Things I never knew enough to care about as I should have

[Guest guest]

I heard talk all the time about social security at retirement and knew

there was a disability program. But, like almost everyone out there who

hasn't faced it, I didn't know the difficulty of the process, I didn't

know you had a six month waiting period (which makes no sense to me) and

I didn't know you had to wait two years on medicare (even less sense)

and insurers weren't required to offer you the same plans they do

retired persons (least sense). My only clue to any issue was all the

attorneys advertising.

I also didn't know that how blind some disability insurers are and the

general public, myself included, was. I see Judge Judy jump on people

who are disabled and saying they could work. She has no idea. One can't

know the extent of the disability. But, even more I never realized that

its not just the illness or disease, but you have a job of its own

getting medical care and taking care of yourself. My hat is off to those

who are still able to work if they can do so without damaging or risking

their health. However, I now understand that just the fact we could

physically work, doesn't mean we could do it without it damaging our

health. That in many cases it would impair or prevent proper medical

care.

Yes, there is abuse of disability by some, but there is far more abuse

of those who are disabled and need help by the system. And, this is not

just true in the U.S. Maybe its because none of us ever imagine

ourselves being where we now are. You've heard political speeches about

health care and you've heard political debates about retirement and

social security, but have you ever one time heard the issue of

disability addressed in the same manner? I haven't, because its not an

issue thats going to get votes. Why was retirement important to us? We

all hoped for it some day. None of us ever hoped to get PF or to face

limitations or disability.