Gotta Love The Ssa

[tdak]

hi all,

A follow up on my SSDI case. OK, filed for SSDI OCT.06, had state doctor exam about a month ago (April). I had called my claims rep/case worker, I forget the exact title of the person handling the case, in regards to m medical conition and because of the rarity, should I bring any additional information for them. He told me yes, bring what I thought might help the doctor examing me a better knowldge of my condition and to call him back in 2 weeks and he should have an answer for me on my claim. So I did, MRI copies, and surgical reports things like that. So I go, exam was a joke, the psych eval was twice as long as the general medical eval. So no biggie, now it's 2 weeks later, I call and call til the rep answers the phone, now he says to me, oh, I see here that you have an eye exam at a opthamologist, and they referred you to a neuro-opthamologist, did you go? Yes, I told him and that I had already given that information back in Oct with all my other doctors names. OH, he says, I do not have any of the medical records from his office, we will have to send out a medical release to him. I mentioned that I have a 2 page report that was sent to my original eye doctor from him in regards to the referral and the diagnosis, exam etc info and could I fax that to him and would it be acceptable instead of waiting for the doctor report. At this point another week or so isn't going to matter now, so he said go ahead and fax it to him. So I did that day. He also told me to call him and follow up in a week to 10 days. I called the SSA rep yesterday to make sure he had everything they needed to make a decision on my case,he said he was still waiting on the neuroopthamologist doctor's records and I said, wasn't that why I faxed you a copy of the letter from him 10 days ago, he was like, hold on let me check. He gets back on the phone and says, oh someone just had the fax listed as a coorespondence and not as medical information so it was never fowarded to the doctos here who make the decision on your case. He then told me he would send all that info diectly to the doctor who makes the final decision today and I would know by the end of the week. I was in awe, he asked me to fax it, so I did, then doesn't do anything with it, You just gotta love the SSA.

My advice to everyone waiting on the SSA for a decision in a claim, give the rep/claim person working on you case a call, just to make sure they have all the information they need to make a decision. I called the toll free # and they gave me the claims reps direct extension to call him. If I didn't call I would be waiting a few more weeks or even months because of the oversight on my eye specialist doctor to begin with.

Sorry it was so long winded, I tend to do that from time to time.

Regards,

Tamara

Edited May 22, 2007 by tdak

[free_spirit_etc]

Another difference between SSA and VA on timelines is for those with terminal illness. For one thing - terminal illness itself makes you eligible. If you have a terminal illness that is expected to result in your death in a certain time frame - you don't have to prove you can't work.

My husband and I hadn't even considered SSD. In ways - it was probably good -- as I think our attitude that he was going to get better and make it through the illness really did help him live a very active life for much longer.

But when we were checking on ways to cut some of our expenses -- I ran across the student loan forgiveness info - that said they used SSD guidelines. So I looked up SSD guidlines... and realized that my husband was qualified for SSD.

The guiding standard for lung cancer was cancer that had invaded the mediastinum --which is what his had done. So he actually would have been elgiable for SSD back in 2004 - when they discovered his cancer had invaded the aorta - and declared him inoperable.

SSD has what they call a TERI claim. If you have a terminal illness - they tag your folder as a TERI claim - and move on it - quickly.

My husband was approved and had the money sent to his bank in around 3 weeks from the date of his claim.

The VA has a policy that you can REQUEST to be moved up the docket at the BVA for terminal illness, advanced age, hardship... but no policy at the local level.

My husband did request that his case be expidited - due to his terminal illness, but he got no response. They did sent a letter to Senator Obama - telling his office that my husband's claim was assigned to a supervisor to assist in expediting his claim. But he did not get not only a decision, but even an actual response to anything (His request for the status of his case - his request for viewing his C-file - his request for a copy of his discharge physical - etc.)

Si SSD totally processed his claim in 3 weeks.

The VA sent him occasional "we are working on your request" form letters for 8 months.

It would seem that if a supervisor actually WAS expiditing your claim - they could at least send you SOMETHING in 8 months - even if it wasn't a decision on your case.

Free

[tdak]

Yet another update: I had my exam with the SSA, been waiting and waiting as you may have read in this thread. So I finally talk again to the case worker from the SSA and he says if he needs anymore information, he will let me know or if he needs me to go to the Neuro-opthamologist again he would also let me know. Well that was over a week ago yesterday. So I was hoping for an answer by the end of this week like he told me. Well needless to say in todays mail I received YET another request to go to their own specialist again, this time an Opthamologist, gee go figure, I guess mine weren't good enough for them, even though finding a neuro-opthamologist are few and far between. I was told that there were only a handful in all of NY. Well now I have to call them MOnday to make an appointment, and drive an hour to go to their doctor. I will ask about submitting for milage, not that they will do anything for me. Heres to hoping its my last doctor appointment for the SSA. Almost 8 months now, but its better than an immediate denial.

Enjoy your day!

Tamara

[carlie]

Tamara,

I know it doesn't put food on the table right now -- but the retro-pay will be nice when they finally fully grant your SSA claim. It will happen!

carlie

Edited June 3, 2007 by carlie

[free_spirit_etc]

Tamara,

Actually my son has done quite well with the Social Security Docs. His disabilties are mental though. But I have nevr had to fight THEIR doctor's reports. He has even had a couple re-evaluations. The first time - I got a letter that their would be no change in his benefits (meaning he would STAY on) before I even finished with the paperwork to send in. THe second time - the doctor came out in the hall and told me that my son would continue on benefits.

Free

Yet another update: I had my exam with the SSA, been waiting and waiting as you may have read in this thread. So I finally talk again to the case worker from the SSA and he says if he needs anymore information, he will let me know or if he needs me to go to the Neuro-opthamologist again he would also let me know. Well that was over a week ago yesterday. So I was hoping for an answer by the end of this week like he told me. Well needless to say in todays mail I received YET another request to go to their own specialist again, this time an Opthamologist, gee go figure, I guess mine weren't good enough for them, even though finding a neuro-opthamologist are few and far between. I was told that there were only a handful in all of NY. Well now I have to call them MOnday to make an appointment, and drive an hour to go to their doctor. I will ask about submitting for milage, not that they will do anything for me. Heres to hoping its my last doctor appointment for the SSA. Almost 8 months now, but its better than an immediate denial.

Enjoy your day!

Tamara

[tdak]

Free: Mine may be mental by the time this is done. The Neuro-opthamologist was my own personal doctor. I only had 2 evals with the SSA, General and Psych. I guess the fact that my eyes are pretty messed up made them send me to their opthamologist, which may not be in my favor, due to the fact that I have Chiari (brain herniation) Malformation and have had the surgery for it. But with the Chiari comes floaters, double vision, photophobia, nystagmus and I have astigmatisms and sutural cataracts in both eyes to boot. (and tons of other fun stuff to deal with). I hope they don't try to tell me I'm partially blind or some crap like that.

Carlie: Yes I really hope it doesn't get denied after all of this. It seems too long to get denied, but then again it is NYS, so who knows.

Its not the going to their doctors for evaluations that is driving me nuts, it's the fact that the case worker keeps telling me that my case will be decided by the end of the wek, like every week or two. The case worker/claim person watever his title, told me that he would call me Tuesday (specifically Tuesday, due to Monday being Memorial Day) if he needed anything further, and poof, mail shows up but not til Saturday. Its the lack of organization, communication and fact that he has led me to believe that he would call me on the phone (that was his words) if there was anything more. I see this as more and I see this as bs to a point. I understand the many cases they have to work on, but don't downright lie to me. I can't stand it when I am lied to. Don't say anything at all if you are not sure or say"I'm not sure, we'll be in contact". At least with that statement it isn't leading you to believe that they will personally call you.

In any case, the letter they sent me for an Opthamologist appointment, the date and time was blank, I have to call them for the next available appointment. So Monday I will call them and hopefully they can get me in soon.

Enjoy,

Tamara

[free_spirit_etc]

I am not quite sure why you don't want them saying you are partially blind. Legal blindess really bumps your benefits up with Social Security (and most agencies). It is the one disability that is singled out for higher benefits, higher tax deductions, higher allowable income, etc.

But yes..I get what you mean about the run around.

When I first applied for SSI for my son - he was hospitalized. I was REQUIRED to apply for benefits as if he recieved any - they were to be used for his hospitalization. I am grateful for this requirement - because I never would have even thought of applying for benefits before - and he was approved on the first attempt.

However, they sent me a letter telling me that he had to go to an appointment with a psychiatrist for an evaluation.

He had just been transfered to a different hospital several hours away - so I called them.

They told me he wasn't eligible for an "outing" until he had been there a certain amount of time.

So I inform SSA.

They say he HAS to go to the eval appointment.

I said "You want me to check my son out of a mental institution and drive a 6 hour round trip to take him to a doctor to see if he has a mental problem? Is something wrong with this picture?"

And this time around - trying to change him from SSI to SSD has been equally frustrating.

When I first took him in to apply on my husband's record - they just said he was too old.

I told them he was an adult disabled child.

They asked him if he had ever worked - He said Yes. Thye told me - then he is NOT disabled - so he is not eligible.

I said he was DECLARED disabled in 1993 by YOU! SSI was fully aware that he worked part-time last year! All of his income was reported to SSI!

So they checked his record and saw that he only made a couple thousand dollars in his LIFE --and decided they would let him apply.

Then they sent a letter telling him he had to fill out an adult disability report prior to his appointment. I called asnd asked "Does he have to fill this out - as he has already been DECLARED disabled. The only question is dependency on my husband's records."

I was told he had to fill it out - as SSD was a different program that SSI --and though their forms and standards were the same - he disability would have to be "re-determined."

So I spent a couple hours filling it out - took it to the office to the appointment - and the case worker said 'Oh..I don't need that - He has already been declared disabled by SSI."

ACK!!! And when THEY don't know what they are doing - they act like it is YOU that is stupid or something.

I can go on and on and on about the run-a-round we have recieved this time.

Free

Free: Mine may be mental by the time this is done. The Neuro-opthamologist was my own personal doctor. I only had 2 evals with the SSA, General and Psych. I guess the fact that my eyes are pretty messed up made them send me to their opthamologist, which may not be in my favor, due to the fact that I have Chiari (brain herniation) Malformation and have had the surgery for it. But with the Chiari comes floaters, double vision, photophobia, nystagmus and I have astigmatisms and sutural cataracts in both eyes to boot. (and tons of other fun stuff to deal with). I hope they don't try to tell me I'm partially blind or some crap like that.

Carlie: Yes I really hope it doesn't get denied after all of this. It seems too long to get denied, but then again it is NYS, so who knows.

Its not the going to their doctors for evaluations that is driving me nuts, it's the fact that the case worker keeps telling me that my case will be decided by the end of the wek, like every week or two. The case worker/claim person watever his title, told me that he would call me Tuesday (specifically Tuesday, due to Monday being Memorial Day) if he needed anything further, and poof, mail shows up but not til Saturday. Its the lack of organization, communication and fact that he has led me to believe that he would call me on the phone (that was his words) if there was anything more. I see this as more and I see this as bs to a point. I understand the many cases they have to work on, but don't downright lie to me. I can't stand it when I am lied to. Don't say anything at all if you are not sure or say"I'm not sure, we'll be in contact". At least with that statement it isn't leading you to believe that they will personally call you.

In any case, the letter they sent me for an Opthamologist appointment, the date and time was blank, I have to call them for the next available appointment. So Monday I will call them and hopefully they can get me in soon.

Enjoy,

Tamara