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Supplemental Security Income & Hep C
Does anyone know how to get SSI (Supplemental Security Income) if you've got Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is on the Digestive System list of impairments.
The rules clearly state you have to have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from doing any type of work to qualify. I know many people who can't work while going thru tx. Does this apply to anyone?
You have to have certain symptoms that limit your ability to work (such as too fatigued or sick to do anything).
Hepatitis C is on the Digestive System list of impairments.
The rules clearly state you have to have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from doing any type of work to qualify. I know many people who can't work while going thru tx. Does this apply to anyone?
You have to have certain symptoms that limit your ability to work (such as too fatigued or sick to do anything).
This is the website.
http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/
It may or may not apply to you. Good Luck!
http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/
It may or may not apply to you. Good Luck!
Let's stick to the topic, if it's even necessary to continue it. It's ok to discuss in case someone needs it, but it's also good to know that most won't.
Those points have been made well, so no need to continue the back and forth.
Emily
Those points have been made well, so no need to continue the back and forth.
Emily
Yes, that is exactly right Nygirl. No one ever mentioned or made reference to Susan400 or Magnum. Most everyone on this forum is familiar with their plight but I see no evidence of this DISCUSSION becoming an abuse contest now or prior to this post.
Trinity
Trinity
Hepatitus C doesn't have to be a disability. Some people are ok with it and don't even get treatment.
NO. nygirl7 that's getting a little bit too personal for anyone wanting to apply for benefits.
Why are you interested in knowing how? Why do you feel you are disabled?
Why are you interested in knowing how? Why do you feel you are disabled?
Once again, The Goal here is to try and figure out how to get approved for benefits. "
May I please enquire as to why you feel you are disabled enough to get benefits? I haven't seen any reason why you think you should be entitled to government assistance - for those who do need it, obviously it should be approved and generally is. That is why they make it so hard to receive it, they want to make sure it's not used like welfare - as a way of life but is indeed for those who are disabled and eligible.
Most folks who are just diagnosed with hepc didn't even know that they had it - it's a very symptomless disease for most people until very late in the liver damage progression - which I'd assume for someone so young you cannot yet have.
So i'm curious why you are so interested in this subject considering mosto people double your age are not?
May I please enquire as to why you feel you are disabled enough to get benefits? I haven't seen any reason why you think you should be entitled to government assistance - for those who do need it, obviously it should be approved and generally is. That is why they make it so hard to receive it, they want to make sure it's not used like welfare - as a way of life but is indeed for those who are disabled and eligible.
Most folks who are just diagnosed with hepc didn't even know that they had it - it's a very symptomless disease for most people until very late in the liver damage progression - which I'd assume for someone so young you cannot yet have.
So i'm curious why you are so interested in this subject considering mosto people double your age are not?
This is a Hepatitis C forum. AND it is a fact that Hep C is on the list of impairments. SS isn't for everyone, some people can work, others cannot.
Once again, The Goal here is to try and figure out how to get approved for benefits.
Once again, The Goal here is to try and figure out how to get approved for benefits.
Everytime a discussion like this comes up you take offense. No one was directing criticisms at you. Your name was not mentioned and no one was alluding to you. Most everyone here knows your situation.
It was Cory's comments like: "We've all got Hepatitis C. Basically, Hep C is on the list of Digestive System List of Impairments. You should automatically qualify. I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to give this a shot. "
I'm sorry, but if read something like that I must express my opinion and it's not personal or a criticism. I don't know who you feel you have to defend yourself to but it's certainly not me.
Trinity
It was Cory's comments like: "We've all got Hepatitis C. Basically, Hep C is on the list of Digestive System List of Impairments. You should automatically qualify. I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to give this a shot. "
I'm sorry, but if read something like that I must express my opinion and it's not personal or a criticism. I don't know who you feel you have to defend yourself to but it's certainly not me.
Trinity
Well said Susan. I'm losing a good chunk of money and have to turn down jobs in order to keep my SSI because any insurance company will not touch me with my existing physical problems. With SSI, I get Medicaid, which without, I would be in a wheelchair and broke with dust in my pockets.
The criticism is from those who don't understand. They don't necessarily mean to berate you or anyone receiving SSI, they're just confused as to the facts of why persons like you and I are eligible. I too worked for at least 40 year and paid into Social Security thousands of dollars and am deserving and glad I got SSI.
Funny thing, when the criticizers will one day need SSI, they will change their tune in a hurry... By the way, best of luck in your next treatment with PI's. The battle is not over, just on hold for a while...
Mag
The criticism is from those who don't understand. They don't necessarily mean to berate you or anyone receiving SSI, they're just confused as to the facts of why persons like you and I are eligible. I too worked for at least 40 year and paid into Social Security thousands of dollars and am deserving and glad I got SSI.
Funny thing, when the criticizers will one day need SSI, they will change their tune in a hurry... By the way, best of luck in your next treatment with PI's. The battle is not over, just on hold for a while...
Mag
I think it would be good if people were able to go on short term disability while doing tx if they needed it. Everyone responds differently from what I can see and depending on what kind of work you do it could be quite difficult to handle it while not functioning well. I also think if you paid into ssi for years, we have a right to use some of the money. For some I would guess that working or regular activity on some level would help get them through it. I know you didn't start the thread looking for a debate, but I think the subject of disability seems to invite it!
Good luck, I hope you get it if you are going to try!
Dave
Good luck, I hope you get it if you are going to try!
Dave
Really, you should concentrate on maintaining as many of your normal activities as possible during tx. "
Getting up and showered and dressed every day and coming in to work where I could have my mind taken off my situation and laugh with some friends once in a while is probably the thing that kept me SANE during treatment. Wisest thing I ever did.
Getting up and showered and dressed every day and coming in to work where I could have my mind taken off my situation and laugh with some friends once in a while is probably the thing that kept me SANE during treatment. Wisest thing I ever did.
Thanks Trinity4, that's very helpful.
All the advice is well taken. Some people can handle working on treatment, others cannot.
No one wants to be disabled obviously, is what I said, PERIOD. That's what I said, and I'm sticking to it. Don't twist it around.
The Goal here is to get a general idea about how to approved for benefits. PERIOD.
All the advice is well taken. Some people can handle working on treatment, others cannot.
No one wants to be disabled obviously, is what I said, PERIOD. That's what I said, and I'm sticking to it. Don't twist it around.
The Goal here is to get a general idea about how to approved for benefits. PERIOD.
Actually it's not obvious that nobody wants to be disabled. From what you post it sounds like that is exactly what you want. And it is not true that most people cannot work during tx - many people do work going through treatment.
Why is it that you are so anxious to have people apply for benefits? Who is the "we" trying to figure this out? Really, you should concentrate on maintaining as many of your normal activities as possible during tx.
Trinity
Why is it that you are so anxious to have people apply for benefits? Who is the "we" trying to figure this out? Really, you should concentrate on maintaining as many of your normal activities as possible during tx.
Trinity
It took me years to get disability and I had broken my back and literally had a dent in my brain with was causing short term memory issues big time. They finally gave it to me because of that - not my back. And I had VOLUMES of paperwork and expertise to stand on.
As tough as treatment was I just don't see them giving anyone long term disability for hep on it's own really - most people aren't even aware that they have the disease until their bloodwork accidentally shows that something is wrong.
It's hard to prove things like fibromalygia and other issues, especially those that might be mental rather than physical (believe me I had to take all the tests because of my TBI). And once they were resolved I went off disability and started to work again. Disability doesn't pay enough to live on.....even when you have kids depending on you for their dinner.
As tough as treatment was I just don't see them giving anyone long term disability for hep on it's own really - most people aren't even aware that they have the disease until their bloodwork accidentally shows that something is wrong.
It's hard to prove things like fibromalygia and other issues, especially those that might be mental rather than physical (believe me I had to take all the tests because of my TBI). And once they were resolved I went off disability and started to work again. Disability doesn't pay enough to live on.....even when you have kids depending on you for their dinner.
I should have mentioned that my SSI disability has nothing to do with my Hep C. It is because of 13 surgeries I've undergone due to my Childhood Rheumatoid Arthritis that leaves me to work part time at best, and only under doctor's approval, and with very regulated work programs with a lot of guidelines and work reports to the Social Security Dept...
Magnum
Magnum
No one wants to be disabled obviously. nygirl7 I actually agree with you. It is rather difficult to get benefits unless your completely obliterated. AND if you ARE ACTUALLY DISABLED, and have medical records to PROVE it they still may turn you down.
I don't know if you read the website I posted, it tells you how to get benefits. That's what were trying to figure out... You have to speak with an attorney who has done Hepatitis C cases before and won.
Like I said before, age does not play a big role, as a biopsy is the only way to determine how much progression you have... In 20-30-40 years down the road you may become disabled if you've got Hepatitis C.... Now is the time to start thinking about that, otherwise you'll never get it....... AND if you plan on going thru TX soon, or in the future now is the time to think ahead. Figure out how to get it when that time comes..... As most people cannot work while going thru it... Waking up everyday and going to work while going thru HEP C treatment is whats impossible to do.....
I don't know if you read the website I posted, it tells you how to get benefits. That's what were trying to figure out... You have to speak with an attorney who has done Hepatitis C cases before and won.
Like I said before, age does not play a big role, as a biopsy is the only way to determine how much progression you have... In 20-30-40 years down the road you may become disabled if you've got Hepatitis C.... Now is the time to start thinking about that, otherwise you'll never get it....... AND if you plan on going thru TX soon, or in the future now is the time to think ahead. Figure out how to get it when that time comes..... As most people cannot work while going thru it... Waking up everyday and going to work while going thru HEP C treatment is whats impossible to do.....
I think we attribute more to hcv then we really get from it unless you have fairly advanced disease. It's hard to separate psychological from physical sometimes. Depression and anxiety from knowing you have the disease can certainly make a person feel physically sick. I think most people find out they have HCV from blood test that they had to take or screening, only some find out because they feel and are sick and have advanced liver disease. I personally don't want to cheat myself from living life to it's fullest because I have HCV.
Even being physically disabled it's extremely hard to push something like this through. You would need doctor after doctor and paper after paper to say that you were physically incapable of work. I'm in my later 40s and have stage 3 and treated for 72 weeks after having the disease for around 25 years. I had some of the hardest sides you could possibly get yet still managed to come to work.
Now at 26 years old just from having HepC it would be almost absolutely impossible to get SSI just for having it. It takes many years to fully manifest itself to the point where your liver would have degraded enough to cause real problems.
If you aren't even on treatment I can't imagine in this day and age any government agency would pass this through no matter how many lawyers you had on your side. They'll save it for those who truly are incapacitated.
Sorry about that.
Now at 26 years old just from having HepC it would be almost absolutely impossible to get SSI just for having it. It takes many years to fully manifest itself to the point where your liver would have degraded enough to cause real problems.
If you aren't even on treatment I can't imagine in this day and age any government agency would pass this through no matter how many lawyers you had on your side. They'll save it for those who truly are incapacitated.
Sorry about that.
If you get denied during the appeals process, after that you get a chance to go to court. There will be attorney fees for gathering your medical records, whether you get approved or not. It is a long road. It may take a year or more to get approved....
They may ask for Dr's exams and Psychological evulautions too. It is important to tell them about your fatigue or disabling symptoms.
Spectda, so you think it's psychological once you know you have it you feel sick?
They may ask for Dr's exams and Psychological evulautions too. It is important to tell them about your fatigue or disabling symptoms.
Spectda, so you think it's psychological once you know you have it you feel sick?
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