Bipolar Disorder Community

1. is based on the last years you put into social security.

2. No you don't have to give up your home.

3.example; If you make $1000.00 per month on disability and make $600.00 part time your disability will drop . Your social security office can help with that. I don't think you can make more than $886.00 per month. Call them.

4. You will recieve medicare after one year, in the meantime
medicaid fills in. After one year they bill medicare then the balance goes to medicaid.

Hope this helps.

Thank you, Maniccycler -


I also have a son, 7 yrs old [sorry, should have mentioned that>, would he remain on medicaid? I am a single parent.


You say to check with social security - is it listed in the phone book under social security, or something else?


thanks again,
~ San

San...my mind is fuzzy as usual.

First of all, when I applied, I did everything by phone. Everyone was very nice. My local office took care of everything. My kids were not eligible for any sort of benefits.

I was told I would have to pay for medicaid/medicare (sorry I get them confused). We have private insurance so not an issue.

You can work part time. I am pretty sure there is info about that on their website.

I had my tdoc and pdoc behind me. My tdoc wrote them a letter. My pdoc (at the time) said she was never contacted but it is a teaching hospital so I think it is possible that someone else took care of it. And as difficult as it was, I was completely honest on my application.

Good luck!

Sorry, another question ... provided that I meet all requirements, how long approximately would pass with me being unemployed from my current job, to getting disability?


I can't go with no income for months because, obviously, I'd lose my house and my car and my son...

It took my application 6 months to get approved. And I got lucky and was approved on my first go. I was unemployed for a while before that, dealing with all my issues and never thought to apply. But it was retroactive back to when I had to stop working. HTH! xo

Hiya San,

I have been away for a while, but this is Dyanne, hope you remember me

How long has it been since you applied? is this the first time?

You know the annual/bi annual (not sure how often now) document thats mailed to you from social security that states the $$ and years that you have worked and what you have 'banked' thus far? On that document it states as of that date, what your estimated disability would be, as well.

The amt of part time $$ you can make is based off what you end up getting w disability.

GOOD LUCK GIRL
Do you have an atty?

No, Dyanne, not yet (and of course I remember you, girl!). I'm still debating as to whether its a wise course of action. I've had to take obscene amounts of FMLA hours this past year, plus am backed up on my non-FMLA days out, I'm constantly more than stressed at my job and the stressors that would occur if I lost it, I was admitted for the second time this past January (for over a week this time) and I'm still not doing well.


It's an option I'm wanting to get more information on, before I bring it up to my pdoc and see what he says, since he knows my history and can go over what I'd be looking at with me. The thing is, he's never up to date with things like this; I had to explain to him what our job's FMLA policy was and had to basically hold his hand through the whole process to get approved, so I don't want to even consider this blind, youknow?


~ San

Hi San,

Have a look at the following site http://www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook/eng/definedisability.htm

YOu also may want to register at this website - a free resource for SSD - you can call them and they can help answer your questions - for free

http://www.thedisabilitydigest.com/

Also, someone here said that Medicare kicks in after 1 year, it's actually 2 years after being on disability.

Good luck
Debbie

One correction to all the information you received. You have to be on social security disability for TWO years before you are eligible for medicare. If your income from social security disability is low enough (I know that's no what we want, of course) then you may qualify for medicaid which doesn't have a waiting time required.

I was on COBRA insurance when I went on SSD and had to stay on it for two years before becoming eligible for medicare. Remember that medicare A & B (coverage for hospital and doctors) is not enough as it only pays 50 - 80% of the bills. You have to pay for supplemental insurance to pick up the rest. Also parts A & B don't cover medication. You have to pay for Part D insurance which covers medicine. Learn about the doughnut hole. The first $2500 approx. spent on medications is paid by the insurance company although you will have co-pays. Then the doughnut hole comes into play. Until you (and others paying for you) have paid approx $4500 Part D does NOT pay anything toward your medication. Once you have gotten out of the doughnut hole your med cost drops dramatically. Final word, if you can, get medicaid.

Now to your questions:

1> is it based on previous income, or the amount of bills you have?

Your social security disability is based on what you earned in the past. You have to have worked for 10 units, which I understand are years although I could be wrong. They don't care how much you owe or need every month for bills.


2> I own my own home, or am paying the bank for the mortgage each month - will being on disability mean I have to give up my home?

If you can pay the mortgage you can keep the house. When I went on disability I had to sell my house because I couldn't afford it. I took my savings and bought a used mobile home. Now my cost went from $979 a month for a mortgage to $280 for lot rent.


3> Am I able to have a part-time job while on disability? Or would it be better not to be?

There is an amount you can earn it is somewhere between $800 and $1000 a month, can't remember which. If you earn more than that you are deemed to not be disabled and will be on your own again.


4> what sort of insurance and/or medical benefits, if any, does it have? I'd hate to be put in the position of needing to go on disability, then being unable to see my doc or get my meds because then I'd NEVER get better, you know?

I think I answered this in my other reply.

Hey Anne, the amount one can earn/gross while on disability for 2012 is $1010. Individual amounts can be higher if 1) they have monthly expenses related to thier disability. then you can deduct that amount. Example. If you have to spend $200 each month on therapy, something you need to keep you able to work, then the amount you can gross each month is increased to $2210. 2) Subsidy or Special condition. When I last worked, I had a subsidy of 50% from my employe. It's easier to just quote the social security site to explain subsidy."

A "subsidy" is a support provided by your employer that may result in your receiving more pay than the actual value of the services you perform.

Special conditions refers to support and on the job assistance provided by your employer or by someone other than your employer, for example, a vocational rehabilitation agency. BEcause of this support, you may receive more pay than the actual value of the services you perform.

How can you tell if a subsidy or special condidtion applies to you? A subsidy or special condition may exists if:

1) you recieve more supervision than other workers doing the same or a similar job for the same pay,or:

2) you have fewer or simpler tasks to complete than other workers doing the same job for the same pay, or:

3) you have a job coach or mentor who helps you perform some of your work" http://www.ssa.gov/redbook/eng/ssdi-and-ssi-employments-supports.htm#1

So then the employer will submit a letter to social security requesting a subsidy of a certain percentage and why they are requesting it. If the employer is granted a 50% subsidy for that employee, then that employee can gross 50% more monthly, which would make the allowable montly income $1515.

Confused yet? lol

So the base amount one can earn/gross montly while on SSDI (SSI rules are different) for 2012 is $1010; anything above that is based on the above mentioned reasons.

So, as Annie said, if you can gross more than $1010, then SSA will say that you don't need to be on disability because to be eligible for disability benefits, a person must be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA) which this year is anything above $1010 monthly.

Debbie

• You have a job coach or mentor who helps you perform some of your work.