Social Security Disability and Medicare

Hi All!

I have gained the attention of a major news channel and they are interested in doing a show on the waiting period/often denial of SSD and the 2 year wait for Medicare.

My biggest pet peeve is that I had to wait 5 months to get SSD.. in case I became "undisabled"..with stage IV stomach cancer, I could only pray that would happen. 5 months to wait for my own money. I know that people are often denied their claim and have to wait much longer than that.

I need to supply them with a list of people that have been denied for SSD.

Medicare has a two year waiting period once you are deemed disabled. The government wants you to participate in COBRA for the 18 months it is offered. Well, if COBRA was more affordable maybe I could have gotten it.. but while waiting for my SSD, we had no money coming into our house because my husband had lost his job. COBRA wanted $1,000 per month... a steep price.

I would love to bring all of this into the light specially with this being an election year.

If you are willing to tell your story, please contact me.

Thanx!

Mel

On Apr 26, 2012 12:04 PM Mel5787 wrote:

Hi All!

I have gained the attention of a major news channel and they are interested in doing a show on the waiting period/often denial of SSD and the 2 year wait for Medicare.

My biggest pet peeve is that I had to wait 5 months to get SSD.. in case I became "undisabled"..with stage IV stomach cancer, I could only pray that would happen. 5 months to wait for my own money. I know that people are often denied their claim and have to wait much longer than that.

I need to supply them with a list of people that have been denied for SSD.

Medicare has a two year waiting period once you are deemed disabled. The government wants you to participate in COBRA for the 18 months it is offered. Well, if COBRA was more affordable maybe I could have gotten it.. but while waiting for my SSD, we had no money coming into our house because my husband had lost his job. COBRA wanted $1,000 per month... a steep price.

I would love to bring all of this into the light specially with this being an election year.

If you are willing to tell your story, please contact me.

Thanx!

Mel

Hi.Sorry for your plight.I was told by many people that i looked to healthy to be disabled.Even thought all the damage to my esophagus and throat was a inside job along with not having any functioning salivary glands and scarred lung.People judged me on how i looked,although i don't know what a sick person is suppose to look like.I was out of my wheelchair and off my stationary feeding tube and put a mobile feeding tube inside me.Now i look too good.haha ..It's not easy.I have to make a joke about it because the medical people can be so absurd.And the government agencies that you are dealing with are trying to cut down on expenses.And you know what,they spend billions on wars far away but can't help people inside America,its really disgusting.I'm sorry if i gone too far with my opinions.Keep fighting for justice.I hope you get what you need..God Bless You..                             Charlie

There are many people drawing social security disability that shouldn't be and that's the problem.  Those that need it are too often disqualified and those that don't get it.  If you listen to the news the disability fund will be out of money in just a few shorts years, then Medicare and then SS.  Then you hear those saying to do away with the entitlement programs.  Well I worked and paid into SS and Medicare, it is not an entitlement program.  Maybe if they would stop giving it to any and everyone there wouldn't be a problem.  If this country would worry about its own people we would definitely be better off.  All the money that is going to foreign countries, should be staying in this country.  We are not the rich country we once were, thanks to both parties.

I totally understand your frustration. My husband had a gastrectomy for stomach cancer, stage 2b, he had 5 months of Chemo and another 5 weeks of Chemo/Radiation, he had long term disability through his work, however, they advised him if he did not apply for Social Security Disability he would not be able to continue long term disability, they even called with an advocate to help him get disability benefits from social security (the only reason is once social security starts paying benefits they do not pay him any longer). My husband was so upset that an advocate called to tell him they will help him get approved, he did apply and was approved without the help  of any advocate. Now, he has lost his job, has no health insurance, has lost 50lbs, down to 135 lbs, he is so weak, and not feeling well at all so we applied to all goverment assistance for health insurance and was denied, so we too are left with huge payments to Cobra, and soo frustrated, He has worked all his life and no only him but myself as well have paid into Social Security and Medicare and I feel the goverment is too willing to give it away to others before paying one's that paid into the program. I am happy you have opened up this discussion, I hope others will discuss their situation as well. Good luck and I wish you best to you!

On Apr 26, 2012 12:04 PM Mel5787 wrote:

Hi All!

I have gained the attention of a major news channel and they are interested in doing a show on the waiting period/often denial of SSD and the 2 year wait for Medicare.

My biggest pet peeve is that I had to wait 5 months to get SSD.. in case I became "undisabled"..with stage IV stomach cancer, I could only pray that would happen. 5 months to wait for my own money. I know that people are often denied their claim and have to wait much longer than that.

I need to supply them with a list of people that have been denied for SSD.

Medicare has a two year waiting period once you are deemed disabled. The government wants you to participate in COBRA for the 18 months it is offered. Well, if COBRA was more affordable maybe I could have gotten it.. but while waiting for my SSD, we had no money coming into our house because my husband had lost his job. COBRA wanted $1,000 per month... a steep price.

I would love to bring all of this into the light specially with this being an election year.

If you are willing to tell your story, please contact me.

Thanx!

Mel

Hi! I am well aware of this! I tried on my own to be awarded SSD, and was denied. So then I got a SS lawyer and WON. It is the only way to be awarded SSD. I was also told most all are denied the first time trying. I was also able to then get on Medicaid, until my Medicare took over. This was based on my lack of income, NOT my husbands large income. I lived in Jacksonville, NC area during the appeal, and getting a lawyer to help, and the win.

I had to wait 5 months also. I was not sure if I would be alive.  We have the cobra only because we have cashed in our retirement fund at age 55. There is no state help for our age in AZ. Also the long term healthcare I applied for needed so much  information and it took so long to gather I was denied. I found it not worth the frustration. It is enough to have energy to get chemo. I agree the politicians have no idea.