11 replies to this topic

[busdriver]

Has anyone tried to get social security disability?  I want to work, but part-time is all I can handle, fatigue is terrible and lately the bone pain is driving me crazy.  I have an appointment with social security in June.  Any advice?

[CaroleL]

I have been considering that also.  I work as much as I do to keep my health insurance.  I am eligible for medicare, but not sure what kind of coverage that would provide.  I do not have any information to guide you in your application, but others on this forum have commented on their receiving disability.  Hopefully all work out for you, and some others wiser than I will offer some guidance.

Carole

[wnh]

You don't have to go to the SSI office to apply.  You can apply online.  Its a long application but you can stop and go back to it at the end of each section.  One advantage of doing it at home online is that it gives you time to think about your responses and to get all the important info together such as doctors names and address, etc.  I filled it out online and just did it in pieces over about 2-3 days.

[busdriver]

Hi, I just wanted to thank you for your responses and let you know yesterday I got my approval for disability!!  YEAH!!  I am so happy, this really takes alot off my shoulders.

[wnh]

Good news!  Thanks for getting back to us.  So glad to hear it worked out for you.

[dee145]

May I ask what state you live in?  I was forced to resign this past Nov. and I was turned down for disablity cause they said my husbands income was to much.  I thought it went by me and my health and both my drs don't want me working.  Any tips I sure would appreciate.

                          Dee

[orangeconey]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that with CML you can get Social Security Disability for at least 24 months after diagnosis if you have paid enough into SS.Benefits start on the 6th month post dx and Medicare eligibility is on the 24th month.

There's a list of approved conditions. Please visit www.ssa.gov or call a social security office...or speak with your oncology social worker.

[Susan61]

Hi: In most cases you would start out on State Temporary Disability, and I  think it is for 24 weeks.  If you know you will be out longer, then you should fill out your Permanent Disability Papers at the same time so it goes right into your Permanent Benefits without interruption.  I did not know that, and when I went on Temporary, and when it stopped which messed me up.  Took awhile to get onto the Permanent.  The big thing too is if you had enough credits to qualify for disability.  Every state is different I think, but if you only worked part-time you probably do not have enough credits in your account.

    Best thing to do is go meet with someone at Social Security Office.

[busdriver]

In Pennsylvania they don't have partial disability and I don't think the have temporary (that I'm not sure of).

[jill]

I live in MI & State Disability only lasts for so many weeks & is not very much money at all. It does go on family income because I was not eligidable for it. I am not sure about other states. SS Disability is Federal Govt. & that goes by how many years you worked & how much you have payed in. That is how much you get a month. Also you get medi-care. But I think you have to buy the drug benefit. Medicare is my secondary insurance because my husband has health insurance I am covered under also. I applied for SSD about 6 years ago when I first got neuropathy real bad. I couldn't even walk a straight line let alone stand on my feet for 8 hours. My Drs. thought that was a good idea & wrote letters ect. I saved all my Drs. visit reports ect. Test results, too. I got turned down. The SSD Dr. I had to go see ( which was just a local primary care Doc, not a neurologist) said I was faking! I hired a lawyer ( who I didn't have to pay unless I won) & it took me 2 1/2 yrs. to get in front of a SSD judge for a hearing. He agreed that I was indeed telling the truth & needed to be on Disability. I got a big check in about 4 months. Of SSD pays your lawyer out of it but it was worth it.  After that I found out I had CML. Just do your homework on the medicare part of it. Find out about drug plans ect. You don't want to have to pay for these expensive med's out of pocket, because I don't think any of us would stay afloat very long having to do that. Have your Dr. make copies of your diagnosis & all your Dr. visit reports. Also bloodwork at least you find out whether you are okayed to recieve SSD. Maybe if I had the diagnosis of CML instead of just neuropathy I would have be okayed at the begining.

Good-Luck! It's alot of paperwork, but very well worth it in the end & a big load off your shoulders.

[wnh]

Temp disabilty is state by state.  Not all states have it.

Regarding family income....there are 2 different types of programs. Many people confuse the two.

One program is based on the number of credits that a person has which is dependent on their work history...this is social security insurance program.   This type should not be impacted by a spouse's income as long as the individual has enough of their own work credits.

The second type is a supplementary income program which is also run by the Social security program.  This type is when one individual hasn't put enough into the ssi insurance program to have enough credits and is impacted by total family income.

Regarding SSI benefits  with CML or CLL...do a google search or go onto the ssi web site and there is a very detailed listing about what diseases and at what stages of the disease qualify a person for disabilty benefits.  AML and ALL are automatic approvals for at least 2 years as long as a person can prove via a recent bone marrow biopsy the diagnosis.   By my limited understanding...with CML and CLL it depends on what stage the disease has progressed to as to whether or not it constitutes a disabilty.

Many legitimate claims are denied because of a lack of a clear medical diagnosis, but once a clear medical diagnosis is made along with the stage of the disease, it is easier to get an approval assuming that the disease and stage is one that qualifies.

[sandimartini47]

Hi,

One bit of advice I can give you is to have your doctors be very specific about all of you side effect from your chemo and from the leukemia and any reasons why you can't work full time or not at all.  You have to get a physician's statement from  your primary, your oncologist and any other doctor that can address your cml and anything else you may be suffereing from.  Be very specific with the doctors when you visit them, tell them your legs are cramping or weak, you are nauseous, you are very fatigued--whatever you actually feel.  That will help with your claim.  Call the ss office  in your town--go on the web and you should be able to fine it under social security disability and you can call them and get the ball rolling.  It takes about six months.  You have to do a phone interview at the end of the process that take one to two hours.  www.ssa.gov/disability  Good Luck. Be careful searcing on the web and go only to the ssa.gov web sites.  A lot of the other ones are not through our government--- Sandi