Re: Filing for Social Security Disability

[Guest guest]

Bill,

When I was too sick to be able to think strait, I went into the social security office and asked about getting on disability, they gave me forms, I send them to the Transplant team, they returned them and I was on disability- no problems. I guess I was lucky, but I had been on the list for several years, and the Drs. new me pretty well. Getting medicare and medicaid was a major relief. The disability payment was also very "sweet". When you are really in need, SS should not be a problem. That is what the government is suppose to do. Liver disease and organ failure isn't like getting hurt on the job or in an accident. Some of that can be faked or exaggerated but no one really wants to need an organ transplant just to collect a bit of money.

I know many people have problems getting disability, however, the program is set up to help people like us who are genuinely sick through no fault of our own.

Don't get worried until you need to, just apply.

MizKit

[Guest guest]

slowpoke2ok wrote:

> I am on a transplant list and until now have been able to continue

> working. However that is rapidly changing. Does anyone have recent

> experience filing for and winning SSI Disability Benefits? Any help

> would be greatly appreciated.

> Bill

I know that at least one person in the group has gone through the

process in just the past month or so. They filled out the application

online and heard back in just a couple of weeks!!! This really blows my

mind because when I got disability (1998), it was a process which took

over a year. Of course, that was before my PSC diagnosis; it was based

just on the Crohn's dx. Apparently when you put PSC into the equation,

they don't even hesitate!

Regards,

Carolyn B. in SC

[Guest guest]

slowpoke2ok wrote:

> I am on a transplant list and until now have been able to continue

> working. However that is rapidly changing. Does anyone have recent

> experience filing for and winning SSI Disability Benefits? Any help

> would be greatly appreciated.

> Bill

I know that at least one person in the group has gone through the

process in just the past month or so. They filled out the application

online and heard back in just a couple of weeks!!! This really blows my

mind because when I got disability (1998), it was a process which took

over a year. Of course, that was before my PSC diagnosis; it was based

just on the Crohn's dx. Apparently when you put PSC into the equation,

they don't even hesitate!

Regards,

Carolyn B. in SC

[Guest guest]

slowpoke2ok wrote:

> I am on a transplant list and until now have been able to continue

> working. However that is rapidly changing. Does anyone have recent

> experience filing for and winning SSI Disability Benefits? Any help

> would be greatly appreciated.

> Bill

I know that at least one person in the group has gone through the

process in just the past month or so. They filled out the application

online and heard back in just a couple of weeks!!! This really blows my

mind because when I got disability (1998), it was a process which took

over a year. Of course, that was before my PSC diagnosis; it was based

just on the Crohn's dx. Apparently when you put PSC into the equation,

they don't even hesitate!

Regards,

Carolyn B. in SC

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have recent

> > experience filing for and winning SSI Disability

> Benefits? Any help

> > would be greatly appreciated.

My brother went through SSI last August. He filled

out the papers online, had a meeting withn a couple

weeks. Had a doctors exam a couple weeks later, then

he was approved. Getting his first payments took the

longest. He got a check the first part of Nov. Then

didn't get anything until the end of Dec. But, they

back dated his disability to Feb. 2005, so he got a

nice big check.

He didn't have any problems getting approved, just the

time to get in the system and checks to start coming.

PSC is a listed disability with SSI so you shouldn't

have any problems.

in Texas

Brother, , 29, UC & PSC

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have recent

> > experience filing for and winning SSI Disability

> Benefits? Any help

> > would be greatly appreciated.

My brother went through SSI last August. He filled

out the papers online, had a meeting withn a couple

weeks. Had a doctors exam a couple weeks later, then

he was approved. Getting his first payments took the

longest. He got a check the first part of Nov. Then

didn't get anything until the end of Dec. But, they

back dated his disability to Feb. 2005, so he got a

nice big check.

He didn't have any problems getting approved, just the

time to get in the system and checks to start coming.

PSC is a listed disability with SSI so you shouldn't

have any problems.

in Texas

Brother, , 29, UC & PSC

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have recent

> > experience filing for and winning SSI Disability

> Benefits? Any help

> > would be greatly appreciated.

My brother went through SSI last August. He filled

out the papers online, had a meeting withn a couple

weeks. Had a doctors exam a couple weeks later, then

he was approved. Getting his first payments took the

longest. He got a check the first part of Nov. Then

didn't get anything until the end of Dec. But, they

back dated his disability to Feb. 2005, so he got a

nice big check.

He didn't have any problems getting approved, just the

time to get in the system and checks to start coming.

PSC is a listed disability with SSI so you shouldn't

have any problems.

in Texas

Brother, , 29, UC & PSC

[Guest guest]

Bill,

I had a friend who had encouraged me to apply long before I did for

SSDI. I wish I'd done it sooner! I felt like I didn't deserve it

because I'd stopped working voluntarily to spend more time with my

son. As it turned out, that didn't matter. I had put in enough time

working prior that I qualified when my health deteriorated. In fact,

shortly before I applied, a SSDI employee from the local office

approached me at the grocery store and begged me to apply (I was

glowing yellow by then). I called that night and set up an

appointment to go.

I took all of my medical records that I'd been collecting with me in

a folder that resembled the one that Barb did for Ken - very

organized with all my tests together - and the ones that said

cirrhosis in front of the rest. I worked with a SSDI employee in the

office at my appointment and she completed the form for me. We sent

records requests to my various doctors, too. Since I already had so

much history to give them, the decision took less than a month. I

was relieved to have the extra income and a year's back " pay " just

prior to transplant. It doesn't have to be an ordeal, but it helps

if you have everything together before you go - speeds the process

along.

HTH -

Deb in VA

[Guest guest]

Cirrhosis is one of the listings that will automatically grant you SS. Make sure when you apply you get information from every doctor, hospital, clinic that has treated you for the last 10 or 15 years. When you fill out the paperwork, fill it out like your having one of your really bad days. For me there are days when I do feel well and then their are more days than good that I am ill and SS looks at the situation like if you can do it at all, you can still work so be very careful in the wording of the application. Good luck

Barbara Doyle