Re: getting SSI for RA = long

[Guest guest]

Michele,

I would like to refer you to a board that has some excellent

information on SSI SSDI as well as explainations of Medicare /

Medicaid. There is a set of Posted at the top of the page, that list

what is important in a Social Security Disability application, What

works, and common reasons why you would be denied. The site is But

You Don't Look Sick at www.butyoudontlooksick.com/boards and section

you want to go to is the Social Security section. I would say the

majority of the site is younger people, but there are quite a few

people who are more 'mature'.

The SSA section stresses getting your information together before you

apply, and what 'extras' to send in with your application to assist

the Disability Evaluator in determining your claim.

Now for applying for SSDI/SSI with RA. You might want to go to the

www.ssa.gov site and find the disability pages. Want you what to

find is the 'Blue Book' of disabilities. RA is one of the listed

disabilies, and the Blue Book lists how RA should impact you to be

eligible for disability. That's the easy part for most of us. The

second part is harder, and it helps to have a buddy help write this

out as you are describing your bad days, not your good ones. You

need to document how your RA and the associated aliments have

impacted your ability to work. Work is not just the job you had or

currently have, but any job that would make over what SSA calls

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). SGA is 940.00 a month currently,

2008. It helps to do this in more detail than the SSA disability

application asks for.

If you are considering applying. It is important to know what type

of SSA disability you will apply for. Call SSA and ask for a report

of your work quarters. This report will also list what your

potential benefit amount would be. If you have 20 quarters of work

in the last 40 quarters. That is you worked half the time in the

past ten years, it does not have to be continuous. If you have that

then you apply for SSDI, not SSI.

Have you asked your doctor(s) about disability? It really helps to

have a doctor in your corner. You might want to get a copy of the

some or all of your medical records to see what is in it, and if it

helps your disability case.

I applied in Feb, and was approved in May..... of the same year.

So it is possible to be approved fairly quickly. It depends on the

State you live in, how well documented your case is, and a bit of

luck doesn't hurt either.

If you have other questions, just email me.

[Guest guest]

thanks for all the info cynthia, i cant wait to go check out the site

to be honest, a few friends of mine had suggested I try for disability

though my husband seems to think that I dont have enough credits to file (which

im

sure is true, ive been a homemaker for the last 10+ yrs with a few pt jobs

here and there)

i am fortunate enough to live flair free for a few months so far but believe

me when those flairs come, im nonfunctional .. I have it in my

hands,fingers, wrists, knees, ankles, feet & shoulders and the worst part of

this is i

have small kids at home.

Michele

mom to 3

(http://www.tickerfactory.com/weight-loss/waD2Uy6/)

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