How Many Stage 4 Girls are getting SS disability..
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I am already on SSDI, now I am considering applying for SSI also. But I have a 401K worth a little over $17000, and a CD worth about $627; I am wondering if those two things will be put in the caterogy of having "too much in assets". I don't want to spend that money if I don't have to, so I want to think carefully before I decide.
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Hi Nanalinda!
You mentioned about all these disability benefits that you were able to use - your daughter;s school loan, your car loan, etc. Are all these through SSDI or through welfare? I ask because I went to the welfare office and even at 60% of my pay, I am not qualified for other assistance.
I think this is great what you are eligible! Thanks!
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Annalemma, I looked at the link you posted. Here I will quote from it:
We will automatically enroll you in Medicare after you get disability benefits for two years. (Note: Residents of Puerto Rico or foreign countries will not receive Part B automatically. They must elect this benefit.) We start counting the 24 months from the month you were entitled to receive Disability, not the month when you received your first check.
My SS representative explained that the 24 months was from when you were eligible to receive benefits. i.e. 29 months after your disability date. Here's the dates she gave me.
My disability date is Nov 1, 2009, since that is when my income / hours went below the $980 / months. My eligibility date will be April 2010, and I will receive my first check in May for the April benefit. Therefore, the 24 months begins counting April 2010, and I will be eligible for Medicare in April 2012.
Also, when I got my COBRA paperwork, that letter said the maximum length for COBRA eligibility was 18 months, EXCEPT if you are ineligible for health insurance because of disability. Then you are COBRA eligible for 29 months. This would correspond with the information my SS representative gave me.
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JennGrace: I had a disability policy on my car loan. I contacted the bank who sent me some paperwork for the onc office to fill out for me. Every six months they send me more paperwork to be filled out to be sure I am still disabled, but they have continued to pay my car loan. The student loan was actually my loan... it was a parent loan for my daughter. Again... I contacted them; they sent me paperwork for the onc. office to complete. It really helps financially. I would check on any loans that you have to see if you have disability insurance on it. You may even have disability on some of your credit cards.
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Nanalinda, may I ask who your Parent Loan was with? Mine is with Sallie Mae and they keep giving me the run-around. I'm thinking I may get my congressperson in on it, I'm that desperate.
Lisa
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Bump
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Lisa: My parent loan was through Wachovia. I did have a problem with them at first... the application was not filled out to their satisfaction and they kept sending it back. But they finally approved the loan discharge. It took awhile but was worth the fight. If you have to... contact your congressman. Good luck.
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bumping up
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If you're Stage IV but currently NED, does that affect your ability to get SSDI?
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It doesn't matter if you are NED or not, Stage 4 is Stage 4, and you should be eligible. Assuming you have worked enough & put money into SS in the past, and are not currently working or are quitting soon because of a disability.
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Thanks, MJ!
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I am already on SSDI, now I am considering applying for SSI also. But I have a 401K worth a little over $17000, and a CD worth about $627; I am wondering if those two things will be put in the caterogy of having "too much in assets". I don't want to spend that money if I don't have to, so I want to think carefully before I decide.
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I think you have to have less than $2,000 in assets (3,000 for a couple), not counting your house or car, to get SSI.
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I just found out that I don't qualify for LTD through my past employer. this is a bummer, because I will 'lose' out about $500 a month due to this. I have been approved for SS though and the checks have been coming in just in time when LTD should have kicked in. I've scheduled for an interview to see if SS will offset what my LTD will no longer pay? I heard that LTD will offset SS but not vice versa. Does anybody know if this is true?
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Jenn,
My company would pay 60% LTD but would not pay this if I was getting this money from SSDI. They even help those entitled to get SSDI so they don't have to pay LTD. However, they do cover the majority of my medical insurance still on LTD.
Terri
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What if you own a business that others are running for you? I want to start a small consulting business using other consultants to do work. I collect SSDI and can earn about $900/month. Can I have the business and pay myself that amount to prepare proposals, review contracts, and do some of the training classes that would be needed - about 20 hrs/week. I have been doing about that much each week as a volunteer and I seem to be able to handle it without getting overly tired or stressed out.
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One of my interests in doing the company is to get group health insurance. I'm currently on Cobra but it is too expensive to continue, and I won't qualify for Medicare until March 2012, and that won't cover my husband whose only coverage is through me.
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I am in a tough spot again. My COBRA expires May 6th, and I was denied an extenstion when I applied for it. My Medicare won't kick in til November. I have been getting SSDI payments since April 2009. I tried to apply for SSI today and was told I make too much money, and that's just based on the SSDI payments I get, not including any other assets.
I am awaiting approval on an application I put in for insurance through BCBS of Michigan, and praying that it will be approved, and if it is, that I can get the pre-existing waiting period waived. I also started the process today of applying for Medicaid just in case, but I am afraid they may tell me I make too much money for that too.
All added stress I don't need right now, as I just started chemo again last week. What is sad is that I am more afraid of not being able to pay for the cancer treatment than I am of the fact that my cancer may be killing me.
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Does your state have a high risk pool you can join? In California, you are allowed to do this once you have exhausted your COBRA. You might call the state insurance commissioner's office and see what options you have.
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I just checked and Michigan doesn't have that.
I did my BCBS application online April 9th, so I am hoping to hear from them soon.
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I was approved for SS in less than 2 wks. They back dated the application and approved me from the date my Onc. said the mets were actually there but got missed by my orthopedic. I fractured my hip back in Sept. but continued working until Feb. when it was finally found out that I in fact had bone mets in several areas. So I am due to get my 1st check the 28th of this month. I'm still not exactly sure why I do not receive anything for my minor child. They told me there is a maximum family amount and that's all that they can give me. My income has been cut more than in half the last 2 years because of me being off work so much with my initial treatments in 08 and then I was off quite a bit in 09 due to finishing my inititial treatments and then fracturing my hip I was off 8 wks. I'm not exactly sure how they compute the amounts but I only get $690.00 a month. Doesn't seem like much for someone who has worked for 27 years, but I mostly worked part-time. I'm VERY concerned about my insurance. The Cobra amount is through the roof. What I'm wondering abou with cobra is can I just get it on myself and not the whole family? They want $1,100.00 for a family plan and that is not feasible. Our only income right now is my disability that's getting ready to start and my husband's unemployment benefits. I'm glad I found this thread.. Alot of good information here.
Suzanne E.
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Suzanne; you might want to check to see if you'd qualify for Medicaid; I agree that is an outrageous amount for COBRA!
As for the question about your family being on the COBRA, I would start by asking the human resources department of your former employer; if they can't answer your question, they should be able to tell you who to ask.
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Bump
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am in the process of filling out the SSD form and am assuming the date of disability is the date that I was diagnosed with the recurrence...and what does mean being divorced and married to someone for more than 10 years have to do with it?
Sandy
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I am considering applying..I can't work the long hours anymore. Been reading your posts with great interest. I would have to continue to work to keep my health insurance until Medicare kicked in.
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The date of disability is either the date of your mets diagnosis (or when you SHOULD have been diagnosed, based on a reasonable medical testing --see above of missed diagnosis example from Suzanne), AND when you stopped earning over the maximum monthly amount ($980 a month I believe is the limit). For example, I and some others continued to work & earn over $1,000 gross a month even after our mets dx, so my SS disability eligibility started the day I was "unable" to earn at least $980 / month.
I don't know about divorce & marriage question. Is it possible that you could be eligible for SS disability based on a current or former spouse's earnings? Just a guess.
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thanks guess I should check!! Ok I called and this is what I found out......I was married over 10 years and they might dip into his (he won't know it) and it could increase my money, but I might need a copy of the divorce decree. He told me when I fill out the form to put "Terri" in the remarks section that way they expedite it......if you work, you can make $1,000 a month before taxes.....my kids receive SSI and they will probably lose some of there payment but will pick up my social security..as far as my medical assistance they will expedite the medicare also, they said they will need names of drs. and they will get the reports.....now the MA I am on pays for everything, does medicare do that also or is there out of pocket expenses? I am in PA but this should be the standard...
Sandy
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thanks so much and only 56....and the only insurance I have is state insurance (medical assistance)...
Sandy
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Well, I don't have it yet. BUT my last day of work is Friday. There's a 30 day waiting period after that before I can apply in the state of TN....but, as soon as that day hits, I will be there! I can get it. Hubby can get it. And one of my kids. I plan on "gettin while the gettin's good", as my Mom used to say.
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Sandy, can you stay on state medical insurance / Medicaid until you turn 65? It sounds like a better deal than Medicare.
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