Adventures in Disability Benefits, Gov't & Private's Journal
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| Monday, April 30th, 2012 | 5:51 pm
[thashizzz]
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does this sound too butch, or faux legalistic?
I have been contacted by a credit reporting agency about a medical related debt you allege I owe. Until your company validates and proves this debt Under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and contrary to any billing errors or applicable statutes of limitations including the Retroactive Medicaid Law spanning the years since my first disability application when your allegations take place, you may not report this debt to credit bureaus or contact me further now that I have notified you not to do so. Failure to comply may result in further legal action against your company including requests for compensation of time and damages due to the duress of these allegations. | | Monday, April 23rd, 2012 | 12:27 pm
[theborogove]
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OK, so story time:
I’m on SSI, have been for years, and I have a friend who’s looking to me as an expert/knowledgeable in Disability qualifications. Only problem is I’m only one brain, and she and I are worried that I’m biased because I know her. So I’m looking to you guys for an opinion. Friend is currently on her third try at college, and is finally a last semester Senior. However, she’s in serious danger (according to her) of not passing all/any of her 4 classes because of her extreme depression. She’s unable to get out of bed some days, and thus has missed classes, which lowers her grade by a letter for every day she’s missed (4 in two classes, 3 in one, and 2 in the last). She’s been unable to pull her thoughts together to complete several/some assignments in all of her classes, and is generally doing very poorly, even though she’s very intelligent. When she hasn’t been in school, Friend has been trying to hold down various retail jobs, and usually ends up getting fired or quitting because she’s too depressed to care to work. Friend has been diagnosed w/ Bi-Polar, and has been in the psych ward 2x during the past 5 years. Friend also has a very UNsupportive family, and really is sure how they (or her boyfriend) will react if she even tries for Disability/SSI. So advice there would be a help as well. With what I’ve told you, do you think that Friend has a case for getting on SSI/SSDI? | | Monday, April 2nd, 2012 | 5:09 pm
[gingerkitty2000] |
question about ssdi
i have been on ssdi but i like to go back to school, i do have anxeity attacks but if i can overcome it can i have a dream? is there ways to keep my benefits i had surgery and stomache issues been going to ers and doctorsand i can't loose my medical benefit as i need them i been taking meds as well. but i want to have a nice career job. and i plan to live with my b/f will they reduce my ssdi? i still live with my mother but i want my own life. i want to have a better future for myself and not be on ssdi forever | | Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 | 9:07 pm
[catlazersmewpew]
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Venting
Ugh. I had my CE today and it was fucking awful. It was going fine until the guy said that I "don't look depressed today". I was completely stunned by how stupid his comment was. What the hell is he expecting, that I should show up with a noose around my neck, a bottle of pills in one hand, and a gun in the other?? To be honest, I probably do look a mess while I'm at home because I don't shower/take care of myself as often as I should because it's hard for me to do basic stuff like that everyday. But I usually always try to clean myself up a bit if I'm leaving the house. Then at the end he decided to give me his 'personal opinion' (which I did not ask for, nor care to hear) regarding my situation. It was basically a lecture about extremely obvious shit that I already know and have heard a million times before from plenty of other people. It really fucking pisses me off when people treat me like an idiot, as if I'm not aware of the state of my own life! It just felt like he was dismissing my feelings/condition. And it's funny because I was trying so hard not to cry during the exam. As soon as he said that I suddenly had so many negative memories flooding back, all the time I spent in my room lying in bed not wanting to be alive, all the things that went wrong in my life. I've been really uncharacteristically emotional the past few days (I blame PMS I guess). Then after the exam I had to wait a few hours for my ride home in a parking garage and I was just crying the whole time. Everything felt really hopeless, still does actually. Current Mood: Fucking DEPRESSED | | Friday, January 6th, 2012 | 6:52 pm
[catlazersmewpew]
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Postponed
I had my hearing last Tuesday. It seemed to be going fairly ok until the end. The judge decided to postpone/reschedule because he wanted more current records and wanted me to take another mental status exam. I don't see how that's going to help, the first one didn't even touch on most of my problems. It's going to be a waste of time, the exam is a joke. They said I was being evasive the first time, I think it was because the questions were so vague and I was really nervous so I ended up rambling. It's just annoying, I understand the need for current records but I'm still seeing the same psych. and my situation hasn't improved. I'm only provided 6 sessions a year so I only started seeing her again these past few months. I feel like it's my fault somehow. I thought my psych. had sent everything my lawyer had requested from her. My psych. also made me take a really long, 500 (or so), question test but the results were inconclusive. Whoever scored it thought I was exaggerating/lying but I wasn't. The judge brought up the questionable results at the hearing and I wish I had spoken up but I wasn't sure what to say. What's the point of taking that damn test if no one is going to believe me?? How am I supposed to prove it? So now I guess I'm waiting 3 more months. I'm not sure if that's 3 months for the exam or the hearing. Hah! Who am I kidding, it's most likely the former. I might be seeing a psychiatrist soon to see about taking medication. If that works out, how do I get/send the records for the hearing? I thought this would be handled by my lawyer but apparently not.. Current Mood:  disappointed | | Monday, October 24th, 2011 | 6:42 pm
[violet_tigress1]
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Social Security Announces 3.6 Percent Benefit Increase for 2012
Cost-of-Living Adjustment is First Since 2009 Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 60 million Americans will increase 3.6 percent in 2012, the Social Security Administration announced today. The 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that nearly 55 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2012. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2011. Some other changes that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $110,100 from $106,800. Of the estimated 161 million workers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2012, about 10 million will pay higher taxes as a result of the increase in the taxable maximum. Information about Medicare changes for 2012, when announced, will be available at www.Medicare.gov. For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums. The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola. | | Friday, October 21st, 2011 | 12:33 am
[finalshowdown]
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Insurance question for you guys...
If anyone can help thanks..... Note I live in Michigan if that matters... Recently I got some BS in the mail that apparently I make to much money on disablity($1,300)so they are now saying I have to pay for my medicare and medicaid. They gave me some excuse that the limit someone can make on disability to get these for free is $1,200(.. -___-..)so because im over, they will now be taking $115 out of my check in the first place for medicare, and now my medicaid is going to be $816 dollars a month... WTF? Has this happened to anyone before? Oh need I mention they canceled my food stamps now as well. So now im suppose to somehow still pay rent, be able to buy food and pay for all my medical shit? And I have a lot of medical exspences every month. Hell just restatis for my eyes is like $300 bucks. Let alone being in and out of the hospital all the time.... So its like yea... I obviously... can not survive. The numbers don't even make sense. Has anyone heard of anything like this happening before? I mean I don't see how this even computes. Ive tried talking to the department of human services multiple times and im not getting anywhere.. Does anyone here know anything? Thanks | | Saturday, September 17th, 2011 | 8:28 am
[catlazersmewpew]
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Bad timing
I'm running into a bit of a problem. I've been waiting for my hearing since early this year but now it's very likely I will be moving with my family to another state sometime within the next few months. Everything is up in the air, I have no idea what's going to happen or when. It's a mess. But hypothetically if I did move out of state what would happen with my case? Would everything just be transferred over and I'd have my hearing over there? Am I going to be thrown to the back of the queue in the new state and be made to wait another year or more? Also at what point should I inform SS that I'm moving? I figure the earlier the better but since I'm not 100% sure where I'll end up I just don't know what to do.. Current Mood:  anxious | | Saturday, August 20th, 2011 | 10:45 pm
[chitchatjf]
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Mystery
I have a part time job. I usually work around 16 hours a week so I stay under SGA Each year for the past 6-7 years I get an increase in my SSDI check as they base it on my work history including the past year. What happens is around May or so I get a "larger" check as my benefits now include the wages I made the past year. June and the rest of the year is at the new higher rate. This year it is close to September and I haven't gotten my "We check your wages to see if you are eligible for more SSDI $ due to your work history" letter yet. For example suppose my SSDI was $500 and my wages for last year say an increase of $17. Jan april $500 My may check would be $568 june Dec $517 | | Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 | 9:18 pm
[gehayi]
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SSDI To Me: "Are You Still Disabled?"
So the Social Security Administration has decided that they have to re-evaluate whether or not I'm still fully and permanently disabled. This is something that the SSA does regularly, because it's not like permanent disabilities are permanent. The fact that part of Chromosome 5 is missing with me--resulting in an incompletely developed lymphatic system--isn't relevant. Despite the fact that I have a birth defect that took twenty years to kick in and that there is no way to fix this, they still have to double-check. So what's wrong? My doctors will tell them that I'm still disabled, right? Yeah. But I've been freelancing as an editor, working part-time. I haven't made much money--just enough to pad out the Social Security Disability check, pay for some home repairs (you know how stuff breaks at inconvenient times) and pay down some bills that had been hanging over me. I'm still below poverty level; I've checked. But I don't know how the Social Security Administration is going to judge this. I don't know if they'll decide that my getting about $321.00 every couple of months for editing a manuscript (penny a word, half up front, half when the editing's done) is too much money. I mean, I've been low-balling what I charge so as not to screw up the disability check...but...I don't know. I don't get a regular salary that I can count on. Everything is "work when I get work, if I have time and my health can handle it." So if I lose this check, I am beyond fucked. I have nothing to fall back on and no way that I can pay my bills. I'm so scared that there aren't any words. And I feel that this is not fair. I'm still disabled. I'm having more trouble walking, not less. I've been ill almost all summer, thanks to lymphedema and cellulitis. I'm losing strength and I'm losing stamina. I'm trying, but it's HARD. And now this. What really gets me is that the woman who insisted that I make this appointment swore up and down that the little amount of work I was doing wouldn't cost me my check or make it go down any. But that's not what the letter from Social Security says. It says losing my check is at least possible. So who's right? I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose the check. I don't have any options at all, and I have no one to fall back on it. And if I can't pay the bills, I'm going to lose my house, which is the only asset I own. I don't know what to do. God help me, I don't know what to do. | | Tuesday, August 16th, 2011 | 9:33 pm
[mel06]
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Hello All! My name is Melissa, and I'm a para-educator for a special ed department in a public high school. I'm part way through my master's degree and teaching certificate, and for one of my classes I'm doing some research on what people think about including multimedia and technology in instruction for students with IEPs, FSPs, and 504 plans. I'd really appreciate any and all participation in my project. If you are the PARENT or GUARDIAN of a child with an IEP, FSP, or 504 plan, please fill out my short, anonymous survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9GMNBFPIf you are a STUDENT or a FORMER STUDENT with an IEP, FSP, or 504 plan, please fill out my short, anonymous survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9BTKGJFIf you are a certificated TEACHER, please fill out my short, anonymous survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/93NBY3DThank you so much for all your help! | | Tuesday, August 9th, 2011 | 1:42 pm
[bluegreen17]
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rant about medicare
after two years on disability,i just got medicare. so i went to my np who prescribes my prozac,and i paid her a copay. turns out medicare didn't pay her the rest because i have a deductible? and they are taking 115 dollars out of my disability check this month for medicare. medicare is more expensive than the insurance i got through work.i don't understand why people get upset by medicare payments when the recipients are paying so much. i can't really afford it. i have applied for help,but it's just ridiculous. i just don't get it. edit 8/10 thanks for the encouraging and informative replies. i appreciate it. | | Friday, April 8th, 2011 | 12:19 am
[sketchybrunette]
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| | Friday, December 24th, 2010 | 3:13 am
[omgzitsmiranda]
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Question regarding disability check payment change.
My husband has been on SSDI for two years in February and then he will be switching to Medicare. The state or Medicaid is going to be paying his premiums and they said that his payment date would change to the 3rd I believe and will remain that way. Is this true? Also, would that mean since he starts Medicare that his February check would automatically switch to the 3rd? So since he gets a check January 12th, then would he get another check on the 3rd of February? Current Mood:  confused | | Monday, December 13th, 2010 | 10:55 am
[omnivorously]
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I'm in the process of gathering all my medical records. My plan is to photocopy the originals and send in copies. There isn't any problem with that, is there? They don't need to receive the medical records directly from the doctor's office? My other question is what kinds of assistance could I be looking for while I go through the process with my SSDI app? I live in Philadelphia. I'm applying for food stamps asap and there's Medicare. I've started researching, but I'm not clear yet on the criteria for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) - can anyone tell me about that? I figure I should start looking around for local organizations that can provide cash assistance, but I'm not sure where to start looking. Also, do they require documentation, like a bank statement? Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions! | | Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 | 8:38 pm
[trustpects]
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Community for Frontal or Temporal Lobe Brain Injury
Hello all, There wasn't a community geared toward being supportive of those affected by frontal or temporal lobe brain injury, so I recently created one. Here is a synopsis of the community: WHO is this community for? People affected by frontal or temporal lobe traumatic brain injury (tbi) in one or more of the following ways: has a frontal or temporal tbi, interact with someone who has that, relevant medical professionals, students, and those simply interested in making a positive difference in the lives of those affected by that. WHAT are this community's goals? Bringing individuals together to communicate with each other, discuss relevant topics, and share resources, support, and inspiration. The community is located at http://community.livejournal.com/front_tmprl_tbi . I look forward to seeing you there. If you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a note. Kind regards, trustpects
| | Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 | 2:41 pm
[gehayi]
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Affordable Medicare Supplements?
I just got a letter today telling me that, as of January 1, 2011, the cost of the premiums for my Medicare supplement (it covers hospitalization) is going up from 227.53 to 271.14. There is no way that I can afford nearly three hundred dollars in premiums every month and still pay my other bills from my Social Security disability check. There is no way at all. There will not be enough money to go around. I cannot make it work. On the other hand, I am chronically ill and do need a plan that allows me to be hospitalized if my health should require it. Does anyone have any ideas? I'm fresh out, and I'm trying desperately not to panic. | | Saturday, November 6th, 2010 | 5:04 am
[catlazersmewpew]
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Exams
So is it standard for SS to request a physical exam even though you've filed on the basis of a 'mental' condition? I know these exams aren't pointless, I just have a feeling it will work against my case even more. I sort of wish they would find something wrong.. at least then there'd be a solid, undeniable, possibly curable, explanation & I'm not just crazy. Now I'm wondering why they didn't ask for one before. I mean they had me do a mental status exam a few months ago (before my first appeal) so why ask for a physical now? It would be nice if they did everything all at once instead of waiting 1-2 months between each step. It's such a strange & inefficient system. Anyways, should I just expect a regular routine physical? They're not going to do any uncomfortable/unusual tests right..? Oh I almost forgot.. they sent me another packet to fill out (the one that asks about daily routine, limitations, and whatnot). But I've already filled one out before. Am I just expected to put the exact same answers again? My condition hasn't really changed so I feel a bit silly & redundant.. | | Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 | 7:05 pm
[ostentations]
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Medicaid in Illinois?
Hi there. I am on SSDI, live in Illinois and I've just received my Medicaid card. Or I think that's what it is. It says MediPlan Card on it, has a bunch of numbers (case ID number, eligibility period, etc.) and says on the back that I am eligible for Medicaid. So... is this it? I've been in contact with the IL DHS about my application and everything, and they said they were finishing up my enrollment but I guess I expected a little bit more information? Such as, what's the copay (if any), what does it cover, how do they determine if it will be renewed, etc. Obviously I could go to my DHS office or call the number but those things aren't really possible at this particular moment. I just got this in the mail today and went "huh?" Anybody else in Illinois and on Medicaid that would care to help explain? Or have a handy link? :) Much appreciated. | | Friday, October 15th, 2010 | 8:45 am
[dkittyk] |
Waiting for Decision
Hello,
I am applying for ssdi/ssi due to my disabling condition, hereditary pancreatic disease. Due to my congenital defect, which has resulted in pancreatic functional problems, it has progressively worsened. I was working up until Jul09, then in an effort to keep my job, with hopes of improving, I tried working from home. Eventually I was let go from my job. I was unable to go in, meet deadlines, complete tasks, etc. I completed my ssdi application months ago. Once my name made it to the top of the list to have my case reviewed, it took about 2 months for the doctor to review it and to receive a notice that they wanted me to go for a mental status evaluation. I saw the psychologist Monday for the mental status evaluation. It took a 1/2 hour, shockingly fast. He told me that the mse is usually the last thing requested before they make a decision. Is this true? Also, the psychologist seemed positive that I would be approved. Has anyone else had that happen (go for the mse, psychologist agree you should be on disability, and then actually be approved)? He told me I should know within 7-10 days and it usually takes about a month to start receiving payments. It's hard not to read into it, like he knows I'll be approved or something. However, I do not want to think everything is finally worked out, I am going to be ok, I can let go of that stress and start focusing on myself, health/wellness. I already know that if I am denied that I will get a lawyer and appeal... I just want it over with. I am tired of relying and being a financial strain on my family. It has been about 8 months and I am tired of the process. If anyone else would share their experiences I would appreciate it! Thanks!
Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone. Current Mood: anxious |
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