Re: disability help

[Guest guest]

It's such a bummer, isn't it? On top of being sick, all this paperwork. I couldn't keep up with paperwork when I was healthy! How long have you been on disability from work? When I qualified for my employer's LTD, they helped me apply for SSD, reminding me of my appeal date, etc. This was to their benefit, because once I was on SSD, they only had to pay me enough to keep me at 60% of my salary. When I finally received the lump sum from SS, I had to send it to my LTD company, because they had been paying the full amount for many months. You might want to contact your LTD (long-term disability) rep to see if they can help. I didn't have to hire an attorney; they took care of that & paid out of their share. I was denied once; with the appeal I submitted a letter from Dr. Baughman in Cincinnati & that convinced them. I didn't have to appear before the judge or anything. It's really important to have someone help you so that you don't miss any deadlines. If that happens, you start from the beginning & lose the back pay from the first application date.

Now my daughter recently received SSD on her first try. No lawyer, just lots of documentation from her doctors. She's had chronic pancreatitis for 7+ years. I was very surprised that she got it on the first try. You never know.

Hope this helps.

Ramblin' RoseModerator A merry heart is good medicine. Proverbs 17:22

To: Neurosarcoidosis From: kap2569@...Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 01:44:33 +0000Subject: disability help

Hello,I do not post very much I have been really sick and don't get to get on the computer as much as i should. I read a lot of the postings and it has been really helpful to me. I am on long term disability from my job i only get 60% of my pay and i lost my medical insureance but i am greatful fo rwhat i have. I am appling for socicial security disability and i was wondering how the process works. It was very difficult form me to do but i suddenly realized that i havent been able to work since Feb 12 2008. I kept thinking that i would get better but, it's just not working. I filled out the paperwork and then i got another set of paperwork in the mail that they want me to fill out and send in, but the questions are almost exactly the same as the first onest i filled out. Are they trying to see if i answer it the same??? Maybe i just don't understand. Should i send extra information regarding my illness along with the paperwork. I feel like the more information i give them the better off i will be. Please anyone with experience your help will be greatly appreciated.Thanks You live life online. So we put Windows on the web. Learn more about Windows Live

[Guest guest]

I got ssd on the first try too. My sister handled my paperwork and by the time I was ready to go home from the Nursing Home it was all set. You are correct in saying have someone help you with the paper work and such. I can't thank my sister enough.

Jackie

disability help

Hello,I do not post very much I have been really sick and don't get to get on the computer as much as i should. I read a lot of the postings and it has been really helpful to me. I am on long term disability from my job i only get 60% of my pay and i lost my medical insureance but i am greatful fo rwhat i have. I am appling for socicial security disability and i was wondering how the process works. It was very difficult form me to do but i suddenly realized that i havent been able to work since Feb 12 2008. I kept thinking that i would get better but, it's just not working. I filled out the paperwork and then i got another set of paperwork in the mail that they want me to fill out and send in, but the questions are almost exactly the same as the first onest i filled out. Are they trying to see if i answer it the same??? Maybe i just don't understand. Should i send extra information regarding my illness along with the paperwork. I feel like the more information i give them the better off i will be. Please anyone with experience your help will be greatly appreciated.Thanks

You live life online. So we put Windows on the web. Learn more about Windows Live

[Guest guest]

Connie, you've been around way to long for us to toss you out of the group. Actually, it's nice to see someone with insight into the other side of disability. Thank you for sharing.

Hugs,

Tracie

To: Neurosarcoidosis Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:19:23 PMSubject: Re: disability help

I wish I had been able to see this sooner, but I have very poor access to a computer that works. I have been afraid to say anything, but I changed jobs 8/8/08, and became a medical disability examiner for social security; an adjudicator. In answer to your questions, they are not trying to see if your answers match, it sounds like they didn't get enough information, or are asking more specific questions about part or all of your allegations. Be brutally truthful about how the disease affects your functionally, this is crucial to your case. The things you can no longer do, or are painful to do, or someone else is having to do; tell them. The more information and medical records you can provide to them the better off it is. And by the way, lawyers are not helpful, and we do not deny everyone the first time they apply. I believed these myths too, until I became an adjudicator. I work

for the state of Fl; social security contracts with the state to do the medical determination. ( Yes they are disabled, no they are not disabled). There is also new special listings (criteria for what allows disability) for rare illnesses coming into the picture - sarcoid is in this group. Make sure you list all the allegations, or put them on the paperwork, i.e. neuropathy, shortness of breath, lymphadenopathy, fatigue, numbness, joint pain,(very important - do you walk with a cane, do you use a walker or scooter, do other people have to drive you and go places with you), degenerative disc diseasae, heart problems, mrsa, eye problems, hearing problems, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic heart failure, arrythmias, chest pain, esophagus problems, ...anything that sarc is doing to you. Even though it may not have been on the original application, if you have a good adjudicator what they find in the records and paperwork must be

researched and addressed. Sometimes a combination of things is what makes us see the disability. Please don't throw me out of the group because of my profession, trust me; if someone is really sick, I'm the adjudicator they want to get. I will go to the mat to help.Also, if for some reason you get denied it is better to open a completely new case than ask for a reconsideration. You stand a better chance. Age is an important factor in determination, the younger a person is the harder it is. If you are under 50, the evidence really has to be there to make the case.I hope this isn't way to late to be helpful. Please don't put my name on the dart board as the bullseye. Take care everyone,ConnieConnie A. Griffis, MDE & a Stage 4 Systemic SarcState of Florida, Department of Health

From: kap2569 <kap2569 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com>Subject: disability helpTo: Neurosarcoidosis@ yahoogroups. comDate: Sunday, November 30, 2008, 8:44 PM

Hello,I do not post very much I have been really sick and don't get to get on the computer as much as i should. I read a lot of the postings and it has been really helpful to me. I am on long term disability from my job i only get 60% of my pay and i lost my medical insureance but i am greatful fo rwhat i have. I am appling for socicial security disability and i was wondering how the process works. It was very difficult form me to do but i suddenly realized that i havent been able to work since Feb 12 2008. I kept thinking that i would get better but, it's just not working. I filled out the paperwork and then i got another set of paperwork in the mail that they want me to fill out and send in, but the questions are almost exactly the same as the first onest i filled out. Are they trying to see if i answer it the same??? Maybe i just don't understand. Should i send extra information regarding

my illness along with the paperwork. I feel like the more information i give them the better off i will be. Please anyone with experience your help will be greatly appreciated.Thanks