Re: Tips on applying for SS Disability:

[Guest guest]

That is great Kaye. Some very good points and ideas here......hope you are

well

Mark E. Armstrong

www.top5plus5.com

Tips on applying for SS Disability:

> Hello to all:

>

> I have been reading the stories you all have been writing about the

> horrors of the SS Disability system. My heart goes out to each and

> every one who has to go through this mess. In October of 1998 I

> applied for SS disability and was approved in about two weeks. I

> sent Tull a letter asking if I could share what I did with you all.

> It may not work for you but then again it might. I believe anytime

> you can obtain SS disability yourself and keep it out of the

> attorneys hands is a plus so here goes:

>

> 1. I called the SS disability office to set up an appointment.

>

> 2. I made sure I had EVERY medical records pertaining to this

> disease in my posession.

>

> 3. I went to my doctors and obtained letters of disability MYSELF to

> include with my application.

>

> 4. I called my " state representative " to get him involved BEFORE I

> ever applied for SS. That means they will send you a form to fill

> out giving them permission to investigate your case. You keep a copy

> of that form and also submit that when you APPLY. Also when you send

> the form back to the representative giving permission to look into

> your case, send copies of the letters from your doctors with it for

> the rep to read.

>

> 5. I wrote a cover letter explaining to the SS disability board

> exactly why I was eligible for disability in as much medical depth as

> I could. How this disease had affected my work, why I could not work

> etc.

>

> 6. On the day of the interview, I took all of my medical

> records...in my case about 1000 pages. I also left that much in the

> car " just in case. " What was in the car was not necessary but if you

> need the " paper " you have it. They cannot refuse to take your

> records.

>

> 7. DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE INTIMIDATE YOU. Be polite but firm. In

> my case the person who took my application was young, probably in her

> late 20s. Right off the bat, she gave me the attitude of being some

> kind of " deadbeat " applying for SS. Very politely but firmly I told

> her I would not sit and be criticized and that I expected her to be

> professional. Immediately she changed her attitude and we got along

> very well and still do on occasion when I have to get in contact with

> her.

>

> I applied for my SS on October 30 1998, was approved on November 13

> and received 12 months back pay on December 1, 1998. I was as

> surprised as you all must be me telling you this.

>

> The point of all of this is the following: One reason SS claims take

> so long is that the hospitals and doctors offices delay sending out

> your medical records to them and they get tired of waiting for them.

> Having worked in the capacity of being on the end of sending out

> records, we were told to " throw SS requests in the trash because SS

> will send another one " . Sometimes SS sends up to 6 requests before

> they either deny or they get your medical records. It goes the same

> way for attorneys, we were told to ignore those requests also.

>

> As far as getting your state rep involved the point of that is this:

> Why wait until you have been denied once? If you can send them the

> form that shows you have already contacted your state rep then SS

> sees this as a step you have not waited to take.

>

> Also if you get your docs to write your disability letters for you to

> include in your application that takes care of the delay caused by SS

> waiting on physician letters.

>

> Keeping copies of your medical records is obvious. But, you need to

> know what to ask for when asking for your medical records. I suggest

> the following things to ask for from each hospital admission:

>

> 1. Your history and physical (H & P).

> 2. Any and all consultations (Con) These are reports dictated by

> physicians other than your primary who admitted you that saw you;

> i.e.: GI doc, hematologist, surgeon or whatever.

> 3. Any and all operative reports or procedure notes.

> 4. Any and all radiology (x-ray) reports or procedures. ERCPs are

> handled by the radiology department. So are some Broviac

> placements (unless done by a surgeon and then they are an

> oeprative report), PICC line placements, etc. If you know

> the exact name of the procedure request it by name, i.e. ERCP

> report, upper GI endoscopy report, HIDA scan, Broviac placement,

> whatever.

> 5. Any and all laboratory reports.

> 6. You discharge summary. This is a summary of your hospital course

> while you were there. But do not use the discharge summary to

> take the place of all of these other reports because it is not

> usually in depth and doesn't cover all of the above.

>

> All charts have to have a history and physical and discharge summary.

> It almost must have a dictated report of any operations/procedures

> you have had (if any), all consultations (being seen by another

> specialty), reports of all radiology tests, procedures, etc. If it

> was less than 30 days between admissions I believe they can use the

> history and physical from the last chart.

>

> As far as getting your medical records, they cannot deny you those

> records. But make sure when you fill out the request, you list

> specifically as I have told you above the reports you want. They do

> have the right to charge you. But if you are going to take them to

> another doctor they usually don't....if you get my drift. Always

> keep copies for yourself.

>

> I got two phone calls from SS in the two weeks it took for them to

> approve me and both calls were " courtesy, dumb question calls " . It

> was like they were picking for something to ask. They didn't really

> have anything to ask. They asked me questions like What is the first

> thing you do in when you get up in the morning....my answer go sit in

> the rocking chair with my cup of tea. Then they proceeded to ask me

> where in the house is your rocking chair!

>

> To me that was a unneccessary question. I answered it but I also

> called my state representatives office and told them what had

> happened. They asked me to document it and send it to them; that SS

> had no business asking those knids of questions.

>

> I cannot guarantee this will work for you but this is what I did. I

> would think that if you were turned down once and appealed you could

> go about it the same way. Anything you can do to get it you should

> if no more than to keep that money you would be paying an attorney.

> It is no big secret and I think SS wants to scare people and get them

> to " give up " . We just have to be one step ahead!

>

> I hope this helps someone. If you have any questions feel free.

>

> Wishing you a good pancreas day!

>

> Kaye

>

>

>

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