About to file for SSDI, coming to terms with what is ahead

[alanams]

Good afternoon everyone. I would like to begin by thanking everyone for the encouragement and information as I made it through the last 5 weeks of disappointment and pain.

I could no longer work after complications of chemotherapy in March. In April, I became jaundiced due to biliary blockage by a liver tumor, and 3 weeks ago, 2 stents were implanted by ERCP. I have been recovering at home for the last 3 weeks .. with soreness and pain. My STD carrier from work cut off my claim after a month, because they needed to get updates from my provider. I'm working on reopening that.

Returning to work is no longer an option, so, I believe that SSDI is the next step. My big expense will be health insurance extension by COBRA. Waiting for Medicare from SSDI for 24 months is quite a long time. This is indeed becoming a difficult adjustment; no more employment, disability carriers are rough to deal with, and COBRA. As soon as my liver function tests normalize, I can look forward to Irinotecan and Erbitux. The last 6 weeks have centered around continuing pain, soreness and disaappoinment. The alternative treatments I placed so much hope in did not help to any noticeable degree.

Any information, perspectives, and / or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and best to all. Alan

[janklo]

Since you are stage IV, social security disability should be fairly simple to get approved. I think they actually push those through.

The other thing, about the medical insurance. Check out the exchanges. I don't know what the rule is now that the "open enrollment period" is over but a lady I work with had issues with our group medical carrier paying for her daughter's psychiatric care and meds, so she bought a policy on the exchange for her daughter and it was fairly cheap, compared to COBRA. She is very pleased with it. If you are on disability, maybe you can even get a break on the premium. It's worth checking out!

[some]

Alan,

Your employer should be able to help you with your LTD plan. You do have one and it will pay a lot more than SSD would which should make your affording insurance better. You gave so many years to this job and they should be able to help with this process. Your doctors can help too and maybe if you just can't handle it, you should hire an attorney's office to facilitate this. My husband has applied for the employer provided disability and his HR and their broker has been very helpful.

I hope you can feel better soon.

Serena

[tdsamal]

Just a short note about LTD. There should be no reason for you not to qualify for it, but they will make you file for SSD because they know for a fact you will be fast tracked. It doesn't take long once your apply io find out but you won't get your first check from SSD for 5 months from the date of your disability. They can go back to your last day on the job which is nice. Please don't give up on either LTD or even STD. You paid for it and your have earned it! Cobra is very expensive and for me just wasn't an option. I don't know how these exchanges work though with existing medical problems. Good luck to you.
Tammy

[exaussie]

hi
My son was told to apply for everything..They will rush ssi through for stage 4. I worked on the health care side, his sister applied for disability and ssi for him-I do not know how the elderly sick people manage to get through the paper work when it took 2 of us to get it all done! He cant work and now lives at home. He was on disability until ssi kicked in, in March. We went with state insurance (Oregon) and so far, now that the long set up and a few hiccups are over, its working. He is getting food stamps so he can help us out with food bill.
Hope everything goes smooth for you.

[vickitwo]

I really don't know anything for sure but it was my understanding that one could still sign up on the healthcare exchange anytime you have a life changing event such as a job loss etc. I would do some investigating before I would pay COBRA prices . Does COBRA still even exhist? The person who signed me up for health care told me that my college age daughter who has health insurance with her university could get healthcare on the exchange after she graduates and is no longer covered there. Good luck to you.

[midlifemom]

Vicki is correct that you can apply to the exchange when you experience a "life changing" event such as a job loss. But watch your timing. You have to apply within a certain time period I think.

[annalexandria]

I am on SSDI and it was a very simple process. Started the application online and was approved within two months. Us "lucky" stage 4ers get to cut to the front of the line, I guess.
They also paid back pay to the date when I had to stop working, so if you've been off for a while, you will likely get a chunk of money upfront before the monthly payments start.
Good luck, Alan, hopefully this process will go smoothly for you. I'm really sorry things have been so difficult for you. F'ing cancer. :/
AA

[gep]

There's a 5 month waiting period before SSDI kicks in. As a result, it's important to allege an onset date that's accurate. If you really haven't been working for the last 5 months because you've been out sick more than at work, allege that as your onset date despite the fact that you were at work. SSDI applications can go back 17 months and with the 5 month waiting period they can pay you 12 months before you apply if that's when you really became unable to work.
Hope this makes sense.
gloria

[alanams]

Good afternoon everyone,

Thanks for all of the thoughtful responses.

I'm in the process of contacting a social worker at one of the cancer care organizations about resources, such as legal advice. The whole attorney-disability issue has me extremely anxious. If the wait for SSDI Medicare wasn't so long, COBRA wouln't be an issue.

Best to all, Alan

[Jack&KatiesMommy]

Alan:
Praying for a good plan of attack moving forward!
Cynthia

[MrPleistocene]

It is also possible to back date your eligibility. They can look at your record and might determine you were disabled after your first surgery. In that case, your medicaid might kick in quite soon. You will also get a lump sum payment for the owed SSDI. At least, that was what happened with me.