Show That Youve Done All You Can To Get Better
When you apply for disability benefits for back problems, you have to prove that you have done absolutely everything you can to help yourself. There are lots of treatments for chronic back pain. For example, you might try drug treatment, various therapies, surgery, psychological counselling, and physical rehabilitation.
Initially, many people with back pain turn to drug treatment to lessen their discomfort. But, issues can arise from drug use. For example, you might experience major side-effects or be prone to addiction. Or, you might not be able to afford the medication.
There are also a variety of therapies that you can get. Exercise, electrotherapy, and superficial heating and cooling of the skin are just a few. Many of these therapies dont work for patients. But, theyre all worth trying before you can get disability benefits for back problems.
If your particular disorder can be fixed with surgery, thats another option. However, surgery can come at a high cost. Lots of people cant afford it. Additionally, there is always a chance for complications. Other health conditions can prevent a safe procedure, as well.
Psychology also plays a role in your back pain. It is crucial to seek out psychological counseling to make sure there isnt a way you can cope with your problem. Disability benefits are often denied if applicants fail to do this, so attempting this form of therapy is crucial.
Who Can Receive A Lifetime Monthly Disability Pension
Only SSS members who are totally and permanently disabled are entitled to a monthly disability pension for life. However, SSS stops paying the pension in the following cases:
- Recovery from total permanent disability
- Resumption of employment
- Failure to report for the annual physical examination when notified by the SSS
Permanently Disabled Sss Members
An SSS member with a partial or total permanent disability must have paid at least one-month SSS contribution before the semester of disability.
Partial Disabilities That Qualify for a Pension
SSS defines partial disability as a complete and permanent loss of a certain body part. The condition doesnt totally prevent a person from doing his or her job. Partial disabilities that qualify for SSS benefits include the loss of any of these parts and senses:
- One finger
- Hearing of one ear or both ears
- The sight of one eye
Total Disabilities That Qualify for a Pension
- Complete loss of sight of both eyes
- Loss of two limbs at or above the wrists or ankles
- Permanent complete paralysis of two limbs
- Brain injury that leads to incurable imbecility or insanity
- Other cases of total disability approved by the SSS
Who Can Receive a Lifetime Monthly Disability Pension?
Only SSS members who are totally and permanently disabled are entitled to a monthly disability pension for life. However, SSS stops paying the pension in the following cases:
- Recovery from total permanent disability
- Resumption of employment
- Failure to report for the annual physical examination when notified by the SSS
Read Also: How Does Long Term Disability Work
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Total Blindness Is Not Required To Qualify For Disability Benefits Through Social Security
By Bethany K. Laurence, Attorney
If you are partially, legally, or totally blind, you may be able to qualify for Social Security disability benefits through the Social Security Administration . The SSA details how significant your vision loss must be for it to qualify as a disability. Your vision loss must be quite significant, and if you have good vision in one eye, you won’t qualify for disability benefits.
If your vision loss doesn’t meet the SSA’s published standard for loss of central visual acuity or loss of peripheral vision, you still might be able to get disability benefits based on a medical-vocational allowance, if you can show that your vision loss reduces your capacity to work so much that there are no jobs you can do considering your prior job experience, your age, and your education.
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Back To Work Through Vocational Rehabilitation
Vocational rehabilitation can help you keep working despite health-related limitations. Even if your health prevents you from continuing in your current job, there may be other jobs for which your work ability is more than sufficient.
Vocational rehabilitation can help you:
- to discover jobs that are better suited to your health, or
- to facilitate your return to your own job after a long period of sick leave.
How To File Sss Disability Benefit Application
1. Obtain the Disability Application Form from the SSS office or download it here: Disability Claim Application Form. Fill out the form with all the required information.
2. Accomplish all the required documents
- Members/Claimants Photo and Signature Form
- SSS Medical Certificate Form, accomplished by attending physician within six monthsfrom the date of filing
- Supporting medical records
- Member or Filers SS card or other valid ID cards or documents
- Other Required Documents
- In my mother-in-laws case, since she;was amputated, she was required to submit a certified true copy of Hospital Abstract/Discharge Summary and Operation Records.
Click here to see the SSS Disability Benefit Guidebook with the complete list of valid IDs and documents that you need to submit for your SSS Disability Benefit Claim.
3. Submit your;SSS Disability Benefit Application and requirements to the nearest SSS branch.
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How Is The Disability Benefit Paid
SSS pays its members monthly disability pension and lump sum benefit through its 25 accredited banks in the Philippines, including the following:
- AUB
- Security Bank
- Union Bank
If you have existing savings account with one of the SSS partner-banks, you can use that to receive your monthly disability pension. Otherwise, you need to open an account with an accredited bank and present the Letter of Introduction form;issued by the SSS.
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Is Mental Health Covered With Short
What if its not something physical that takes you away from the demands of your job? What if youre struggling with depression or some other mental health issue that makes it nearly impossible to fulfill your work responsibilities?
Mental health can be covered by many short-term disability plans . However, youre going to need to have proof that this is an issue youve been struggling with for some time.
You should be talking with a psychiatrist before your leave, says McDonald. There should be a really solid foundation of what the problems are.
Seriously Do You Really Need To Understand Your Short
Heres the short answer: yes. While its not exactly a fun topic to think about, its important that you familiarize yourself with the details of your planso you dont have to get up to speed when you actually need the benefit.
However, wading through our own plan documents is a step that most of us skip. That informational booklet is immediately relegated to our desk drawer or filing cabinet.
Do you remember the first day you started your job? Its kind of a firestormyou cant focus well or often, says McDonald. So we dont spend a lot of time achieving clarity about the benefit in the beginning. We only acquire an understanding of it when we are in deep need of the benefit.
But particularly if you have an existing problem or condition, youre going to want to know the ins and outs of the benefit thats available to you.
Anybody who goes into a new job and has any kind of serious medical condition that could at some point in time render them unable to work, I think its a good idea to be able to see the actual short-term and long-term disability plan documents to see how they define disability and how they handle pre-existing conditions, adds Bartolic.
Ideally, youll never have to take advantage of your short-term disability benefits. But in the event that the unexpected happens, youll be glad that you took the time to understand whats offered to you. This explainer is a good place to start, but you also need to read through the details of your specific plan.
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Provincial Income Support Benefits
Each province in Canada pays income support benefits to people who cant work because of disability. If you qualify, you can receive fixed payments for life.
You can qualify for provincial benefits even if youve never worked; however, they only apply if your total family income falls below a certain amount. This amount differs from province to province. Family income doesnt affect the approval process for other types of disability benefits.
You apply for provincial disability benefits by applying with your local agency or program. As usual, your doctor will need to provide a report or certificate confirming you are unable to work because of your medical condition.
For denials, you can appeal internally within the agency or program. In some provinces, you can also appeal to an outside tribunal for a final decision. Check with your province for the proper procedures.
How Often Will You Receive Payments
This is another area that can vary. Fortunately, your payment questions should be answered clearly within your plan documents.
Be aware that if your employer works with an insurer to offer short-term disability benefits, then payments will usually be administered through the insurance company. That means they might arrive on a schedule different from the payroll timing youre used to .
Meaghan Tiernan, a senior copywriter for a marketing agency in San Francisco, used her short-term disability for maternity leave. She was given a debit card that her short-term disability payments were added to.
I think it was one lump sum every two weeks on an regular basis, she explains. They even include weekends, so it was typically every 14 days that I was paid. Then youd have to transfer the funds from that debit card to your bank account if that was your preference.
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Medical Evidence Required When Applying For Disability Based On Vision Loss
First, Social Security requires a physical examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist to measure your central visual acuity . If you won’t qualify for disability under poor visual acuity alone, you’ll also need to get your visual field efficiency tested. All testing is done without your glassesyour doctor will use lenses that are part of the testing equipment. You will be asked to read letters from a chart at a certain distance away . If the SSA suspects your vision is better than you say , the SSA may require you to undergo visual evoked response testing .
If you’ve been diagnosed with an eye disease, your medical record should reflect it. Cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, cancer-related or melonoma-related retinopathy, retinal detachment, or other types of central retinal disease can be responsible for a loss in visual acuity.
How Long Ltd Benefits May Be Payable
These benefits will begin after you have been disabled for 180 calendar days and are reduced by any sick leave you use. LTD benefits end when you are no longer disabled or reach age 65, except benefits for disabilities caused by mental disorders, or other limited conditions, which are limited to two years. If you become disabled after reaching age 60, however, your benefits could continue for a limited period after age 65. Your plan contains incentives and extra benefits to help keep you at work. Accommodations may be available under the plan to adjust your workplace so you can stay at work, or to help you return to work. Vocational rehabilitation and return to work services may be available to help you return to work after a disability.
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How To File For Permanent Partial Disability
If its been determined that you have some form of lasting disability, then you may be eligible to receive PPD benefits. However, these benefits arent granted automatically. Youll need to file BWC form C-92 titled Application for Determination of Percentage of Permanent Partial Disability or Increase of Permanent Partial Disability. Once workers compensation receives your claim for PPD, a two-month hold is placed on the application. Afterward, an independent physician will assign you an MMI rating that will determine your benefit amount. If you disagree with this rating, you can file an appeal.
What To Consider When Buying Disability Insurance
If you’re considering disability insurance, make sure you:
- check with your employer to see if you already have group disability coverage with your employer’s plan
- shop around, especially if you’re considering private disability insurance
Consider group insurance offered through a union, guild, or professional or alumni association. Premiums for this type of coverage usually increase as you get older. You’ll need to renew your insurance every few years.
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Sss Disability Pension Requirements
To claim your disability benefits, submit these requirements at any SSS branch:
- Accomplished Disability Claim Application Form
- SSS Medical Certificate Form accomplished by your attending physician
- Members/Claimants Photo and Signature Card
- Any of the following valid IDs: One valid primary ID Two valid secondary IDs One valid secondary ID and one secondary document
- Certified true copy of supporting medical documents
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How Much Paperwork Is Involved
The exact paperwork youll be required to complete is again dependent on your specific plan. But the process typically begins with a relatively straightforward claim form that requires some information from you , your employer , and validation from your doctor that your condition prevents you from working.
Fortunately, if you find yourself confused about any of the documents or applications, you can ask for helpwhether its from your companys own HR department or even people at your doctors office.
I actually found the team at my physicians office to be extremely helpful, says Tiernan, who admits her own leave process was slightly more complicated, as she took advantage of both short-term disability and FMLA for the birth of her child .
They have a whole team dedicated entirely to filling out forms and navigating this process, so I was on the phone with them a lot. They helped me figure out the best forms to fill out, what the dates would be, and any follow-ups that I needed. They even spoke to my HR team directly here at the office.
How Disability Insurance Helps Your Recovery
Your insurer may cover the costs of your rehabilitation to help you recover from your disability. Such expenses include training and care expenses as well as modifications to your home, vehicle, or workplace.
Other insurers offer retraining benefits, which pay for the cost of going back to school to brush up on your training if youâve been disabled for a long time. Retraining benefits cover expenses like tuition, books, and equipment, and can be used for vocational and business school.
Disability insurance may even cover you after youâve recovered from your disability. Like partial disability coverage, a small amount of recovery benefits may be paid for a period of time if your disability causes you to lose a percentage of your income.
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