Disability Help

[ViolinGoddess]

I live in California and am on SSI. SSI is federal disability income and healthcare. Just recently I was up for my five-year review and I got a letter in the mail telling me that I was no longer disabled and that they were going to cut off my income and my healthcare.<insert panic attack here> They said that it had been decided that I was disabled originally because of "mental seizures". I should BE so lucky that my epilepsy was my biggest probelm. Currently, my biggest probelm is my anxiety disorder. It's the reason I can't leave my house, take the bus (I can't drive because of my epilepsy), go to school or keep a job. We also found out that in order to decide whether or not I was still disabled they talked to a few of my doctors. NONE OF WHICH know anything about my anxiety disorder.

So currently we are appealing the order. I've heard that about 30% - 40% of appealers actually get their income and healthcare back. SSI also stated to me that they will keep up my services after the cut off date, but if I lose my appeal, I'll have to pay it all back.

I could REALLY REALLY use any spells, prayers, energy work, etc, that you can send my way on this. This situation holds my life quality and sanity in the balance! I don't know what I'd do if I lost my healthcare. I'm on 6 different kinds of medication. SOme of which cost as much as $250 each. I would not be able to afford my medication without my healthcare. Please help me!

Thank you,
Violin Goddess

[semi]

This reminds me of when I was incarcerated in drug rehab by the courts. I was miraculously cured and free to leave the day my insurance expired. And somehow I owed them money.

Fight this. It's a hassle, but you can fight. The SSI system is not designed to take care of actual people, only faceless clients. The more you fight this and make your voice heard, the more you will gain notice as a human being. If something seems non-legit, contact your state attorney general. Make noise.

Good luck. I hope everything works out for you.

[Philosophia]

Sending you positive and strong energy to beat this! :hugz:

[CheshireEyes]

I'm 100% behind semicivilizedman, on this. Get an attorney, right away, they take a cut, but its better than losing your insurance. The government will send you to their doctors so you have to make sure you have an attorney experienced in disability law.

Also sending you positive energy.

[Cindlady2]

I'll send what I can! (You may have to send it back later!) I' trying to figure out how I can afford the doctors, tests, and stuff I need to be declared disabled when I have no insurance to cover it if I don't get it right away.

[Brighid's Seeker]

follow advice above. lawyers will only take a small maount of settlement. It is worth it to not be left on your bum.

SSI isn't a lot to start withbut it is better than nothhing. SSI is all I have riht now. They will make you work to keeep it. Energy low, ask for Brighid's blessings.

row

[Brenda]

sending energy your way :hugz: :hugz:

[Mishka]

My thoughts are with you. Many blessings.

[Pesha]

There are lawyers that do this kind of work specifically. They take a small percentage in payment. Being disabled myself I totally understand this. Sending energies and hugs.

[TaysatWesir]

calming and positive energy sent :hugz:

[LadyAutumnCat]

Energy sent and definitely contact a lawyer.

[-Ember]

Is that what they actually said or is that what you read into the letter? I'm not sure at what point you are at in the process... this is post review? I worked for the local branch of Disability Determination Services for a short time, and I know a lot of people read the information requests that accompany the federally mandated reviews as being told they were being cut off.

A second point to consider: if you were initially granted disability because of your seizuires, the anxiety disorder is not going to qualify you to keep it. You would need to requalify with the new circumstances. Since it wasn't my job, I'm not entirely clear on what exactly needs to be done (it isn't like starting over, but it isn't the simply matter of continuing to be disabled in the way you were approved for disability.) A good, alert examiner should have caught that and worked with you on it (one reason to fill out everything they send you, even if it seems irrelevent... sometimes an examiner is trying to get you to say what they need you to say in the way they need you to say it in order to get you qualified), but frankly most of them are overworked and happy to be able to meet the minimal requirements to get the job done so they can move on to the next backlogged case. In this case, it may be your anxiety would also qualify you, but if it was not part of the initial claim and you no longer (in terms of the initial claim) meet the requirements they can disqualify you without really looking at it. So one thing to check is if you made anxiety part of your official claim.

I know of one case that made it to an ALJ (administrative law judge... usually seen at about second appeal) before it was realized that the official claim had never mentioned that (in addition to a host of problems that didn't quite qualify her) the woman was in a wheelchair.... which did (in combination with the other problems) make for an easy grant.

I don't know if a lawyer is the best option for you. I saw a lot of people go with them long before they were needed (like at the review stage) and some who might have been better with one. Ideally there should be someone in your social security office who can help see what happened... but again, most of them are overworked and not able to put the energy into it the job really demands.

So, I asked my mother (who still works there), and her opinon: do the reconsideration first. Make a point of the anxiety. If the reconsideration is declined, get the attorney for the next stage where you'll be dealing with the ALJ.

[ViolinGoddess]

Is that what they actually said or is that what you read into the letter?

I'm not sure at what point you are at in the process... this is post review?

A good, alert examiner should have caught that and worked with you on it

(one reason to fill out everything they send you, even if it seems irrelevent

In this case, it may be your anxiety would also qualify you, but if it was not part of the initial claim and you no longer (in terms of the initial claim) meet the requirements they can disqualify you without really looking at it. So one thing to check is if you made anxiety part of your official claim.

So, I asked my mother (who still works there), and her opinon: do the reconsideration first. Make a point of the anxiety. If the reconsideration is declined, get the attorney for the next stage where you'll be dealing with the ALJ.

===> What they actually said was....(paraphrased cause I can't remember it exactly)

"Here are the doctors that we interviewed when you were first considered for disability.
-Doctor Lesch (psychiatrist)
-Dr. Osbourne (neurologist)
-Mary Nesset (therapist)
-Dr. Thompson (ADD)
-Dr. Tso (gerneral practitioner)
Here are the list of doctors that we interveiwed to see if you are still disabled.
-Dr. Burton (general practictioner)
-Dr. Osbourne (neurologist)
-Dr. Thompson (ADD)"

((It should be noted here that Mary Nesset and Dr. Lesch were not on the most recent list. And it is those two people that know about my anxiety disorder and how it affects my life))

===> Actually, I'm not quite sure where we are in the process either. We were given the papers for the reconsideration. We filled them out and turned them in. We haven't heard back from them yet.

===> Apparently nobody caught that I should be considered for another reason.

===> Well, we did fill out everything that was sent to us....completely.

===> Yes it was mentioned, quite extensively, in the initial claim. They should have seen this already. In fact, for the five years I've had SSI, both me and my dad (my payee) thought I was recieving SSI because of my anxiety disorder.

===> Great! Thanks for asking your mom! I really appreciate it!

Violin Goddess

[ViolinGoddess]

Thank you everyone for sending me energy and prayers. Plus the adive! I really appreciate it.

Violin Goddess

[GalenaFaolan]

I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and sending energy for this to resolve swiftly and you keep your benefits. :hugz:

[BlackMagicalCat]

Well,My prayers are with you,that you will recieve help from God for your many troubles.

[LadyOak]

My thoughts/energy are with you.