Filing for disability

[Blair77]

My husband is 48 and has metastatic disease. He has been on temporary disability, but is in no shape to return to work. How do people go about filing for permenant disability?

[YostConner]

If you mean social security, the forms are online. I suggest filling them out and then taking them to your local social security office. If he is castrate resistant, approval should come quickly. They will ask for medical records. I pointed out the mCRPC at the office. They were helpful.

If you mean private insurance, you will need to notify the insurer of the claim and get their forms. They're a bit of a headache.

Best to you both.

[Dan59]

I called the Social Security Administration and explained that I had stage 4 with Mets, they called me back for Dr.s numbers and such, and was approved 3 weeks later, I would call Social Security admnistration today ask.Have his Drs. Phone numbers and info with you.Let us know how it goes.

[Bobkar]

Just went thru all the paperwork for my brother. Go under social security disability and start the application ASAP. it goes by the date you apply. Have all info ready when you start . Dr number and address and medical record info and meds and employment info if worked. Also notify the dr office staff and /or hospital medical records to release his info as not to waste time.

[dlestercarlson]

I was able to get Social Security Disability benefits in about a week when learned that I was stage IV with Mets. Since I had not worked for a year they backed payed me starting at 6 months from the time I stopped working, so I ended up with a extra nice big deposit of money into my account. I did this in person at the Social Security office. They checked with my doctor to confirm the diagnosis and that is all I had to do.

Good Luck

Dennis

[EdBar]

I went to my local office and met with a representative, I felt the face to face meeting worked to my benefit. I am stage 4 and was fast tracked, still took about a month or two. Keep in mind if SSA deems you disabled it takes 2 years before you will become eligible to be enrolled in Medicare so you'll need to remain on your current insurance or find insurance through the marketplace. If you use your husbands insurance through his employer that means COBRA.

Ed

[Wagscure]

To save time I would complete at least the medical portion on line ( it saved time at the face to face appointment) after you make an appointment at your local SSI office . You have to be out of work for 1 year to be eligible to apply . They then count 5 months from the last day you worked to then pay you or back pay you

[Dan59 in reply to Wagscure]

I have never heard the out of work for 1 year rule, I was not out of work for 1 year when I applied, more like 2 months. This is from the site, it says you must expect to be out of work for a year. “Before you can claim disability (an inability to work), you must generally not be working in any significant capacity. If you are still working then you cannot claim that you are unable to work. Again, you must have been out of work or be expected to be out of work for at least one year before you apply.”

[TenscTexan in reply to Dan59]

Dan is correct. You have to claim you will not be able to work for a year or just say forever. Stage IV disease, treatments and pain drugs prevent future work.

[EdBar in reply to Wagscure]

Same here, I was not out of work for 1 year.

[Blair77]

He’s been on temporary for a year.

[Litlerny]

There is no rule that says you have had to have already been out of work for one year. The basic rule is that you are not engaging in substantial gainful work activity due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that has lasted OR IS EXPECTED TO LAST at least 12 consecutive months or result in your death.

[jmb23]

Received much conflicting information talking to Social Security on the phone. My advise is to set a (face to face) appointment with your local SS office. They were very, very helpful and I received my first check in two or three months. Best of luck!

[JS12]

Wow. This is all very interesting. My husband is stage IV CRPC plus thyroid CA plus recent PE's and now a renal mass that was just biopsied and is either renal cell ca or lymphoma (awaiting path report). He is on LTD through his employer and we were advised to start the Social Security Disability process asap. We hired a disability law firm to handle the process for us thinking it would be easier. However, my husband was denied initially (?!?!) and the paperwork was just today refiled for an appeal. I'm starting to think that they have a financial incentive to "drag their feet". They said in an email today that it would be 90-120 more days befor we hear anything. Thoughts?