Some Social Security Disability Tips f... - Lung Cancer Support

Lung Cancer Support

3,988 members2,163 posts

Some Social Security Disability Tips for Patients with Lung Cancer

scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitterBlogger
16 Replies

If you are diagnosed with lung cancer and you are still working, one of your first questions will be “Are my working days over?” Everyone with advanced disease must face this, and even people with early stage disease can find themselves contending with permanent debilitating side effects from treatment.

The question is especially difficult for people who are relatively young, and not near retirement age. You may love your job, and wish to continue doing satisfying work, or you may need to keep working due to financial concerns such as keeping your health insurance or simply paying your bills.

Even if you think that you must continue to work, my advice is to schedule an appointment with your local Social Security office to learn what your options are. Social Security administers two important safety net programs that have benefitted many patients with lung cancer: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). I was “lucky” - diagnosed at age 62 with a vested fixed benefit pension, it was easy for me to decide to retire. When I met with Social Security to set up my retirement benefit, they told me that because I was younger than full retirement age, I should reapply for SSDI as soon as I quit working. Approval meant a few hundred dollars more in my monthly payment, and turned out to have a couple of other benefits as well.

This post is not intended to be an exhaustive guide to Social Security disability benefits, but to give you a few tidbits of information to get you started if you are thinking you should look into SSDI. Again, make an appointment with your local Social Security office as soon as possible! The people who work there are professional, know the ins and outs, and in my experience want to help you.

Tidbit #1: You cannot apply for SSDI until you are no longer working. That does not mean, however, that you have to be unemployed. If you are receiving employment-based disability insurance payments or if you are on an extended sick leave from work, you are not working. If you work for a company that has a generous sick leave policy, you may be able to receive your part or all of your regular wages during the waiting period for SSDI benefit payments to start.

Tidbit #2: Advanced stage lung cancer is on a list of medical conditions that pretty much guarantees expedited processing and approval - but the earlier you apply after diagnosis, the smoother this process (called Compassionate Allowances) works. If you continue to work, it may slow the approval process when you do need to go on disability, and may cause you to have to meet a higher standard of proof than someone who applies soon after diagnosis. Ask about your options. Could you take a leave of absence, get your SSDI benefit approved, and then return to work while you are able? Once approved, if you go back to work and make too much money to continue to receive a benefit payment, you have a five-year period when you can restart benefits, no questions asked, if you can no longer work.

Tidbit #3: There is no way to get around the waiting period for payments to start, which works out to be about 6 months after the date your disability began. You may find yourself with no income for an uncomfortably long time. I have heard of people whose doctors have been able to make a case for an earlier disability date than the official diagnosis date, which resulted in expedited payments.

Tidbit #4: Do you have outstanding federal student loans? If so, once approved for SSDI, you are automatically eligible to have your loans discharged. This is a case where the lunch is not completely free, however. After a three-year monitoring period has elapsed, you will have to include the unpaid balance of the loans as taxable income on your income tax return. I did this and I’m currently in the monitoring period, and gradually saving money towards that tax bill. When I crunched the numbers, I (or my estate) will pay about 25% of the value of the discharged loans in income tax - not a bad deal!

Tidbit #5: A possible source of bridge income while waiting for SSDI payments to start could be Supplemental Security Income. SSI is strictly a needs-based program, and recipients are very restricted in what they can own, but there is no waiting period if you qualify. You may have to cash out assets to qualify.

Tidbit #6: You will automatically go on Medicare after two years of SSDI benefits. There are no programs out there to give you health insurance in the interim, other than options like COBRA, Medicaid, or purchasing insurance. This is probably one of the major reasons why people continue to work after diagnosis with lung cancer.

Are there any words of wisdom from members of our community about disability income options for patients with lung cancer?

Important links where you can learn more:

The official Social Security Disability website: ssa.gov/disability/

Information on Compassionate Allowances: ssa.gov/compassionateallowa...

Information on disability discharge of federal student loans: nelnet.com/additional-loan-...

Public domain image by 401kcalculator.org

Written by
scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitter
Blogger
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
16 Replies
FtB_Peggy profile image
FtB_Peggy

Wonderful information - thanks for all the hard work!

scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitterBlogger in reply to FtB_Peggy

Thank you, Peggy.

Zoolog_64 profile image
Zoolog_64 in reply to scifiknitter

scifiknitter :: Hello thank you for this write up but I have been on SSI since a bad fall I had in 2001 then in 2004 I started with COPD now 2015 I have NSCC. Social security don't pay much if I wasn't married I'd be living in the streets :( You need to WATCH programs that will help from them THEY want $$ back. Ask your Oncologist you need help that can help also..

scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitterBlogger in reply to Zoolog_64

Ye, Zoolog, I was fortunate to be old enough that I could retire and draw my pension as well. Social Security is designed to be a supplement and does not pay enough to live on by itself, and SSI usually pays even less. You have been through a lot! I hope you are doing well.

Zoolog_64 profile image
Zoolog_64 in reply to scifiknitter

:) right now I'm to old to do anything Scifi. But I will say My God is getting me threw it all. I went back to school to work in my home to be a Specialist in Coding and Billing. Made a B+ received my diploma. Checked into SS and they want 30% back in what I make. Crazy but I'm making it.

Spainy profile image
Spainy

Thank you for sharing Scifi!

scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitterBlogger in reply to Spainy

Hope the info is helpful, Spainy.

Mytwins02 profile image
Mytwins02

WOW! That info may have lifted some burden off a few shoulders..Thanks

scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitterBlogger in reply to Mytwins02

Thank you!

Denzie profile image
DenzieModeratorVolunteer

Nice job!

scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitterBlogger in reply to Denzie

Thanks, Denzie.

BrigidK profile image
BrigidK

Great information! As a 58 year old with stage 4 nsclc working was no longer in my future. I applied on line for compassionate s.s. And with only one visit to the local office started receiving checks within 2 months. This has been a very welcome benefit I did not think I would live to collect.

scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitterBlogger in reply to BrigidK

It's good to hear that you got help so quickly, Brigid.

Anita

Excellent advice, Anita. I received a disability discharge on my student loans, and it was such a big help.

scifiknitter profile image
scifiknitterBlogger in reply to

For me, too! I was paying over $450 a month for loans for my daughter's education and my graduate degree. Life on a fixed income would be very constricted if we still were making those payments.

Six1 profile image
Six1

scifiknitter Thanks I was diagnosed in 2014 with copd and sarcadois which they say they have no cure 4 after disability doc after disability doc IGot approved with the help of my doc Thanks Again

You may also like...

Welcoming Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation!

new lung cancer organization joining this community as of next week; Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer...

How long is the life expectancy of a diagnosed lung cancer patient with a 2.5 cm lump in her lung?

mom (49) was diagnosed with lung cancer today with a 2.5 cm lump in her lung. I don’t know how long...

Lung cancer survivor. 😊

6yr lung cancer survivor. I’m just here to learn, make new friends, and be here with all of you in...

About stages of lung cancer

diagnosed report of my sister . Can you tell which stage of cancer it is ?

Adenocarcinoma lung cancer

if the right lung and her lymph nodes are inflamed, the cancer is contained in the lungs currently....