SSI benefits

[Guest guest]

This website may be helpful to those interested in finding out more about SSI

benefits that are available for those with disabilities.

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The Disability Starter Kits are available for both adult beneficiaries, as

well as for children under age 18. The starter kits provide information

about the specific documents and the information that SSA requests from

its beneficiaries. The kits also provide general information about the

disability programs and the SSA decision-making process that can help take

some of the mystery out of applying for disability benefits.

Each Disability Starter Kit contains a:

Fact sheet that answers questions most people ask about applying

for disability benefits,

Checklist of documents and information SSA requests, and

Worksheet to help gather and organize the information.

Access the URL to link to an adult or child starter kit in both

English and Spanish formats.

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/disability_starter_kits.htm

[Guest guest]

> What kind of benefit do you get from SSI?

I don't think anyone has replied to you yet. I haven't gotten the SSI

yet, but I am hoping to. They just have to send me the letter unless

they need income proof which we haven't sent yet, because they

haven't asked for it. Anyway, SSI benefits are for paople who

are " disabled " . They will send you a certain amount of money each

month to help with medical bills, therapy, etc. I think that the

amount you get is based on your income (someone correct me if I am

wrong). In our case we need it because my husband loses 5 hours a

week to take our son to occupational therapy. That puts us in a

financial bind since we have to live paycheck to paycheck. If you are

approved for SSI then your child will get medicaid. That will also

make you eligible for WIC. We make a whole 30 dollars a month too

much for WIC right now.

I hope this helped some. I know that you can go to the Social

Security web site and get more information on it.

[Guest guest]

On our second attempt, and in Fulton County instead of Cobb, we

qualified for SSI and Medicaid. When we were not eligible for SSI,

we qualified for the Deeming Waiver. We didn't have to have a new

exam probably because I had every evaluation and report on ds since

he was diagnosed at age 2 (at the time he was 6). If you don't have

the number of years of consistent reports, the next best thing is to

have current evals, treatment plans, education plans, therapy

reports (consisting of goals and progress reports).

Also, I read a question in this thread about the Deeming Waiver.

The purpose for the Waiver is to reimburse families or individuals

for care and living expenses when living at home and/or

independently when they might otherwise have been

institutionalized. Therefore, to qualify for the waiver, you have

to demonstrate enough need for supports.

Nats

>

> I was suppose take Tyler next Tuesday to have his medical

evealuation

> for SSI benefits. They called today and said that the evaluation

> wasn't necessary because they could make a decision with the

> information that they have already received. Has anyone else had a

> situation like this and was it a good outcome? I am afraid since

they

> don't need and evaluation that might not be good news. Then again,

I

> am wondering if the diagnoses and medical records from the Marcus

> Institute was enough for them not to have to see him. If anyone

can

> help me out, please do. Feel free to e-mail me personally at

> tylerhaley01@a...

> Thanks so much!

>

[Guest guest]

Hello again!

What state does the parent live in? Here in Kentucky we have a program

called First Steps! All three of our Achon children have participated in

this program. It brings P/Ts O/Ts Speech Therapists or what ever the need be

to your home to work with children with disabilities or learning problems

that are newborn til 3 years of age, to help them catch/keep up with others

their age. The caseworkers for the children also help in getting SSI

benefits to help pay for the care and to make up for the parents' time for

having to stay at home with them. Not to mention all of the other expenses

that come up. Maybe there is a program in the parents state that is similar

to this one! It has truly been a blessing to us! (Jackie, Tina and Paige If

you happen to read this, we appreciate everything you ladies have done!!!)

My wife and I disagree about this but I think the child has to be at least 1

yr. old, but maybe not!

Thanks for listening,

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Here's my story with Social Security;

I can kind of see the doctors point of view who said dwarfism and shortness are

not a disability. As we know, there are many types of dwarfisms each with their

own abilities. I know many Achon adults who have no physical issues, can run

miles, physically fit, and can go out and get almost any job. Should they

qualify for disability just because they have a dwarfism when they can clearly

work and have no medical issues? Unfortunately I know of at least one person

with a dwarfism who after speaking with said they are on disability because they

could be vs. going out and working which they physically could do. I don't

think that is right by any means.

I believe though Dwarfism is covered by the ADA?

It doesn't surprise me that just putting down dwarfism gets one denied. In

their books of disability most assume Dwarfism is Achondroplasia. To become

qualified you have to have your own doctors notes sent, medical records, and

proof that working would be difficult, as well as your medical issues.

Unfortunately, proving that is a fight.

I've noticed that even among those with Pseudo, like myself, we have totally

different abilities. I have a friend who as a Pseudo can walk a mile. I can

tell you if I had every joint in my legs replaced no way could I ever walk a

mile.

I was accepted for disability when I was five and it was due to having

osteoarthritis on top of dwarfism. When my mom passed away at age eleven it was

then combined into disability & survivors. When I turned 18 I was let go, as I

was an adult. I went to reprove and I was denied, even though the reasons why I

got it in the first place did not change and more issues where thrown onto the

pile. We had to go to court and the judge ruled in my favor.

I've always wanted to work, which is why I went to college, and thought I had

found a great job at the airline. I worked in the call center, as, I love to

talk, all you do is talk! I can tell you after eight or nine months due to my

arthritis, I would get horrible flare-ups in my jaws where I could barely open

my mouth and speak. It quickly became apparent I could no longer do call center

jobs like that. A month after leaving there, my jaws never bothered me again.

I then found a job as a teller, not a glamorous job, but to get your foot in the

door, you have to start there. I really loved working with the members and

learning about the financial world. At the time I applied I was in better

physical health, however, within six months, it was too physically demanding

with going up and down stools many times a day and carrying a heavy drawer.

Doing that sped up the deterioration of my hip. They found out I was going to

have my hip replaced, I couldn't move fast enough anymore to keep up with the

workload, and for bogus reasons they let me go. It still bothers me the

ignorance they had towards me, however, now, it was a blessing in disguise.

An attorney advised me to get back on Social again because the reality was at

that time, I could barely get dressed and take a few steps even with crutches

without being in horrid pain, no way could I physically get up and go to work

anymore.

Social checked my new medical files and I was approved, no denial, no appeal,

which was great, but made me realize wow, I'm really broke down lol.

I say the firing was a blessing in disguise because even though my surgery was

successful, no way for me would I have been able to return to work within three

months after, which is the most FMLA would grant.

I've been able to recover at my pace as even though the surgery overall was a

success, I've had a few bumps in recovery.

I'm hoping to visit Independence First in the spring to help me job hunt. I can

tell you my goal was to never spend my whole life on Social Security. I have a

brain, I am educated, I know there has to be something out there I can do,

however, getting older and breaking down more, I know I have more limitations

than when I was 21. I do not want to be in a situation again where I am fired

for really not being able to physically do that job, or having to quit because

it was too physically demanding. Unfortunately because of those situations my

resume is looking spotty which may hinder my hiring. I also keep in the back of

my mind that my other hip could go at any time like the other one did. My hip

went bad after one day and was downhill from there. In a month, a year, or five

years from now my other hip could go as well, I just don't know when. Would I be

fired again but this time because I took too much time off of work to recover?

I can tell you, being on social security has been wonderful to help me during

this time as well as with medical costs, but, on the flip side I'm barely

covering my bills. Being on social security you don't have a 401k, you won't

have a retirement fund when you're old as they don't let you save up. You're

financially stuck, barely enough to make bills, but never enough to save up and

get ahead, unless you do it illegally.

I wish the Social Security gods were well educated about the different types of

dwarfisms and issues that come with it, it would make things a whole lot easier

for a lot of people. I hope as well those who want to go on it realize what

they are financially getting themselves into, especially if you live alone.

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