Disability questions

[HbbM]

I’ve learned so much from this group of amazing women! Thank you all!

I was diagnosed MBC last July 2022. Had no idea disability would’ve automatic. I just learned that but haven’t applied yet. There might be some hiccups. Hoping someone here might be able to have an answer.

It’s really two questions.

1) I have some residual income from an old MLM I did years ago and had a little bit of success with. The account is in my name. I could put it in my husbands name if needed. Even though there’s no active working per se there is monthly income. Does that need to be moved out of my name? I should do it anyway to prepare for the worst and make things easier for my husband. Also, we have a small apartment in our home and the income is in both mine and my husbands name. Will these two things disqualify me for SSI?

2) Health Insurance… my husband is still working. We have good insurance. If I applied and qualified for SSI would I have to also be on Medicare instead of his insurance?

I don’t even know who to call or where to start looking for this information. This is all so new to me.

[jersey-jazz]

Dear HbbM - First of all, my disclaimer is that I speak mostly out of ignorance. What I do know is that the health insurance that you have, you need to keep! That coupled with Medicare, covers your bills, for the most[part. My very strong advice to you is to go to the nearest Social Security office and sit down with someone who know the rules and can help you.

[fancydog in reply to jersey-jazz]

I agree, you will need to make sure you do not have monthly income exceeding approx $770/mon or you would have to report it to SS as income. Probably putting it all in your husband's name should solve any issues. Even though you will be approved promptly for SSDI, you will have I think a 5 mon waiting period until you will get Medicare so hangon to your husbands' health insurance. A nice person at your local Social Secuity office should be able to help you with all your questions.

[Adele_Julia]

I’m on SSDI and after 2 years you’re automatically on Medicare which will start for me in April. I’m on my husbands insurance and will use that as primary . Some doctors don’t take Medicare patients so stay on both.

[jersey-jazz in reply to Adele_Julia]

I thought that Medicare is automatically the primary and that you do not get a choice.

[Adele_Julia in reply to jersey-jazz]

I’m not aware of that?

[jersey-jazz in reply to Adele_Julia]

I could be dead wrong. It would not be the first time. I was told this by some office of a doctor or hospital. but that may be from my state, at my age and because of my particular situation. I am not disabled.

[Adele_Julia in reply to jersey-jazz]

you don’t have to be disabled. Being MBC automatically qualifies you for SSDI

[CTGirl1962 in reply to jersey-jazz]

Medicare is NOT automatic if you’re under 65 and have private medical insurance. It’s optional if you don’t have insurance if you’re under 65. ☺️

[Bettybuckets in reply to CTGirl1962]

I am 62 and Medicare was not optional when I started getting SSDI a year ago. You can send in a form but it is not advised I hear as you can’t opt back in… but I pay for the minimum Medicare which is $170/ month and then still buy my husbands good insurance which has good drug coverage because on Medicare part D, even after going through the “donut hole” where we all pay thousands before catastrophic coverage kicks in, even then whn you will pay just 5% of your drug costs, I hear the CDK 4-6 drugs cost more than $500/ month. So for us, we keep paying the high premiums of my hubby insurance to a skid that.

[Bettybuckets in reply to Bettybuckets]

oops meant to avoid that. .. darn auto correct

[jersey-jazz]

Yes, I know that but I am butting out of the disabled question so as not to write something that I know so little about.

[CTGirl1962]

Hi!! I was in the same situation as you are. I was diagnosed in April 2022. I applied for SSDI in November. I had all the same questions and got EXCELLENT information from my local SS office.

First of all, we are all different as to our SS allowance. It all depends on what you’ve earned over your lifetime. I can make up to $1470 a month as income. I’m 61. But, that’s my situation. My husband also has health insurance so I am not opting for Medicare until I need to. In my situation, if I were to go on Medicare, my husband’s insurance would be SECONDARY. You would need to check with your insurance company to see if they would be primary or secondary if you chose to go on Medicare.

Secondly, they will go back to your original diagnosis date and use that for your 5 month waiting period. I applied in November and had a check for the two months before and received my benefit immediately.

It’s a huge step, but if you’re not working, it can be a blessing having that income.

My biggest piece of advice…write down your questions. Ask a representative from SS. They are AWESOME. Believe it or not. Our government can be a little wonky, but when it comes to SS, they are on top of their game. I also had them help me fill out the application because I didn’t want to mess up anything. They will go through it step by step with you.

I wish you all the best.

Jody 😍

[HbbM in reply to CTGirl1962]

thank you so much for this detailed response!!! I’ll definitely go to the SS office. It’s automatic after a metastatic diagnosis correct? I was diagnosed with breast cancer January 2021 but metastatic in July of 2022.

[CTGirl1962 in reply to HbbM]

Yes, it is automatic if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness and MBC is considered terminal (that sounds so ominous to me…I like to think of it as a chronic illness). But, you still have to go through the application process. They contact all your doctors and do that legwork for you, as well. They are very helpful!

[HbbM in reply to CTGirl1962]

kind of amazing a government agency is so helpful. I guess with this terrible situation we’re in it’s nice to get a break where we can. Thanks so much!

[CTGirl1962 in reply to HbbM]

You’re so welcome and good luck!! 💜

[Justme153 in reply to CTGirl1962]

Hi Jody one thing i think that needs to be explained is when a person applies for SS because of MBC what you are applying for is SSD(social security disability). So i was diagnosed Dec of 2018 MBC but i continued to work till july of 2019 but realized my lyphodema was getting worse because of my work. So i stopped working mid july went down the next day and applied for SSD for MBC. My 5 month wait started from the day i stopped working. Not from diagnoses. So i was approved and so January was my start month. But since SS pays a month behind my first check i got was February. So it was actually 6 months with no pay. Then once you are on SSD for 2 yrs you recieve Medicare even if you are not 65. I was 64 so started Medicare a year early. The only problem you can run into is if you go with a medicare supplement plan (not medicare advantage) some states dont offer all the medicare supplement plans to those under 65. So you may not have a wide range of plans to choose from. As a side note from all the investigation i have done Medicare Advantage plans are not good for people who have major illnesses like cancer. Even though they include drug plans from what i researched there drug plans dont cover a lot of the cancer drugs no different then the drug plans you buy with a medicare supplement plan. That being said everyone needs to look at there financial situation to determin which type of insurance works best for them.

[CTGirl1962 in reply to Justme153]

Hi!! Medicare is not automatic if you have private insurance. Only if you have no insurance. I will not opt in to Medicare until I’m 65. It’s your choice. Interesting about the medications. I’m going to have to do research, as well!! Thank you!!

[Justme153 in reply to CTGirl1962]

You are correct !!! I was on the market place insurance and with that you must take medicare when available.