the application
the determination letter will include something about how the application was denied. Gather up that end befor you attend the appeal hearing. Legal Aid may assist if you are in their income demographic. Also you may find a paralegal who, though they can not offer advise of a lawyer they can help you with the documentation and narrowing your topic points so that the info pieces that the judge does need will be your central presentation.
Ask the therapist to write his opinion up as a report for this purpose now so that latter if you need a current statement you have now and then on hand.
And it is true for somethings the system does work fast. Someone who has
bi-polar and has worked,for example.
One of my freinds who was bi-polar her entire adult life, for example, and eventually just was not coping in the workplace..or homelife...it took about six months.
Also, for you partner and you I know this is not an easy time. It just feels awful when the time to stop working is not in line with what one wanted for ones life. It is so less glamourous than people think. It feels like dropping off the face of life as it has been. People will say things like "lucky you, not working" and what it really is is not earning, not meeting people that you otherwise see, not being in the social circles that surround work and not having that work identity that is the ice breaker in every adult encounter.

Your parnter is lucky to have you caringly there. Best of luck with this.:faint:
 

crazymama30

Active Member
husband's disability stuff just came back, and they want more information, and his entire job history, again!! He already did that, why do they need it again?? Did they lose it? I guess at least they did not turn him down yet, that is good. I think they are trying to make this process long and complicated so he does not follow thru with it. Don't think that will work.
 

Critter Lover

New Member
I am not sure he would be eligible for Medicare until he has been on disability for a year. My son was on SSI and after he had been working two years ....someone from SSI called and said that they thought he would qualify for SSDI since he was diagnosed disabled before his 18th birthday. I thought someone had to be working 5 years but they told me noi in my son's instance. They made him effective as of June of last year and we got back pay from it for the difference in SSI verses SSDI and they said he would not be eligible for Medicare until June 2009 since that would be a year from being placed on SSDI.
 
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