Disability

Hi All

I have been unable to work for about a year, the AF episodes have been getting harder to handle.
I have to get some income, I am considering of applying for social security disability benefits.
Has anyone had any experience purchasing health coverage while you were on disability, I would be without medical insurance for some time before medicare kicks in, if I am on disability would it still be possible to purchase heath coverage.

Thanks

Joe

Joe - someone posted about this in the last few months or so. Scroll to very top of Bulletin Board. Click on search. Enter disability or like and you will probably find the post.

Joe:
I wish you luck with afib as a basis for SSD. Perhaps it has more to do with social security's doctors decision about how debilitating your Afib is. I have had uncontrolled episodes of afib lasting 8 to 16 hours, as frequently as twice a week and as infrequently as once or twice a month. Social Security contracts with physicians in your area, and will ask you to be evaluated by their doctors. I was denied benefits based on afib alone. Perhaps yours is even more devilitating than mine. It also might be up to the discretion of the doctor just how debilitating it is to your performance at work, and I don't think that means strictly work in your "chosen field". My disability was granted based on a stroke. I have short term memory problems. SS sent me to 3 different psychologists before benefits were granted to me. The third one put me through a whole battery of psych tests, testing my memory and general cognitive ability, and associative ability.
It seems to me that if you could prove that your afib is totally debilitating, it would be granted to you, but that's my thinking, not theirs. I know a few people who have been denied, and go back every 6 months and reapply. Mine was granted on first application, but I have been told by others, before I applied that it is never granted on first applications. I guess I proved them wrong.
If Debbi is reading this, maybe she will speak up, as I know that she receives benefits. I don't know whether hers is SSD or SSI. I think she might know more than me of the ins and outs of it.
As far as health insurance, they don't kick in until you are on disability for 6 months. I have had Mamsi for some time prior to my illness and have kept it even though my rates have risen to the point where it's almost prohibitive. I can't always buy the supplements and pay all the copays for my scripts. Anyway, you would do best to try and get some insurance for at least temporarily. Also, it takes forever for them to reach a decision. One could starve in the interim. I applied in November 2002 and was approved in about October 2003. Then, as I said, health benefits don't kick in until 6 months after approval, so for me that won't be until about March of 2004.

Good luck Joe,
Hope you will post your results,
Pam

Pam,
I worte Joe an email concerning this very thing. Hopefully he'll get it today.
By the way, do you have a fax machine? I'd love to fax you my EKG and holter results to get your opinion.

Debbi

Debbi:
I don't have a fax, but my husband has said he might be able to configure it on our computer using our phone line, and then I would have to call you and say "send it now". Send your phone number to my e-mail.

Pam

Hi Pam

I don't seem to be able to access your email address.

Thanks
Joe

Joe:
I added you to my safe list, so e-mail me at pammie416@hotmail.com

Pam

Joe-
I am on disability for affib-you can e mail me for info-Soc Sec does not give you medicare ins until 2 years after you start receiving disabilty-As far as getting private health ins while you are disabled it is very difficult and would be very expensive even if you could find it-Unless its within 60 days of your having a prior policy which prevents them from using your disabling condition against you for insurance purposes-jerry

Woops, sorry Joe, Jerry is right about the 2 years, not 6 months. However, it's 2 years after your disability began. Mine began on March 25, 2002. I applied in November 2002, but I will be covered in March, 2004. If they determine that your disability began on X date, it would be two years after that date. I guess with afib, that would be hard to prove. Since mine was caused by a stroke, then it's exactly March 25, 2002 (as date of onset of disability).

Pam