social security

[matzky]

Do symptoms with HCM ever become so bad that people need to go on disibility? If so, how much does SS cover and what is the process to apply for it?

Does anyone have any experience with that?

Thanks

[Midge Rollins]

Yes, there are many people who have had to apply and have received disability for HCM. You apply through your local social security office. All of your doctors notes, records etc will be obtained by them. They will review these and determine if you are eligible. I personally had to apply twice. By the 2nd time I was in Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. If you indeed are unable to work, and need to apply it is likely you will receive it.

[Pam Alexson]

Also..before you start this process ..please sit down and talk to your doctors. You need their full support and documentations quantifying your limitation to get approved.
Disability SS allotments depends on what you earned in your work history. The statements that SS sends us periodically defines the amounts. There is a 6 month waiting period after ones approval. No money during that interval. Then the checks start. Two years after receiving monthly checks, medicare insurance coverage at 80% starts. You will always need a 20% gap insurance to pay the 20% not covered by medicare and that is paid out of your pocket. Medicare takes a premium right out of your monthly check for part B and they take a premium for the WONDERFUL part D medication plan. When they finish taking back there is hardly enough to pay bills let alone eat. If your allotment is low enough the state you live in MAY help pay for your 20% gap insurance and part B and you may be able to get your meds very cheap through your state aid.
Do not count on anything and do your homework/ research.

Medicare is not something that most elderly can easily survive on and for single head of household young people it can be devastating!

Best of luck.

Pam

[Seabee Vet]

Hi Pam,

To reinforce your information...I was laid off from my job in 2001. Having no Health Insurance or other Benefits from any former Employers, I went to the Veterans Administration. I was in the Military from 1966 until 1969 and therefore eligible.

In 2005 I applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Call the local Social Security Office (SSA) or www.socialsecurity.gov. Fill out the form and send it in, you will need the names of all your Doctors and any other info requested on the form. SSA will set up an appointment, usually a phone call and discuss the questionaire, get more info and contact the Doctors. I was told it would take 6 - 9 months to start recieving SSDI. I had my 1st check 2 months later and one year back pay, no questions asked once they confirmed the HCM.

At first they encouraged me to seek Employment and any money I earned within the next 9 months was mine, no questions. I did find a job, but the HCM caused too many problems with me in the field, I was fired after 3 months. SSA questioned me on the money I earned and without a solid answer, they threatened to make me repay 50 cents on the dollar (this job was within their 9 month limit). They accepted my answer, thank God. After the 9 months I received a limit on how much I can earn, but am not seeking employment. I am 62 years old.

I've been told, if I find work, SSA will take me off SSDI and I will NOT be able to collect again until I reach Retirement (age 66). Also, once I reach Retirement, my SS will drop to standard rates. I don't know if that is true or not.

As a Veteran I was give the choice of Medicare (or not). I opted out because I'm totally covered for medical by the VA. Medicare charges the then going rate and if you wait the price goes up. One problem, the VA does not cover an Ambulance, even thought they told me to dial 911 in an Emergency and they WOULD take care of it. WRONG. An Ambulance will take you to a local "General Hospital" where you will be treated and released, then you have to get transportation to the VA. ALL out of your own pocket, unless you have some form of insurance to cover yourself.

But, get your application in and GOOD LUCK.

[mtlieb]

I have only one thing to add to the others. Social Security is setup in such a way as to automatically deny you the first time around. You should consider it a 'given' that you will be denied your first try. Some folks are lucky and get it the first time around, but that is rare. The system is setup in such a way that the majority of folks get SSI only on appeal. That's just the way it works. Hang in there.

[Seabee Vet]

I agree, I should have noted that. I was told SSA would deny me, but don't give up, KEEP FIGHTING. As I noted I received my 1st check right away...I was lucky.

DON'T GIVE UP.

[pblead]

Seabee Vet-

You will be on disability until age 66 then you will be converted to retirement. Generally, there is no difference in the payment amount, but occasionally, the retirement benefit will be slightly higher than the disability benefit. You will not draw a lower benefit at 66.

[Seabee Vet]

Thanks pblead.

I have 4 older brothers, who are all retired on SS and they're "mad" because I make more on SSDI. They don't realize I have a College education/degree and made more yearly then they did. They're hoping I get cut in half at 66.:rolleyes:

A footnote here...I get along fantastically with my brothers, we are the best of friends, it's more they're wives who don't like it. ...Life goes on.;)

[ttelson]

On this note, when my husband applied for SSDI, he was in heart failure and being evaluated for a heart transplant. We went into Social Security with copies of all of the docotrs records for the last 12 years. This helped. I think if you give them as much info as possible ahead of time, it is less likely you will be denied. We were approved right away. However, there was a 5 month waiting period before the benefits started to pay. We actually only recieved benefits for 3 months. He got his new heart, and is back to work.

[blazinspirit]

I am also going through the whole process of applying for my SSI, I am no longer able to work and have full support of my doctors. I called first gave some info and set up an appt. in office to meet with a ss rep.
It is very important to have support of your doctors and helpful to be fully prepared in having all your medications, doctors, hospitals treated/tests at and addresses, phone numbers and witnesses to someone who knows about your history of illness. I took a whole stack of reports from doctors, all the above info, and went to ssi disability beginners kit and filled that out. It was a big help to the person helping me.
It is true that most all people do get denied the first time and that you should not give up!! keep fighting, after denial get a lawyer to help you if needed. Most the time there is no charge to you unless you win.
I am 32 yrs old, my dad was 25 yrs old when he became disabled to hcm.

[shirleymahoney]

Good Luck

I have been trying since 2003 and keep getting denied and I was told SSI I could not get because my husband makes too much money and that since I haven't worked since 2002 I don't qualify for SSDI, But don't give up keep appealing and I'm now talking to a Lawyer and he says it is going to be difficult

Shirley

[kathyn2]

Shirely, I help moderate a forum for ssdi benefits and the travails of getting on it. You have to have worked a certain amount of quarters in order to qualify. Recent quarters. What it amounts to is that you have to have worked approximately 5 out of the past 10 years. SSA will only go back 1 year from when you apply. BUT, you need to appeal if they deny you. No one ever wins (hardly) on the first application. You need to appeal up to at least the administrative law judge hearing. But if you haven't worked 5 out of the past 10 years there is no sense applying. If you did work 10 years in a row you only chance would be to try and prove you were disabled way back when you were insured under ssa. That is your slight chance.

Anyone that is apply for ssdi be sure to appeal and go to the www.ssa.gov site and look up the listing of impairments or 'blue book' and look up cardiomyopathy. You will see what you need to prove to SSA to get disability. If you don't meet their definition, you won't win but if you appeal up to the alj hearing you may win there because the judge's have alot more descretion. You have to prove there is NO job in the national economy you can do whether trained for it or not.