Health Insurance Issues
January 11, 2012 - 12:32pm
SS Approval
I applied back in Sept. Today, I went to pay some bills from my online banking account and there was a deposit from SS. Went to the check status page on the SS site and all it says is a decision has been made and I will be notified by mail. I have severe DDD in both my lumbar and cervical spine along with severe arthritis in my right elbow. These along with a knee, hip, and Achiles tendon replacement all from thirty years of doing concrete work. I need at lease a three level fusion in my lower back but I am waiting to go as long as I can before the surgery because they can`t guarantee it will work. Last Fri I got approved for my disability pension for the carpenters union so it has been a good week for me. Maybe now I can get some sleep without having to worry about money, and just worry about the surgery.
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Congrats on the SS! I applied and was accepted and had a check in 5 weeks!Now you can relax about the cash a bit, and concentrate your energy on surgery worry! Hope all goes well...
Frannie
3 lumbar diskectomies, partial hysterectomy, 2 bladder lifts, removal of bone spurs-shoulder, removal of end of collarbone for reoccuring spurs, carpel tunnel - did both hands, 2 abdominal hernias, severe staph infection - 2 surgeries to get it to heal, ACDF C5-C7 (2010), total ligament reconstruction of right hand/wrist (2010), non-union of ACDF so redo with anterior and posterior C5-C7 (2011), 3 abdominal hernias repaired 2011, - these are the interesting ones....32 surgeries in all....also have stenosis, ank. spond., DDD, myofacial pain syndrome, osteoarthritis, costachondritis...
Congratulations. Do you have health insurance? At some point you'll be eligible for Medicare, depends on the date SS determines you were disabled and your benefit effective date.
Rt. Total Knee Rplcmt 09/2011
L3-S1 PLIF '10; L4-S1 PLIF '93; L5-S1 PLIF '87
C5-C7 Foraminotomy '08; C5-C7 ACDF '06
Bilateral knee arthritis. Bilateral CTS.
Yes I have insurance. Since I am now on a pension I have to pay for the insurance but it is still very reasonable for both my wife and I. I have not gotten the letter from SS yet so I do not know the date they determined disability, but they paid me from Sept when I applied. I believe I will become eligible for Medicare in about two years.
You become eligible for Medicare after 24 months of SSDI. If they determined your date of disability to be in March of 2011 your waiting period for SSDI would be April, May,June, July and August with SSDI beginning in September. If your SSDI begins Septebmer 2011 you will receive your 24th month of SSDI in September 2013 and thus be eligible for Medicare October 1, 2013.
Please note the Medicare is ONLY for you unless your spouse is age 65 or older so she can get Medicare on her own. Medicare is not a family benefit it only way, it only covers you. Some pension programs will allow you to go on Mediare and your wife to remain on your employment/pension based insurance.
In my case my employer retains me as a disability retiree for the remainder of my life. When I am eligible for Medicare my medical plan requires that I accept Medicare and they pay for a Medicare advantage plan. My husband can be insured under my employer until he reaches age 65 at which time he must also elect Medicare.
In order to know if your medical plan mandates you accept Medicare you'll want to get a copy of the exact medical health insurance plan under which you are covered and look for information under "coordination of benefits" or "effect of Medicare eligibility on your coverage". For my employer's health plan it's under it's own section "Coordination of Benefits" within the Summary Plan Description.
Rt. Total Knee Rplcmt 09/2011
L3-S1 PLIF '10; L4-S1 PLIF '93; L5-S1 PLIF '87
C5-C7 Foraminotomy '08; C5-C7 ACDF '06
Bilateral knee arthritis. Bilateral CTS.
Our coverages are very similar.
..on getting SS approved!
That will definately be a noticable load off your shoulders.
Good luck as you continue to work out the decisions with surgery!
My profile lists my spinal issues and other conditions that I navigate around daily.
Doing my best to be getting around and hanging on to this ride called life!
On getting approved for SSD.
Also with you getting your pension without doubt takes a load of your mind on paying the monthly bills.
Again congrats and relax.
Jim