swalker
Very helpful member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2014
- Messages
- 1,576
- Reason
- DX MND
- Diagnosis
- 07/2014
- Country
- US
- State
- CO
- City
- Vail
Here is my story.
I was not diagnosed with ALS, but instead was diagnosed with "MND - Other", which has an ICD9 code of 335.29.
I was told by my doctors to expect it to follow the same course as ALS and so far it has. One doctor in particular refers to me as having ALS. My PCP has my diagnosis listed in their records as ALS. At this point, I just don't care what the diagnosis is. I deal with symptoms and live my life the best that I can.
Shortly after diagnosis, it became obvious to me that I could no longer practically and effectively work. I had private disability insurance through work, so applied for that.
A friend at church is a lawyer with expertise in disability claims. He acted as my attorney in this matter and helped file all the necessary paperwork to qualify for private disability.
The private disability company (UNUM) has a clause in their policy which effectively required me to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). They provided legal representation at no cost to me. With their help I applied for SSDI.
I was approved for SSDI in about 3 weeks.
Private disability started paying effective on the day I stopped work. SSDI started paying about 5 or 6 months after the day I stopped working.
I was not covered under Medicare until about 2.5 years after I stopped working. Fortunately, I was able to continue my private medical insurance through work.
I am sure every case is different and there is no way to predict with certainty how a large government bureaucracy will handle a particular case. Given that, I thought it might be helpful to you to hear my story.
Steve
I was not diagnosed with ALS, but instead was diagnosed with "MND - Other", which has an ICD9 code of 335.29.
I was told by my doctors to expect it to follow the same course as ALS and so far it has. One doctor in particular refers to me as having ALS. My PCP has my diagnosis listed in their records as ALS. At this point, I just don't care what the diagnosis is. I deal with symptoms and live my life the best that I can.
Shortly after diagnosis, it became obvious to me that I could no longer practically and effectively work. I had private disability insurance through work, so applied for that.
A friend at church is a lawyer with expertise in disability claims. He acted as my attorney in this matter and helped file all the necessary paperwork to qualify for private disability.
The private disability company (UNUM) has a clause in their policy which effectively required me to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). They provided legal representation at no cost to me. With their help I applied for SSDI.
I was approved for SSDI in about 3 weeks.
Private disability started paying effective on the day I stopped work. SSDI started paying about 5 or 6 months after the day I stopped working.
I was not covered under Medicare until about 2.5 years after I stopped working. Fortunately, I was able to continue my private medical insurance through work.
I am sure every case is different and there is no way to predict with certainty how a large government bureaucracy will handle a particular case. Given that, I thought it might be helpful to you to hear my story.
Steve