| Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) and | | | | need a good description of all the jobs you have held |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are two programs | | | | in the past 15 years or so. Because their ultimate |
| of the Social Security Administration (SSA) available | | | | decision on your claim is whether you can or can not |
| for persons who have medical disabilities which | | | | return to any past work or can adapt to any other |
| prevent them from working. | | | | type work, you should be very thorough in completing |
| The disability can be a physical one or mental one or a | | | | the questions on the work history form which you are |
| combination of both, but it must be expected to last at | | | | asked to complete. |
| least one year or be terminal. | | | | 6. Try to determine if your medical condition is one that |
| Many who apply for Social Security disability benefits | | | | SSA will consider a severe impairment. This can be |
| from the federal government are denied upon initial | | | | hard to do since you obviously think your medical |
| application and reconsideration appeals. | | | | condition keeps you from working or you would not |
| Here are 9 steps, in brief, that you can take that might | | | | have applied for disability or be thinking about applying. |
| assist you with getting more comfortable with the | | | | Still, some conditions may be severe but they may be |
| disability determination process, and might assist you in | | | | expected to "resolve to non-severe" within a year's |
| getting a faster, more accurate decision on your SSDI | | | | time. For instance, if you break an arm, or a leg, while it |
| or SSI claim application. | | | | is true that you may not be able to do your job now |
| 1. Prepare yourself mentally for dealing with a | | | | with such a condition, it should not take you a year to |
| governmental bureaucracy. Realize that the average | | | | heal, and therefore your claim will be denied. For those |
| wait time for a decision on your claim is 90 days. That | | | | who have a medical background, you might try locating |
| means your claim could take even more time than | | | | your particular condition in the online SSA Blue Book ( |
| that. Try not to think about the possibility that your | | | | The language is extremely technical, but it does list |
| claim might be denied because that only dissipates | | | | what things need to be present with your medical |
| energy. Instead use the law of attraction to focus on | | | | condition if you are to "meet a listing" to qualify for |
| seeing your first check coming through the mail or | | | | disability benefits. When you have an idea as to how |
| visualize seeing the amount listed on your bank | | | | SSA is viewing your impairment, it could cut down on |
| statement. | | | | the amount of anxiety you have regarding your |
| 2. When you describe your illness, focus on using | | | | upcoming claims decision. |
| words and phrases related to how you are no longer | | | | 7. Sometimes, while claimants await a decision on their |
| able to "function" on your old job. For instance, | | | | disability application, money becomes an issue. They |
| someone who used to be employed as a hotel maid | | | | run low or run out, so they begin to think about |
| might write: | | | | whether they are allowed to work part or full time |
| "My job as a hotel maid involved being able to stand | | | | while they await a decision. Sort of like a trial work |
| on my feet for 6-8 hours each day. I had to lift 15-20 | | | | period. You should check with your claims examiner to |
| lbs on a regular basis and had to sometimes move | | | | find out what happens to your claim application if you |
| beds and other furniture weighing 50 lbs or more when | | | | start to work. The answer might shock you! |
| it was out of place. Given my current heart disease | | | | 8. So you have received your "Notice of Decision" |
| and resultant bi-pass surgery, my doctor has advised | | | | letter from SSA. You are approved. "YES!" You are |
| me to lift no more than 5 to 10 lbs occasionally and | | | | denied. "Oh, no!" Whether you are approved or denied, |
| says I should not return to this job." | | | | you need to look for clues in the letter to determine |
| You will note only a brief mention of the actual medical | | | | how to proceed with your claim. For example, if you |
| condition in the above description. Why? Because | | | | are approved, did SSA approve you from the date |
| claims examiners only register your functional | | | | you claim your disability started, or have they set your |
| limitations, as your medical records will prove or | | | | disability start date at another date? If they have, did |
| disprove the rest. | | | | your approval letter include an explanation as to why? |
| 3. You should periodically check the status of your | | | | It should. And if you are denied, is it because they say |
| disability claim. To do this you should contact your | | | | you can do other work, or have they stated that you |
| state Disability Determination Service or Disability | | | | can go back to your same job? If it is determined that |
| Adjudication Services office approximately 30 days | | | | you can no longer do your present line of work, did |
| after they receive your claim. At that point, try to find | | | | you know that this is a much more favorable position |
| out if all your medical records have been received by | | | | to be in when you file for a reconsideration or appeal |
| the examiner, and offer to assist in getting them if they | | | | of your denial than if the letter says you can go back |
| have not. Other times to check the status of your | | | | to your old job. |
| claim are included in a great online article. (Please see | | | | 9. Finally, what do you do in the event that your claim is |
| below). | | | | denied? After you have read all the clues in the denial |
| 4. If your medical condition is a severe one, ask your | | | | letter, where do you turn for help if you decide to |
| claims examiner if you might qualify for expedited | | | | appeal? While you are deciding what to do, go ahead |
| benefits while you await a decision on your claim. SSA | | | | and request an appeal so that you do not run out of |
| offers a "Presumptive Disability" (PD) program | | | | time. You can always change your mind later and |
| available to claimants who apply for SSI or a | | | | withdraw your request for an appeal. The difference, |
| combination of SSI and SSDI. Singular Social Security | | | | financially, between filing a new application and filing an |
| Disability Insurance claims are not eligible. To get these | | | | application for an appear or reconsideration of your |
| expedited benefit payments, your examiner must feel | | | | denied claim, can literally mean thousands and |
| strongly, in advance, that your claim will be approved | | | | thousands of more dollars in your pocket if your claim |
| once all your medical information has been gathered. | | | | is subsequently approved. Always file your request for |
| Even if your claim is later denied after all your medical | | | | appeal timely to avoid potentially losing out on that $$$. |
| records are received, you will not have to repay any | | | | You can even hire an attorney who will accept your |
| monies your received under the PD program. Benefits | | | | claim at a discounted fee rate (in any state); you just |
| are payable for up to 6 months while your disability | | | | need to know where to look :)- |
| claim is being processed. | | | | Applying for and getting Social Security Disability or SSI |
| 5. Since medical records are the heart of your disability | | | | when you can no longer work can be a laborious task, |
| claim, you should do all that you can to ensure your | | | | to say the least, but once gotten it can enable you to |
| claims examiner gets most if not all, of the records you | | | | take care of yourself and your family and allow you to |
| have out there. This is true for all claims, but especially | | | | focus on other more immediate things, like figuring out |
| true for claimants alleging a mental disability where | | | | the best way to deal with your debilitating impairment. |
| historical records might be crucial to proving your claim. | | | | Following the above nine steps will help you better |
| Disability examiners -- and the medical consultants who | | | | manage your disability claim and might even assist you |
| they collaborate with - in issuing a decision on your | | | | in getting approved for disability benefits that are |
| claim require current medical records to establish any | | | | rightfully due you. |
| current functional limitations you might have. They also | | | | |