Denied ss/dis, feeling run over, just need to blab a little if it's okay

[jeanG]

Hi all, I kind of just need to talk this out and am wondering if something similar has happened to anyone else. I was just denied ss/dis after a non-medical review. I haven't gotten the letter explaining why I was denied but I know why - I am still working full time. I can no longer talk or drink, I have a PEG tube because I can't eat much via mouth, I feel exhausted much of the time. and cry at the drop of a hat (I am crying right now just writing this). I think at first I was in denial about having ALS then, once I accepted it, I have tried to be stoic and tough it out and I was concerned about loss of income. Now I feel I have waited probably months too long to stop working. I honestly can't anymore, I just can't. I am an absolute mess.
Thanks for listening,
Jean

 

[Nikki J]

Yes you are right. Applying while working is an automatic denial no matter what your diagnosis. They don’t even look further. The reasoning is it is disability insurance and if you are able to work you don’t need it.


I am sorry. I know you can request reconsideration / appeal. Do you have ANY short term disability or pto or something you can take to have income while you wait for ssdi ? You need to stop work before you do the appeal request for reconsideration even if it is the day before. You should get back benefits to your stop work date.

I hate for PALS to go the lawyer route and expense. It shouldn’t be necessary if you are not working and have the diagnosis. Have you tried to see if the letter is viewable on the ssa site? I believe my benefits letter was. It will probably give more information on appealing

I would also try to call and speak to a real person

I am really sorry

 

[jeanG]

Thank you Nikki J

 

[tamilard]

Can't really offer any advice, but sending love, strength, and positive thoughts your way this illness is awful enough to without having to deal with what you're going through, so I hope that all gets resolved soon.

 

[swalker]

I had a long term disability insurance policy through my work. Once I stopped working, the insurance carrier (Unum) was very interested in me getting on SSDI. The reason is that they would deduct whatever I received from SSDI from the benefits that Unum would have otherwise paid.

Unum was so interested that they provided legal assistance to prepare my SSDI application and walk it through the process. It did not cost me anything for this service. I was approved for SSDI 20 days after I started the process of applying.

So, if you do have a long term disability policy, be sure to check to see if they will provide assistance in getting you approved for SSDI.

Steve

 

[lgelb]

And whether you have LTD or not, Jean, check in with your employer's HR office -- they may have some experience in timing that might maximize any other benefits to which you're entitled. And besides the business reasons for notice, It is usually best to give yourself and your co-workers a graceful transition period, even though leaving obviously isn't what you want at root.

There may be people in/around work who have made this journey harder for you, and then those that have made it easier. But when you say goodbye to a job, even if there are people you will still see, it is a wrench even for those in denial. When you select your end date, you may be tempted to cut short the process. Share the date, let it breathe, suffer the cringey behavior you may see -- you will most likely be glad later.

Best,
Laurie

 

[SteveO]

I am currently working through this process and I have contacted the Social Security office local to me and they were very helpful on advising when and how to apply. My HR department was not really that helpful but it is important that they are involved.
I'm currently on short term disability but was advised by Social Security to go ahead and apply even though I am receiving monies from disability it will not affect my Social Security disability. The key is I am no longer working for wages and I have no anticipated date of return, diagnosed with an illness that is anticipated to end in death.
Also I would advise you to read the fine print in the documentation that you get from your employer about your life insurance policies because there is a definitive timeline that you must follow if you're going to convert them into a policy that you can have after your employment ends, this conversion is important because you do not have to have any health statement or examination if you have been insured through your employer and want to convert your life insurance policy.
Steve is correct in that once you have been determined long term, the insurance company will assist you in any way possible to get you on
social security disability and it is true that they will reduce your LTD payment by the social security disability amount not to exceed 60% of the wage that you were previously making before you became disabled, your situation could be different this is just an example.

 

[KimT]

I also had LTD through UNUM and they do offer assistance.

First step is to go to HR and let them help you with benefits and termination. I had enough sick days accumulated to stay on the payroll for six months and my company allowed that. That way, my health insurance was included along with other benefits. That was back when there was a wait for Medicare. There is no longer a wait for people with ALS.

You may or may not have to file a new application. If you have to file a new application, make sure it has a cover letter stating that you are applying as TERI (terminally ill). Put it in huge red letters and take it to the Social Security local office if one is available. You should have a letter from your neurologist that you have been diagnosed with ALS and the disease is terminal. I also included a copy of my EMG and other tests of exclusion.

I filed in October and I was approved before November. It showed up on MY Social Security online before I received the letter.

If your employer has long-term disability, you may need to be certified by two physicians. Getting UNUM's approval required more paperwork than SSDI. They needed two doctors so my local neurologist also wrote a letter using Mayo's test results and his physical examination.

So once you reach a termination agreement at work, the rest should go smoothly.

Best wishes.

 

[jeanG]

Thank you all for your thoughts and advice. Looking into LTD thru work and appealing ss decision. I'm so sorry we are all here.