Kind of an off-the-wall question about healthcare reform --

[madamesilverspurs]

If people with disabilities no longer have to wait for Social Security to determine eligibility for Medicare, could it mean that timely care might mitigate some infirmities? Could it mean that some disabled persons might have a better likelihood of achieving some level of work ability? Would this have any effect on Social Security's benefits structure for persons with disabilities?

Okay, more than one question. But if you've been there/done that with Social Security, you know why I'm asking.

[AuntPatsy]

1. If your asking if your allowed to work while recieving disability the answer is yes but

there is a limit to the amount you can earn...each state is different...you need to ask for the guidelines...

[madamesilverspurs]

5. Yes, have had a lengthy conversation

with a benefits planner. It was enlightening, and somewhat reassuring, but the levels of complication can be bewildering for those whose lives are already difficult. There aren't a lot of benefits planners in this area. And there are many people who are afraid to even try working for fear of losing their benefits.

Case in point: Some years ago I was trying to earn a little extra by doing craft items out of my home. My "technician" reviewed my records and commented that she didn't see where I'd paid a bookkeeper. I told her that I couldn't afford one, and she asked how many hours I spent doing banking and record-keeping; she calculated how much I would have had to pay someone and announced that constituted a 'savings' and added that figure as income. She then declared that I had thus exceeded the income limit for the month. I guess I'm hoping that reform would somehow eliminate such scenarios.

[AuntPatsy]

6. Well I hope it does, but if I may be so bold, there is no reason to let this

tech know everything...I have learned the hard way, they smile but they are NOT your friend.....they could care less, power not only corrupts the higher ups, even those on the lower ladder tend to find a corruption once they taste that they have some layer of power...

what a sad sad state of affairs our country has become when our people have become so expendable..

I hope it all works out for you.....

[madamesilverspurs]

7. Thanks.

And, by the way, I asked the benefits planner why each person at Social Security gave different answers to the same questions. She answered that 'data entry' is the main skill they hire for, that agency workers aren't really expected to either know or understand the workings of Social Security. Scary.

[SmileyRose]

2. I can promise you

the people who really need SSDI would be very very happy if they were more functional so they they didn't need SSDI anymore.

[madamesilverspurs]

4. This I know.

I'm on social security for a disability that could have been prevented with timely medical attention. I guess I was thinking about the conversations I had with social security during the application process; when they found some area of functionality they insisted that I could find work using that particularly narrow ability (nevermind that I was bedridden at the time and had been for nearly a year). We had a heck of a time arguing that there is often no correspondence between a limited ability and a paying job that requires only that one ability. They can be creatively intransigent.

[sandnsea]

3. Qualifying for Medicare wastes human talent

That is a reason to support change in itself. If there are no pre-existing conditions, there will be a significant decrease in social security applications.

[mdmc]

8. yes

yes
and I don't know.

I work w. people that are disabled by severe and persistant mental illness.
having bennies (benefits) in place prior to ssa determination would make a world of difference