RA SS Benefits | Arthritis Information

 

I was wondering if there was a way to find out just how many people with RA/JRA have been granted SS benefits.

I want to know the stats for how many people with RA/JRA get approved/denied SS benefits.

I wish I had the knowledge and funds to start up a foundation or an awareness program for RA/JRA and to help get people with this illness things the deserve to live as much of a normal, pain-free life as they can, to help reduce the stress and complications that come along with being stricken by this disease.

Here is kind of a helpful outline.

http://arthritis.about.com/cs/disability/a/ssevaluation.htm

Haven't applied but in April I had a heart attack from it it seriously should be looked at

Thanks for the link Shelly!

See, we need to start preparing for the Summit for next year, and what better time to prepare then sooner than later.

I really would love to make it to where people without insurance or crappy insurance below a certain yearly income can receive some kind of health insurance to cover their expenses to see a RD and receive the care, meds, and anything else they need to help them to get on the road to "recovery". Because during the time someone is waiting for insurance to kick in or for them to be approved for SS benefits they will already probably have permanent damage done to their joints or more problems caused by insufficient care of their RA.

I am sorry, I just have been thinking about it more and more, because my hands, and body would not have been this bad if I had adequate care for when I was in my flare from hell in '05. I could not get see an RD, because I had no insurance and was waiting for insurance to kick in, so most of my damage I have now is from those 6 months I was waiting for to have insurance and get to use it.

 

I am wiating for a hearing date with an Administrative Law Judge for my appeal.  I filed for SSDI in Oct 05.  I agree Joonie with preparing now for next year's summit.  I hope you are doing well.

That is a shame Bonny! I applied for SS in Oct '05 as well, and I was approved in July or August '06. But I am receiving SSI, as I do not have enough work credits to get SSDI. Ok I read it, can you put that into "stoopid people" terms for me? I only gots a HS education. Too funny Joonie

Ok forgive me, but I really do not understand, might be because I am tired.

Work Disibility = people working

Early RA = just DXed

the %'s were of how RA affected them thru out the 5 year intervals?

So by the time you have hit the 10 year mark, you more than likely were not able to work or is it just the opposite?

I am going to bed now. I will re-read it tomorrow, maybe then it will make some sense to me. Deanna,  I am so sorry, but unfortunately you are in the system.  My sister goes through the same thing from a medical mistake.  I am so very sorry for you and others like you.  It is tough to live in a world where you have to prove you are sick.

I know of too many people that have qualified for SSI and SSDI or whichever that are not nearly as ill and systematic as those here or myself, it makes me angry.  Do they just let the really sick ones die off?

I tried to get an extension and they refused it. SO I am filling out all their paperwork and will walk in there Friday hoping my "I could give a rats ass " attitude will diminish before then...I am so close to giving up it is unreal. It is a horrible feeling it truly is. They really do not care, all they care about it getting the next case in so they can deny it.Then in the meantime, all these really sick people die..I know people who have actually died as they waited for some SSDI and SSI coverage, needlessly....... and they die. I have no idea what the right formula is to get on the list for approval.

Sorry I am in a really foul mood today

jode

And to top it off one of the questions: Do you volunteer???????????I could not believe it, I can barely get my stuff at home done when in a flare and they want to know if you volunteer? I wished I could help others, but I gotta help myself first.

Hey I know... they might only approve people for SS if they feel the person at some point might want to try their hand at work. I mean, they do give out those ticket to work cards, just so you can attempt to work. It is cheaper on them if someone who decides they are willing to push their disabled body to get more money.

Money is the root of all evil

Money makes the world go 'round

Hummm... cannot think of any others that apply to my thoughts on this SORRY! that was for childhood diseases, but will help the JRA.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/professionals/blueb ook/AdultListings.htm
oh yea...bookmark this also. It's next to impossible to find! Of course I am sure they want it that way.

BTW: I am on SSDI after only 4 months wait, but mine is because of deafness. My hearing is VERY VERY bad now.    :(


http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/professionals/blueb ook/listing-impairments.htm
GrammaKathy39281.458287037Thanks for the links Kathy!

jode

Thank you for the links!Yes, thanks for the links!  My husband was laid off as of June 30th (luckily he has another job now).  We were sent the "COBRA" form and I looked at it yesterday.  It will cost 00 per month for us if we chose to use COBRA.  Yikes. 

I went to my HR dept and got us signed up on state insurance, since I am a state employee.  When we looked at getting insurance from his new job (a very large international company) there was a 00 deductible and a large copay.  Plus our portion was around 0 a month AND there were no RD listed. 

I know there is a physician in town (family doc) who does not deal with insurance at all.  This of course keeps her overhead costs way down.  She charges .00 a visit and they usually take 45 minutes to an hour with a patient.  I think that is an interesting way to help with the uninsured. 

Joonie, I think you got it right.  It appears that the just diagnosed are disabled at 28% and it rises.  I thought it was good news since I have heard stats that had a higher percentage of people with RA disabled in a shorter period of time.  But you are right the numbers don't look good either way. maryblooms39281.5251273148

Hey Cool! I am kinda smart after all!! WooHoo!! Brain dead and all, and here I thought I was not understanding what the report was saying. I guess all those BIG words threw me for a loop.

Yeah... so if you have JRA, and if you do not have remissions, like some do, then you more than likely are not able to work after your 20's, that is if you are DXed before the age of 10.

Well... it looks like, Katie is kinda proving that wrong right now, as she is still working and doing fairly well. But in another 5 years, she might not be able to if her JRA takes a turn for the worse, like in my case it did after having my daughter and worse after having my son.

I guess it depends if you are a glass half empty or a glass half full person when it comes to interpreting statistics.  I think there was another thread (may yours) about statistics and what can believe and what you don't. Yeah RA Brain... SUCKS!! But at least it has not forgot to remind us to breathe in and out That is certainly looking at the glass half full I tend to think half empty and half full... and sometimes I am just stuck at half I was approved on the first go-round with Social Security.  I was almost 59 when approved.  I did not employ a lawyer.It is a bit easier as you near retirement. I was 50, but with my hearing being almost NIL now, they really did not have alot of choice. I am listed in the "list of impairments" that should be approved.

RA and Lupus are tough ones. All the stuff I read says the immune diseases are tough to decide on because of the remission. They tend to think "well, see that! They are fine now!" If only they really knew the suffering.

Brain fog queen here..Oh well, I am 50 and it is really heartbreaking knowing that I can no longer do what I used to be able to do. If they do not approve me it will be just another kick in the teeth but I will prevail.

Jode

Wonder what the statistics are for someone with RA to go into remission after they have had it over 5 years?

I know that the stats are pretty high for Recent Onset, but what about Established, and End Stage?

The link below has the meanings of each stage.

http://arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9219&a mp;KW=early+on+set

Read "How we make the decision"

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html

It has the 5 step process they use to see if you qualify by their standards.

This is a really freaky thread! Maybe it's time to take another look at
socialised medicine. Just saying....Why is it freaky?Because in the real world of applying SS bends those rules to serve their purposes. I met all those conditions and was still denied. I am on my appeal and waiting for the next decision. We enlisted four of my doctors to write letters saying that I couldn't work any more and I just turned 50. If I get denied again, then I would say that they have broken all their own requirements. This seems to be what they do though.

Also, the doctors that we are sent to with RA vary greatly. One person was sent to a Rheumy, another to an Occupational Therapist and I was sent to a Psychologist. There are no real standards. Each state seems to have it's own manner of doing things. Also, it depends more on the number of state workers available to evaulate SS applicants. If they are overworked, fewer people are approved. Then once you've been denied, you have to keep proving you are getting worse which is not always easy to do because see, they already had reason to disapprove you. But it might be that the person reviewing your case was going on vacation or was simply overworked and didn't review your case adequately.

It is a terrible system. You must starve while waiting for this system. And you have to prove constantly over and over that you are disabled. It is humilating and destructive to the health of those who have no choice but to apply.
One of the things they rely on is that you will drop it after an initial denial. If you have a disability that is a bit hard to prove, then why quit? Get an attorney and go after them! If you honestly can not work, and have GOOD medical documentation, then fight it!
Per SS rules, and attorney can not charge more than 25% of your total award. No upfront fees, they get paid WHEN they win.
I already had an attorney lined up in case I needed it. RA was NOT in the picture for me then, but I did a TON of research on it.

For RA, they also consider the mental changes. RA brain would truly qualify. Not being able to remember things tends to interfere with a job. How can you train or hold a job if you forget all the time? Make sense?
Depression is considered. Again, documentation.
If you have insurance to cover it, go to a therapist for these issues.
A lawyer told me that mental health issues rarely get denied.  :)

I am not a lawyer, I do not work for SS, I am merely a VERY strong headed person that will fight for what I deserve. I am also waiting on a decision on my sisters SSDI. She has alot of immune stuff going on. Nothing is carved in stone for her other than inflammitory Arthritis. She is 55.

Yeah, I am in denial about my depression. I have only seeked to get it treated once or twice. And I only done it because I had post partum depression after having my daughter. I was always ready to fight and would pick fights with my hubby. I got to the point that I would hurt myself if he pissed me off. I would bang my head against the wall, do not know why I done that, but I remember doing it. I am so glad I did not have post-partum depression after having my son. I do not think my marriage would have survived another episode of me being a mean person.

I might go to a theripist one day. I need to get some issues resolved. Unlike my imaginary friend who thinks I have "major issues"... I only have a couple of minor issues that need to be addressed.
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