A question about Social Security Disability

If you qualify and get approved for Social Security Disability, does that mean you automatically get approved for Medicare, regardless of your age?  I couldn't find that answer even on the Social Security web page.

I was turned down on the first pass, as expected, and as I was warned.  I did it all on-line, as well as a visit to my local SS office as requested.

I got turned down on the 2nd pass, not expected, doing it on my own, following all the SS rules to the letter of the law.  My rep in Baltimore had me convinced I had been approved even 2 days before I got the official reject letter.

Then I did what I should have done in the first place, I got a very good dedicated SS lawyer.  Last word, my name is now on top of the list for her to take my case to the judge.  She said under my circumstances, I shouldn't even have to be there in person.  Hoping to have approval finally at last.  It has been a full 2 years now.

For anyone considering it, my advice is to get a SS lawyer from day one, I could have saved months and months of needless waiting.  They all work for continency, and there's a mandated cap on how much they can take when they back pay you once you are approved.

I am still not cleared to be able to work by any of my doctors.  It's interesting, that in the SS disability process, they absolutely will not talk directly to any of your doctors, which I find absurd.

When I went to the local SS office for the required meeting, they told me that I was 100% vested for the maximun amount, as I have paid into the SS system heavily every year since 1968.  It's not a handout as some think, its an entitlement, one, that as a taxpaper and one  that has paid into the system for 43 years is entitled to.  The red tape and double standards  they apply are aggervating.

David in SC

 

Post Edited (Purgatory) : 5/6/2011 8:03:21 PM (GMT-6)

North Alabama,

Thank you kindly for the good info on my question. The SS office did say, when I am approved, I will be back paid all the way to January of 2009. Seems to me that the lawyer's cut is limited to around $5,000, which will still be worth it to me.

Hope you and your wife are doing ok. Were you spared from the terrible tornado damage in your state?

David in SC

I am in Baltimore, but I am not your rep ;)

You will become automatically Medicare eligible AFTER 2 years with SSDI or if over a certain age- i have SSDI. Meaning, i qualify on grounds that i am disabled. (a lot of ppl. are ignorant and don't know the difference b/w SSDI & SSI).

SSDI Folks pay into the system. SSI Folks don't need to do squat, it is all based on income.
I too was declined first time, went the lawyer route, and everything has been fine since. Trust me on this.

And SS takes an odd amount out of my SSDI monthly check for Medicare.

Fyi, You can pick certain aspects of Medicare you want, aside the basic bare bones A/B that is what you are given. Part A/B is Medical and Hospital. Or pay Extra for Dental and Vision. An RX Plan etc. Other components blah blah.
For instance, I have a separate Dental plan, cause I didn't want to go to some podunk dentist and that is what worked out best for me..

I never have had to set foot in a court room. My lawyer has done everything for me. I have seen him once but I keep in contact with the attorney office often. I gave him the attorney my rejection papers and he handed me medical assessment papers FOR ME TO GIVE TO MY DOCTORS to complete. I directed my Drs. once they completed the paperwork, to mail it back to me, and I mailed the paperwork to my lawyer.

Sometimes SS will send you out to see one a Private Doctor they pay if they lack enough information about a special medical condition that you are filing disability for. I was ordered by Social Security (SS) to go see a Psychologist for an assessment. For instance, I claimed or filed for anxiety or GAD (Generalized Anxiety). SS wanted more proof than what was in my filed apparently. So they sent me to a private doctor. No sweat though.

True Facts.
It is indeed very long, slow process too. Paper work gets moved about the pace of molasses. So don't let it get you too worked up or aggravated.

Bear in mind, you won't be getting a whole lot of moolah from SS. In the end, it will be better than the $0 you're getting now, but don't think it be enough to go buy a new car, buy a day at the spa etc. That $700 or so will be mostly for expensive medicine and house bills. At least so I find. Since you're not working anymore. You need to be very wise with how you spend your monthly check. Save a few dollars if you can.

I learned and continue to learn everything I know from real-life experiences. Get in touch if you want to ask me anything. Hope you feel better.

Post Edited (archiestyles) : 5/7/2011 2:39:08 AM (GMT-6)

Thank you, both, that was great information, and I hope it will help others here if they need to go the SS route. Again, if I were starting it all over, I would have had my current attorney first.

I am hoping, now that my name is on top of the list here locally to go before the judge, there will be settlement soon.

Thanks again for you all's great input.

david in sc

 

I learned that workmen's compensation, SS disability, and private insurance are at best CAPRICIOUS AND UNPREDICTABLE.  When  was working and just a young 56 years old, I finally succumbed to a long time back weakness. I found myself out of work and in extreme pain.  I was granted a workman's compensation grant.  When that ran out I applied for SS Disability wiithout thinking that I had chance to collect.  Within a very short time I was notified that I qualified, I colllected full disability and early Medicare for the life of my elgibility.

To this day, I think that I qualified because I rejected all of the strange possible reasons and answered the questions with straight forward and honest responses.  I told the examiners that yes I had high blood pressure, allergies, asthma and pherpheral neurapathy and doo da doo da day.  But none of those prevented me from working.  However, yes I had a total melt down of the spine (MRI's included to prove it) and that made life a painful and unchanging challenge.  I was approved within months.  In most cases the people who read your application are honest hard working government employees.  Tell the truth and take your chances.  I think there is a real chance that you would be approved if you were fighting advanced prostate cancer.