Posted by Novelagent on May 7, 2012, at 6:22:37
In reply to Disability? How do you survive?, posted by Phil on April 17, 2012, at 12:27:17
It's no life. If you can get work, stick with it. Any work beats not working, not even to speak of finances-- not working is simply depressing. Take all the energy you'd put into getting disability and divert that energy to getting a decent job, and you'll thank me later. Use whatever savings you have to start a modest business if keeping work is tough for you, or ask others to invest in a modest business. If you have no ideas, buy bulk items on eBay and then sell them individually.
It takes 2 years before Medicare kicks in. If health insurance is the issue, move to Massachusetts, or better yet, if you have depression, move to Hawaii. You'll be limited to basically having to see residents, as they'll be the only psychiatrists really that will see you on medicaid, but if you're in massachusetts, those residents will often be Harvard Med docs, and supervised by Harvard docs. I see them; they don't do things I would get like ask my insurance for prior authorization for Desoxyn or write million dollar letters of accomodation like they did when they were the director of McLean and cost $300 an appt, but they get by. It's sort of like getting a public defender assigned to you-- no frills.
Disability is not means-tested, which is what you're implying. You have to have paid into Disability (SSDI) to get it. SSI is means-tested. Why would the lady's husband's finances matter? She's not getting Disability because she's poor; she's getting it because she's disabled. The media makes every innocous thing sound like a scandal these days. If she were getting SSI, she can't own more than $2000 in assets.
Don't pay a lawyer; they'll get 25% of the check for life. Mine was a pro bono. Contact your local Catholic Charities and ask for them to connect you with a lawyer willing to do it pro bono.
I make $800 a month in Disability, and $800 a month goes to a rooming house to pay my rent. I live off of $100 a week from my family, and $200 a month in food stamps. My situation will improve once I receive public Housing finally, after 3 years of waiting, in a few months. I'm also starting a business. If I did this as a long-term strategy I would go insane-- no one plans to do this for life; that would be sad. People do it, but i like to think they don't -plan- on doing it for life.
> I read about a lady, whose husband made $85,000 a year, that got benefits which helped them buy a bigger house. I hope I read that wrong.
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> I'll be calling a few lawyers in the next day or so to discuss disability. But to be honest, with what it pays, waiting for Medicare, finding a doctor(s), dealing with their formulary, and all the bs that goes along with it, I really hope I drop dead first. I know that sounds drastic but do you want to live that way?
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> How do single people get by on this stuff? I know one that quit meds and just stays drunk. Not sure about you, but I don't want to live like that.
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> This is a scary proposition. I could make a cardboard sign and stand on a street corner and make more money. All I would have to do is swallow my pride and dignity, just like disability.
poster:Novelagent
thread:1015812
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120425/msgs/1017319.html