HELP! Work credit question/Last Date Insured

[shalynn]

I have been trying to get disability for the last year. I just found out that March 31, 2006 is my last date insured. Apparently, I have not worked enough in the past ten years. I have been physically unable to for the past two years. I am self employed, but have been paying into SS.

I do have an attorney now who is helping me with my case. We are waiting for a hearing before the Administrative law judge, but that probably wont happen until this summer. I was told by my attorney, and someone at Social Security that the hearing could take place after my Last Date Insured, but that they would have to prove my disability started before this date. Does this make sense to anyone?

I hope that this is true. I guess there is not much I can do about it anyway. I feel like I have enough evidence now that I should get approved. Although, I know there are no guarentees.
If I don't get approved I will have to try and make some money somehow, and earn more work credits.

Thanks for any input.

[alobreto]

Hi, Shalynn! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif
If you are unable to work and not covered by Social Security Disability benefits, you are still able to collect Supplemental Security Income benefits, although it is a smaller monthly amount. You may already know this. That means that even if it can't be proven that you've been unable to work prior to the last covered date, you would still qualify for a monthly benefit through the US Social Security Administration.

I hope things go smoothly for you at the hearing and also hope that it will be scheduled earlier than summer. The wheels of bureaucracy turn very slowly, though, so I wish you well as you wait.
Angela style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/flowers.gif

[shalynn]

[quote name='alobreto' date='Dec 27 2005, 11:42 PM' post='182409']
Hi, Shalynn! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif
If you are unable to work and not covered by Social Security Disability benefits, you are still able to collect Supplemental Security Income benefits, although it is a smaller monthly amount. You may already know this. That means that even if it can't be proven that you've been unable to work prior to the last covered date, you would still qualify for a monthly benefit through the US Social Security Administration.

I hope things go smoothly for you at the hearing and also hope that it will be scheduled earlier than summer. The wheels of bureaucracy turn very slowly, though, so I wish you well as you wait.
Angela style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/flowers.gif

[/quote

Angela, Thanks for your reply. I will check into the SSI, but I think you have to have a low family income to qualify for that. If that is the case, I doubt that I will qualify. My husband does make a decent wage, just not quite enough when you add in the medical costs, etc, and my loss of income.

I have talked with my pcp regarding my condition, and I have her full support in my disability claim. I made the mistake of not going to her for nearly a year, she had no idea how bad I had gotten. I have been seeing my Rheumatologist and a neurologist though. I am hoping that some how things will move a little more quickly. Although, not too quickly. I think one of the reasons I was turned down so fast on appeal was that they didn't get all my records. My cognitive testing shows major problems, which I am hoping will help my case.

So far, I'm just dx with UCTD, possible MS, and either Ptosis, or Blepharospasms (they can't decide). Anyway, it is enough to keep me in plenty of pain, and unable to see at times due to the closing of my eye.

Thanks again. Sorry for the ramblings.

[raggedyann1]

Shaylynn,

AS far as the amount of Credits you have take a look at the social security website.
I believe it is http://www.socsec.gov

You are correct with your husband working you may not be eligible for ssi. You can check that out on the soc sec website as well. The number of people in your household and the total household income will make a difference. If you have minor children at home you may be eligible for medicaid but I am not sure of all the rules with that.

Are you on Cobra right now? You said you have been working part time from home when did you stop doing that? You cannot get approved for soc sec if you are making any money at all. You can also request a copy of your soc sec statement from the same site. I used to always get one around my birthday month. It would show what disability income you would be eligible for if you are approved.

I also suggest you make a complete file of medical records for yourself. Then make a duplicate and send it to your case worker. That way you make sure they have all your records.

If you have a social security attorney then he must think you have a viable case. They only get paid when you win your case. 25% of your back pay up to a maximum of $5400 I think. Some of my figures may be off some.

If you do a search of this forum for any posts that Aloberto replied on you will find a long post of things you can do to keep living while waiting for ssdi to be approved.

Let us know how things go.

Take care,
Karen

[dudley]

Hi,

my insurance ran out. I am on my own insurance. Not cheap. The state I live in makes it manditory for insurance companies to pick you up. The trick is no lasp of insurance. See what your state laws are. Check out prices of insurance. the amount I pay a month is high but I am sure It does not even cover the cost of all the blood work. Are you eligible for cobra. Can you get on your husbands policy?

FYI it takes 2 years once you start receiving benefits to be eligble for medicare.

Best of luck Elaine

[shalynn]

Karen,

Thanks for your reply. I have researched the SS site, and do know that I would not qualify for SSI. Hubby makes too much money.

My health insurance is through dh's work, and it is a good policy. We used to have 100% coverage for any kind of medical tests...MRI's, blood work, etc. Now we have to pay 10%. That can add up when you have several MRI's done over a years time. We also have a deductable that we never had before. Still, I know it is a pretty good policy, and I'm greatful to have it.

I was told that you can make a small amount of money while you are awaiting a decision on your case. I used to sell real estate, but had to give that up because of the demands of the job. You have to work hard to make any money, and I simply couldn't do it anymore. I tried to do some substitue teaching, but couldn't even do that.

Can you elaborate more on what you said about finding posts about what you can do while awaiting social security's decision? I know how to search someone's posts, but can you just search for their posts on this particular board?

Thanks again for your input.

[shalynn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dudley @ Dec 29 2005, 12:32 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Hi,

my insurance ran out. I am on my own insurance. Not cheap. The state I live in makes it manditory for insurance companies to pick you up. The trick is no lasp of insurance. See what your state laws are. Check out prices of insurance. the amount I pay a month is high but I am sure It does not even cover the cost of all the blood work. Are you eligible for cobra. Can you get on your husbands policy?

FYI it takes 2 years once you start receiving benefits to be eligble for medicare.

Best of luck Elaine
[/b][/quote]

Elaine, Thanks for your reply. I think I probably didn't make myself clear in my original post. I do have health insurance, I was referring to the "last day insured" for social security benifits. Many people don't realize that it is like an insurance program (I'm not saying that you didn't know this style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif). You have to be paying into it for a certain amount of time, and be making a certain amount of money to even be covered.

I wish I would have applied for social security sooner, I would have if I would have know about this rule. I am getting down to the wire as far as being able to get the disability. Although, I do feel as if they will be able to prove I was disabled before my last date insured.

The main reason I don't have more work credits is that I haven't worked full time for a long time. I had a day care in my home when my kids were small, I did make quite a bit of money, and I always reported it to Social Security. But in the last five years I have been in real estate, and having more expenses than income, so I have had to pay less into social security.

Sorry for the rambling. I'm not sure if I'm making sense anymore. It is all such a pain!

Thanks again.

[dudley]

Hi,
Yeah I am still a little confused. Do you have enough credits in to collect social security disability? What did you mean by your insurance being up?

You can't work if you are appling for SSDI. After getting it you may work for a few hours. I don't recommend this the forst year or to. They can come back at you saying you are able to work.

Elaine

[shalynn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dudley @ Jan 3 2006, 07:44 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Hi,
Yeah I am still a little confused. Do you have enough credits in to collect social security disability? What did you mean by your insurance being up?

You can't work if you are appling for SSDI. After getting it you may work for a few hours. I don't recommend this the forst year or to. They can come back at you saying you are able to work.

Elaine
[/b][/quote]


Elaine,

The "last date insured" is a term used by the SSA (it has to do with disability benifits, not health insurance). After this date, you are no longer eligible for SS, unless it can either be proved that you were disabled before this date, or you return to work to earn more work credits. So, if you are unable to work, which I don't believe I am, you are screwed.

This issue of last date insured probably doesn't affect many individuals. That's probably why so many people haven't heard of it. If I would have been working full time, or even steadily at a part time job I probably would have enough credits stored up, and I wouldn't have to worry about it. So, I guess in answer to your question, after March 31, I will not have enough credits to be eligible (Unless, of course, they can prove my disability came on before this date, which, I am hoping they will).

So, am I making any sense now? style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif It really confused me when I first heard about it. I think they should tell everyone when they apply, where they stand as far as their work credits. Also, I wish I would have applied much sooner, when I first got sick three years ago, then I maybe would have had time to get the disability approved before my credits ran out. But I thought I was doing right thing by trying to continue to work. I didn't realize how sick I was going to get, but, then, who does.

Thanks for input.

[dudley]

Hi check out this artical below. My interpertation is if you have filed before the expiration date you should be ok.

Sorry would have done a hyper link but I am either brain dead or my computer (which is kind of new) has not been set up for it.

I googled on ssa last date insured to get this

http://www.seniormag.com/legal/disability-eligibility.htm

Good luck

Elaine