Help!! Question about disability

[ddawson77]

I am looking for a little help, I a hemodialysis patient and I was recently told by my work that if I am going to miss work I will need to fill out a FMLA and have the doctor put exactly what hours I can work.  Then they will reduce my pay hours, but they will not reduce my goals that I need to meet, and even if I stay late to make up the hours they will not pay me for them.

So I spoke with my doctor about going on disability and he said he will put me on partial, but not total disability, which doesn't help me any.  The problem with that is there is no way I could meet the goals they my company has with the reduced hours, and they told me if I do not meet the goals they will fire me. 

I have been doing some research and it looks like I qualify for disability, but my doctor says only partial.  Has anyone else had this problem??  What can I do??

[willieandwinnie]

ddawson77, please go to the introduction section and tell us more about yourself. Where are you located? How long have you been on dialysis? What kind of work do you do? Tell us more so we can answer your questions right. 

[willieandwinnie]

  Dave, I really get pissed when I see some of these posts (not at you, the dialysis folks). You are automatically eligible for Social Security Disability and Medicare with kidney disease. You don't even have to be on dialysis yet. I take it that you have private health insurance? I am willing to bet that is why your Neph and Clinic haven't bothered to help you file for SS or Medicare. You can file for disability benefits on line and Medicare will will start 4 or 5 months after you have started dialysis. See why I get pissed. If you have any further questions, send me a message. I'll be glad to help. Keep us posted. 

http://www.ssa.gov/

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/6.00-Genito-Urinary-Adult.htm

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10043.html

[Wallyz]

Understand that your benefits with social Security disability won't start until 5 months after the date of disability (when you were diagnosed with ESRD).
It sounds like you have another disability policy as well.  If this is the case, you may need to take the policy to an attorney and have them go over it with you.

You may have an ADA claim with your work, but again, you need to talk to an attorney.

I am sorry.  this does suck.

[Rerun]

The social worker should be able to help you that is at your clinic.  Although, most of them are idiots, so good luck.

[paris]

You can apply for Social Security Disablity online.  It takes a while to go through the questions, but you can stop and go back at your own pace.  I got a call from their office the day after I submitted my online form.  Since you are already on dialysis, you disability date will go back to when they determine you were first disabled.   I am not on dialysis yet,but on the transplant list.  They determined my date to be a year before I actually applied.   So, I was approved within three months, got my first check the next month along with a check for backpay for the year I was eligible and didn't receive it.   Make sure when you fill out the online application that you explain in detail your job description and what makes you unable to perform as before.  They will ask you to sign medical release forms and to see your birth certificate.  I didn't have to have a meeting at the office. It was all online and two phone calls.   Good luck!   Recently,another member got his SS disability approval and that letter was what his employer needed for their disability benefits.  Let us now how it goes.

[Beth35]

Wow, when I went on dialysis the first time my I tried working but I just couldn't do it.  It took too much out of me, I was falling asleep on breaks and couldn't stand for long periods of time without feeling like I was going to pass out.  I simply mentioned it to my doctor and he wrote a note immediately.  Why won't your doc put you on total disability?  That's whacked.

[ddawson77]

Thanks again for all of the help.  I applied on-line for SS, it was quite the application to say the least!  I recieved a call from them today and it turns out taking the time and filling it out correctly was the thing to do.  I was on the phone with the person for about 5 min and we were done, the application part at least.

willieandwinnie, you were right, I do have private insurance.  I have scheudled a "care meeting" on Tuesday with my doctor and social worker, I told them I would like to discuss disability!  Really excited to see how that goes since I am a little more educated .

I really appreciate everyone helping.  When my job started talking like they did and I didn't think I had disability I thought I was going to lose everything, and that was a very scary thought!!  Now I am a little more relaxed and working through things.

[twirl]

can you change doctors

[willieandwinnie]

  Dave. Way to go. Now the reason that your clinic and Neph didn't tell you about Social Security or Medicare is because you have that private insurance that pays a whole lot more then Medicare allows. Once you have been approved for SS then Medicare will kick in after a coordination of benefits period. The longer your clinic can keep you with private insurance the better they make out. Dialysis is one of the biggest money making businesses out there. I learned too many things the hard way and I just don't want to see that happen to other folks. Keep us posted on how things go and you might check into the Americans With Disabilities Act. Your employer could be setting themselves up for some serious problems. Anymore questions, ask away. 

I have another question for you Dave. Do you have short and long term disability through your employer?

[Angelicfury]

Welcome to the forums. As it has been stated you are a gold mine for the center. I'm guessing that others with private insurance may have
left the center. You should have been given the "blue" form to sign for the SSA. There are lots of wonderful people here and a wealth of
information.   

[paris]

So glad the online application process went well.  I keep encouraging people to go online; it does take some time, but easier to do it at home in your pajamas than in the SS office!  Let us know how things are going and how you are doing.   

[dialysisbiller]

just be sure to apply for Medicare, not just SSI. If your center doesn't encourage you to apply for Medicare, insist on it, this way if you lose your primary insurance from work, Medicare will pick up the payments, if you're on in center Hemo, you have to wait 3 months before it becomes effective, course there's a 30 month COB period with your primary insurance,  or you lose coverage of that insurance, then Medicare becomes primary.

Good luck!