Re: SSI quality control reviews, was: SSI Questions...

[Guest guest]

,

I got approved for SSDI on the first try. The people who I have

spoken w/ SSI have been really helpful. I got a lawyer when I first

applied and I am glad that I did. As my lawyer put it, it is good to

have a lawyer when you are going against the government. I truely

beleive it helped me w/ my application.

People at the Health and Human Service office are another story. I

have been calling on my food stamp application since March every week

on the status of my application. I have yet to hear back from

anyone. I was told, that I need to go through a return to work

program before I can qualify for food stamps. Even though I have

personally gone down there w/ my SSDI application and letters that I

have received; it doesn't matter. I was told that I look " healthy " to

work and need to complete their return to work guidelines before I

can be given food stamps. I am married and they asked about my

engagement ring. I was told to pawn it if I needed food so badly. I

filed a complaint. Needless to say I am still waiting 3 months later.

I have a cousin who works in the medical and food asstiance program

for my county to see if she can help my application and she told me

that most social workers can say whatever they want because they know

they can't get fired even if it is wrong information, or not doing

their job. They just don't care. She couldn't even help my

application because it is " another team " , I have to take it up w/ my

team.

I am very jaded by the whole experience.

--- In , " cynthiadew1 " <cynthiadew1@...>

wrote:

>

> As someone who worked in the 'system', I would like to put out a few

> reasons why the best advice I give to applicants of any aid or

medical

> program has always been to tell the truth.

>

> Social Security Numbers (SSNs).

>

> The SSN you give us is checked again the Social Security Admin's

files

> for correctiness, i.e. is it a good number, does the name,

birthdate,

> sex, match the information attached to that SSN.

>

> We get a report of all the money and quarters earned for that SSN

for

> the last three years.

>

> With that last report we a listing of all financial institutions

which

> have paid out any interest in the past three years as well.

>

> Depending on the state you live in, they may get a report of all

> vehicles owned.

>

> There are many other reports that we get to tell us about you and

your

> situation. Just don't lie to us, we know that you NEED the help or

> you would not be here. Most workers in the Federal, State, and

Local

> governments want to help to truly needy, but we have to deal with

> regulations too.

>

> Some things people lie about that have no bearing on their case:

>

> Their house. The house you live in is exempt.

>

> Their cars. At least one car is exempt, possibly others as well.

>

> Personal belongings. Your wedding rings, clothes, personal affects

> are exempt.

>

> Tools for work. If you need it to make money and have used it in

the

> past, yes, thats exempt too.

>

>

> Don't hide imformation asked for on the application sheet. On the

> other hand, you don't have to offer up information that is not asked

> for either.

>

> Most states/local governments have a information telephone line to

ask

> questions. Use this resource.

>

> Good questions are:

>

> I'm not on SSDI or SSI, can I still apply for medicaid?

>

> What is the -Gross Income- limit for the programs I may be eligible

> for? Gross Income is the maximum amount of money a family or single

> person can make and be eligible.

>

> What is the -Net Income- limit for the programs I may be eligible

for?

> This is the income with deductions.

>

> Ask what the deductions are? Deductions can be Medical expenses,

> rent, ulitilities, work expenses, child care, etc, etc. There are

> literally thousands.

>

> Just tell the truth and let the experts sort things out. Do call

once

> or twice a week to check up on your application. Be polite to your

> worker. If they are doing a good job for you, let their supervisor

> know. As a retired DSS supervisor, I heard more complaints than

> compliments, but I know my workers did better than that. This

doens't

> help you out as much as helping out the next poor soul who wanders

in

> the door.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I know soo many people especially in my family who get new housing,

food stamps, grants etc. and they can work. What gets me that my

cousins (3 out of 4 of them) all of them are on public assitance and

get everything. I don't know if my cousin who works for the county

helps my cousins (who are her nieces and nephews) because of who they

are. I have to fight tooth and nail for anything.

What gets me angry is that my cousins can work, they are perfectly

healthy. They have no health problems and are younger then me. They

all have their own places and use the money that they get from public

assistance to buy weed and get high. Yet, me who wants to work, but

can no longer work, who needs the help, has to have everything

questioned and fight for everything. I know life is not fair...but

give me a break.

> >

> > As someone who worked in the 'system', I would like to put out a

few

> > reasons why the best advice I give to applicants of any aid or

> medical

> > program has always been to tell the truth.

> >

> > Social Security Numbers (SSNs).

> >

> > The SSN you give us is checked again the Social Security Admin's

> files

> > for correctiness, i.e. is it a good number, does the name,

> birthdate,

> > sex, match the information attached to that SSN.

> >

> > We get a report of all the money and quarters earned for that

SSN

> for

> > the last three years.

> >

> > With that last report we a listing of all financial institutions

> which

> > have paid out any interest in the past three years as well.

> >

> > Depending on the state you live in, they may get a report of all

> > vehicles owned.

> >

> > There are many other reports that we get to tell us about you

and

> your

> > situation. Just don't lie to us, we know that you NEED the help

or

> > you would not be here. Most workers in the Federal, State, and

> Local

> > governments want to help to truly needy, but we have to deal with

> > regulations too.

> >

> > Some things people lie about that have no bearing on their case:

> >

> > Their house. The house you live in is exempt.

> >

> > Their cars. At least one car is exempt, possibly others as well.

> >

> > Personal belongings. Your wedding rings, clothes, personal

affects

> > are exempt.

> >

> > Tools for work. If you need it to make money and have used it

in

> the

> > past, yes, thats exempt too.

> >

> >

> > Don't hide imformation asked for on the application sheet. On

the

> > other hand, you don't have to offer up information that is not

asked

> > for either.

> >

> > Most states/local governments have a information telephone line

to

> ask

> > questions. Use this resource.

> >

> > Good questions are:

> >

> > I'm not on SSDI or SSI, can I still apply for medicaid?

> >

> > What is the -Gross Income- limit for the programs I may be

eligible

> > for? Gross Income is the maximum amount of money a family or

single

> > person can make and be eligible.

> >

> > What is the -Net Income- limit for the programs I may be

eligible

> for?

> > This is the income with deductions.

> >

> > Ask what the deductions are? Deductions can be Medical expenses,

> > rent, ulitilities, work expenses, child care, etc, etc. There

are

> > literally thousands.

> >

> > Just tell the truth and let the experts sort things out. Do

call

> once

> > or twice a week to check up on your application. Be polite to

your

> > worker. If they are doing a good job for you, let their

supervisor

> > know. As a retired DSS supervisor, I heard more complaints than

> > compliments, but I know my workers did better than that. This

> doens't

> > help you out as much as helping out the next poor soul who

wanders

> in

> > the door.

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile.

Try it now.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I know there are people who take unfair advantage of the system. I

have a $729 spenddown. I also have help from my local counseling

agency, an idea given to me by our senior citizens advocate. They

will bill Medicaid on the months I have it, and when I don't they

will produce a bill for me to use toward my spenddown. I never pay

anything to counseling because I am also eligible for some other

mental health program that will pay.

>

> Health and human services since it varies state by state is

entirely another story. They were supposed to pay a medical billl

for $1000 that I had received approval for before going for the test

when I was on Medicaid. They never did. I had to pay out of

pocket. I know unemployed couples with children and the state here

is not even helping them. Yet this woman that has a child and can

get no help, has a mother who refuses to work, is healthy, and has

her adult children living with her as well as a 7 year old daughter

and she gets everything from the state. They put her in a brand new

low income house that was just built, she gets hundreds of dollars

in food stamps, she gets paid for having her ill mother live with her

by the state (and she isn't even her caretaker). Yet her daughter

who cannot find a job and has a child gets no help at all. As far as

the state programs go it is a really warped system. They don't help

much with food at all even when disabled. In

> my case, they will only help me with medical bills once I spend

$700 out of pocket. If I spent that much out of pocket how would I

live? How would I eat? They only help with $10 a month for food.

They have me on a spend down. Yet they too, require every form of

income, every income of the person living in the home, and every

single asset, even if its a preburial life insurance policy used only

for burial services.

>