JUST VENTING I GUESS

[lynnkay]

Been in the disability process for 2 yrs. Been denied twice. Now, at the 3rd level of the process...scheduled to appear before the administrative judge next week. Took contacting my state senator to get the date though. I have hired the company Allsup to assist me with my case. A rep from Allsup will be flying in from Chicago, to go before this judge next week. Allsup still not certain I will win my case. I don't have enough medical. Which I understand. But, I understand my situation as well. When you don't have the money to seek medical care, then how can you have medical evidence. My husband lost his long time job last year and with it our health insurance. Due to this rotten economy. He has found another job but with no benefits. He is doing good enough now to pay our rent, keep the electric on and put food on the table.

I do have a family doctor I see every three mths. Costs us $70. My doc tries to help me all he can with my bipolar meds, my high blood pressure med and my meds for my COPD. Just a few nights ago, I had to be rushed to the ER. Thought I was having a heart attack. The ER was excellent as they really worked on me. I didn't have a heartattack thank God. But, either could have been an underlying heart problem or anxiety. Now, we have to worry about how we are going to pay for this ER visit. I am sure it cost several thousand dollars.

A few days after my ER visit, I did go to my family doctor. He switched my meds due to the ER visit. Took me off valium and put me on 1 mg. of xanax 3 times a day. Then, he also put me on seroquel. He gave me a card that will get me the seroquel free the first month. After that it costs several hundred plus each month. We cannot afford that. I had a heart stress test after diagnosis of COPD several years ago. It cost $4500 but we had insurance then. My family doctor wants me to have another stress test done, but he knows I cannot afford it. Doc says a lot can change in several years between each stress test.

But, I have been bipolar for much of my life. I am 52. Plus, I have OCD and anxiety disorder. Then, health issues that are now cropping up such as COPD, high blood pressure and at the ER they did discover through bloodwork that I have artery disease as well. And I have tried getting assistance from my state and other avenues as well. I get NO on any help.

I am just finding this frustrating with this disability. I put off for years going on disability for my mental issues. I tried to keep working as long as I could. Now, with all these health problems popping up. Well, all these mental problems and health problems are just very overwhelming. The administrative judge next week is probablly going to ask for another breathing test. Allsup will insist on it if the judge does not. And I perfectly fine with that. My breathing has grown much worse since I had my first breathing test 2 yrs. ago. The health problems are an issue. But, mainly it is the mental part that is the worse issue for me. Always has been. I have been agrophobic now for over 2 yrs. 2 documented suicide attempts in 2005. I got to have all this proof medically and money is keeping me from having it.

[BD63085]

I have been trying to get on disability since I was diagnosed in 2001.  The state won't even give me Medicaid.  Medicaid buy-in would cost me 300.00 per month.  I have had to return to school, again, just to keep money coming in (because I cannot handle a job right now).  I can hardly focus as it is.  It is very frustrating and it takes time.  If you sign up for an appeal and judgement you will be on the list to see a judge.  I have been waiting for two years, and there is no guarantee that I will get it.  I hope they will finally help.  All that I can say is to keep trying and hang in there.

[ILADVOCATE]

Also go to disabilitysecrets. com and ssa.gov (the official social security website) for more information.

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes medical evidence is crucial and the people I represented (before I acquired my physical disability) generally had Medicaid or Medicare or some other form of coverage that would cover their doctor or psychiatrist. I am not sure if your state has the Medicaid Buy in for Working People with Disabilities but that's one option if it does (a person could work as little as an hour a month). There should be other options as well. I would suggest you contact your local independent living center about health care coverage options:
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html
Health care coverage is as essential as well as benefits and there are more coverage options than you might think. But they differ from state to state. If you have any medical records current or past that the judge doesn't have on the record, they can be subpeona'd if its done two weeks before the hearing (if the treating physician or hospital won't submit them on their own) and the person representing you should know that. If they are not assisting you as they should you might want to contact your local IL center as many of them provide pro bono (free) representation at hearings. However, make sure that all evidence, medical and psychiatric has been recieved by the judge. If not they should be informed at the hearing as the judge can request it after the hearing but there is not a guarantee they would do that. I would hope the lawyer has been following up in this regard. Don't be so sure you won't win with the proper evidence on record and if you do there are other benefits you would then be eligible for such as Medicare within two years and if you recieve retroactive (past benefits from when you applied) coverage for two years then you would be eligible at that time.