Diagnosed Today 9/8/2014

[krnNdug]

eworth76,

Sorry to meet you here, but these people are great. We had our ALSA support group yesterday and I would suggest going when you feel up to it. The people are all in the same boat and it is the most positive group I have been around. Probably because we all have the same thing and we don't need to put on a face for others. Meet with your pastor, we did and that helped a lot. Your son is

Jeff is so right about everything including the LTD. I never thought I would need it but am glad I had it. I am so thankful my company paid for it even if I pay taxes on it now. Also if you pay for a LTD policy outside of work it is not taxed if you go on it.

Hope your visit goes well.

 

[Jeff Long]

Timing worked out so that my benefit renewal period was a couple months after diagnosis and I was able to make the change. Should be a standard option on most (all?) LTD offerings.

 

[eworth76]

Great, great info folks! Thank you so much!

 

[canmark]

Definitely check with your company HR on short and long-term disability benefits. Long-term disability is basically an insurance policy that your company has provided to all employees, and in my case an insurance company is paying me a portion of my former salary as well as my contributions to my company health insurance plan and company pension plan. So, although I’ve been off work for almost a year I maintain my company health insurance benefits and am getting paid (a portion of my former salary) every month. You will need to fill out a lot of paperwork, as well as have paperwork filled out by your ALS doctor/ALS clinic, and your company HR, but it is definitely worth it. You will likely have to go on short-term disability for a number of weeks (when you are no longer able to work) and then apply for long-term disability so that it can start up when you short-term disability ends.

 

[canmark]

Re: long-term disability deductions. Some companies may pay for you, but make it appear as if you are paying so that when you ultimately collect you do not have to pay tax. For example, they add $20 to your pay and then deduct the $20 as your long-term disability deduction. You may be unaware of this because you never see the $20. But the advantage is that if you are making your own payments then it becomes a non-taxable benefit, because you are presumably collecting on your own insurance. If the company pays, it is a taxable benefit. This is something you should check with your company HR.

 

[andycap]

My husband was diagnosed with Bulbar ALS in July 2014 he was already getting disability from social security because he also has a severe form of gout so he has to deal with this now also,he did not gualify for medicare until after he had been on
disabilty for 2 yrs so just because you recieve disability dosn't mean you will get medicare right away.Him not having insurance prevented him from going to the hospital when his sypmtoms first started,it is a shame they make you wait if you are disabled you need insurance NOW,just saying.

 

[gooseberry]

Andycap, I would reapply for ssdi under als as a diagnosis. They fast track the claims and medicare comes with it automatically if the claim is approved. Basically if you can prove you have 40 work credits in the last 10 years and als you will be approved. It is faster to go in for an interview unless you apply online and can drop off all your medical records.