Im Approved For Disability Now What
After you have gone through the lengthy process of applying for Social Security Disability benefits, you might think that as soon as you are approved you will see a check in the mailbox. It could be great if it were that easy!
After the Social Security Administration makes their decision, they will issue and mail a letter. Your online account will also tell you the decision so its important to check that frequently. The letter will usually tell you the conditions you were approved for and how often you can expect medical reviews of your disability. The letter should also list your Established Onset Date. This is the date Social Security decided you became disabled. This date may or may not be the same date you think you became disabled. If the onset date they choose is the same onset date you asked for, this is called fully favorable. If it is a different date, this is called partially favorable.
In addition to the decision letter, you will also receive a letter informing you of your monthly award amount and if applicable, your back-pay amount. You can receive your payment via direct deposit if you have a bank account or onto a payment card which works like a debit card. You can usually expect your back pay and first monthly check to start 30-90 days after the award letter.
More Than 200 Disabilities Qualify
The Compassionate Allowances List is the SSAs running list of more than 200 disabilities and health conditions that can immediately qualify for a compassionate allowance. Some types of cancer appear on the list, such as pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, or esophageal cancer, along with musculoskeletal disorders like ALS or other forms of muscular dystrophy.
In some cases, a health condition must be significantly debilitating to immediately be approved for fast track benefits. In those cases, a diagnosis alone isnt enough to guarantee approval a level of severity must also be shown. For example, when it comes to breast cancer, a stage IV or a metastasized diagnosis would qualify for compassionate allowance. When your application can show that you are suffering from a condition on the Compassionate Allowances List, your claim can be fast-tracked and approved.
If you have a condition that isnt on the Compassionate Allowances List but that you believe is severe enough to qualify, the SSA also allows you to submit recommendations for additional conditions. So just because your condition isnt listed today doesnt mean it wont eventually be approved.
Why Claims Are Delayed
When an SSD claim is filed, the first step in the approval process is for the package to be assessed by a Disability Determination Service . You may be surprised to learn that these SSD determination agencies are not part of the federal government but are affiliated with your states agencies. The DDS agents are often overwhelmed by a high volume of applications, and they work under pressure to move the caseload along.
Perhaps it makes sense that issuing an initial denial decision is the easiest and fastest way to clear the case from the desk. Theres no doubt these DDS agents work hard under challenging conditions. But statistics show that most Social Security Disability applications are denied initially. The statistics also show that more than half of those initial denials are reversed on appeal and benefits are granted after a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge .
Those figures tend to support the conclusion that most initial claim denials are unfairly and incorrectly decided. Denial means the claim must be appealed and sent to a review office for assignment to a hearing officer.
Unless a claim package was prepared by a trained, experienced professional with a history of successful submissions, the package may be incomplete. An SSD claim package may have an error as small as a misstated date of birth, or an incorrect address. Such trivial errors can result in a rejection due to incomplete or unverified information.
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You Earn Less Than Substantial Gainful Activity
By itself, having a recognized disability isnt enough to qualify an applicant for social security disability benefits. You must also be able to demonstrate that the disability interferes with your ability to work. More specifically, the disability must make you unable to participate in what the SSA calls substantial gainful activity . For 2020, that means being able to earn more than $1,260 per month, or $2,110 if you are blind .
Just like having a disability that is included in the SSA Blue Book isnt an automatic guarantee of eligibility for disability benefits, having monthly earnings that fall below the SGA threshold doesnt guarantee that your application will be approved. Neither does having earnings that exceed that threshold serve as an automatic disqualification.
If your monthly earnings exceed SGA, but you were provided special accommodations, worked irregular hours, or required frequent breaks to work, the SSA may still rule that you are eligible for disability benefits. Certain payments considered income for income tax purposes, such as alimony payments, are not counted as income for purposes of determining monthly income for SSD purposes.
Likewise, you can be ineligible for benefits even if you earn less than SGA. For example, if the SSA finds that you could perform other work, or could continue in your current job with accommodations. But earning less than the SGA when you apply for disability is a good indicator that your application will be approved.
The Other Parts Of Medicare
- Medicare Advantage Plan people with Medicare Parts A and Part B can choose to receive all of their health care services through plans that are offered by private companies and approved by Medicare. For more information, we recommend you read Medicare’s How do Medicare Advantage Plans work?
- Medicare Part D helps pay for medications doctors prescribe for treatment. For more information on the enrollment periods for Part D, we recommend you read Medicare’s How to get prescription drug coverage page.
If you receive Medicare and have limited resources and income, you may be eligible for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs.
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Building Successful Futures For Iowans With Disabilities
The Iowa DDS assists Iowans with disabilities through our consistent effort to process disability determinations with accuracy, speed and care. Our DDS staff have been recognized by the the Social Security Administration Regional Commissioner for clearing more than 41,000 claims yearly, while maintaining an impressive 95.7% accuracy rate!We also determine Military Casualty/Wounded Warrior cases. Wounded Warrior cases are determined by specially-trained staff with DDS, who are dedicated to processing these cases in the most accurate and timely manner possible. These expedited determinations help United States military service members in Iowa receive Social Security disability benefits if eligible.Due to the effort of DDS staff, more Iowans with disabilities who are eligible for Social Security benefits have access to these benefits today.
Contacting A Member Of Congress
If you have been waiting a long time for your ALJ hearing and you don’t qualify for any of the options listed above, then you can try calling or writing your Senator and Congressman or Congresswoman. Your legislator’s office staff can contact Social Security on your behalf to try to get your case heard sooner.
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Can You Do Any Other Type Of Work
If you cant do the work you did in the past, we look to see if there is other work you could do despite your medical impairment.
We consider your medical conditions, age, education, past work experience, and any transferable skills you may have. If you cant do other work, well decide you are disabled. If you can do other work, well decide that you dont have a qualifying disability and your claim will be denied.
Signs You Will Be Approved For Disability
While it may be a challenge to get approved for disability benefits initially, there are some signs that you will be approved for disability.
While nothing is for certain for sure, there are things that you can do before you send in your application, that can give you a better shot of getting approved for disability initially.
The first sign that you will be approved for disability is that you have enough work credits. In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, you need enough work credits to qualify.
How work credits are calculated is by your age and how long you worked. On average, it is usually around 40 work credits to meet the requirements. You can earn up to 4 work credits per year that youve worked.
The Second sign that you will be approved for disability benefits is that you have a sufficient of medical evidence. Medical evidence to back up your claim that you can no longer work because of your disability is the key to winning a disability claim. The more evidence you have the better. Be sure to include as much medical evidence as you can in your claim.
The third sign that you will be approved for disability, is that you have a condition that is in the SSAs Blue Book. The Blue book is the list of conditions that the SSA has put out that qualify for disability.
The SSA will look at your application and see if your symptoms and ailments match one of its listings in the Blue Book, if it does then you could be approved for disability.
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Easiest Illnesses To Fake Or Ways To Get Disability Benefits
In case youve been wondering how to get disability benefits while youre in perfect health, here are 7 easiest illnesses to fake or ways to get disability benefits!
Youve probably come here after reading our article on easiest illnesses to fake to a doctor. After spending a couple of days off work and realizing all the perks of staying at home and receiving a salary for it, an idea arises: why wouldnt you be able to do this eternally? Wouldnt it be lovely to retire at an early age and spend your free time doing what you really love? With the monthly disability benefit, you could finally relax and dedicate yourself to what you enjoy doing. No stress, no boss, no deadlines. Sounds like heaven. And it actually is working like charm for so many people around the world. Why wouldnt you be one of them?
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On the other hand, if youre a physician reading this, youll find this extremely helpful, too. These are the illnesses whose symptoms are easy to demonstrate. Most of them come down to the patients word against yours. Medicine is a tricky field, and if a person states he/she feels pain without any obvious medical reason, how are you to determine he or she is lying? Its not as easy as it sounds.
Whether youre a doctor or a potential disability benefit receiver, get ready to take notes! Here are 7 easiest illnesses to fake or ways to get disability benefits!
Provide Proof Of Recent Treatment
You must have received medical treatment from a doctor at least once in the three months before you file your claim. This is mandatory to qualify for SSAs definition of a disability. You must also visit a doctor once every two months to qualify for disability benefits in general. When you file a claim for disability benefits, it is important that you attach proof of such a recent treatment. This proof significantly improves the odds of getting your application approved by an examiner.
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List Your Diagnosed Medical Conditions
As part of the SSA’s requirements for Social Security disability insurance benefits or Supplemental Security Income , you must be diagnosed with a medical condition by a licensed doctor or psychologist. In addition, to be evaluated for disability, this impairment must have more than a slight effect on your ability to perform work.
If your medical records are not that lengthy or comprehensive, by submitting a medical source statement to Social Security, your doctor can show exactly what medical conditions you have been diagnosed with. Moreover, the doctor can explain what symptoms and limitations you are experiencing from your impairments. The failure of the SSA to properly consider all of your impairments can be a strong basis for any future disability appeal, so it is good to have them all documented in your claim file.
Do Not Apply If Your Monthly Income Is Over $1180
Many people earn income even if they cannot actively work due to a disability. This money may come from child support, a spouseâs paychecks, alimony payments, interest you earned on investments, rental property income, royalties or other sources.
Your SSDI claim will be denied if your income is above $1,180 each month. This rule is in place so the program only helps people who truly need the money.
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Victor Malca Law A Trusted Name In Florida
Victor Malca P.A. has over 25 years of litigation experience in Workers Compensation and Social Security Disability lawsuits. His experience and continued success in fighting for his clients puts among the most trusted workers compensation lawyers in Florida. Our area of expertise is in representing injured workers on compensation benefit cases and disabled individuals claim social security disability benefits.
Our unwavering advocacy for employee rights and privileges are recognized by our past clients across South Florida. Book a free consultation today.
About The Author
Judy Ponio is a writer for Victor Malca Law P.A. and enjoys helping people with questions about social security, workers compensation, and other serious matters involving peoples livelihood. She is not an attorney and her writing should not be considered legal advice.
Expect Possibly Longer Wait Times
In March 2020, the Social Security Administration mostly shuttered its in-person services.
Today, it is still largely processing correspondence online and via postal mail.
A recent investigation by the Social Security Office of the Inspector General found there have been some big delays for people waiting on application decisions.
Currently, it’s taking about 125 days for the agency to process an initial claim, Geist said. For applications that are reconsidered, there’s an additional four months to six months, he said.
So if you’re planning to file an application for benefits for any disabling condition, including Covid-19 and associated long haul issues, “the earlier, the better,” Geist said.
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Social Security Disability Experts Can Help You File As Fast As Possible
This being a supplemental program, not everyone is familiar with the process in making a claim. However, there are Social Security disability experts that can help you to ensure a claim is filed and processed as fast as possible. With approximately two thirds of all applications being denied on the first attempt and the process taking as long as five months, you want to literally ensure all your Is are dotted and your Ts are crossed.
One of the fastest ways to process a claim is online. This can be done on the Social Security Administration website and inputting the information should not take you or your attorney very long. Once the application has been submitted with all supporting documentation, you can expect a decision in the next three to five months. Benefits will begin on the sixth month after the approved date of eligibility.
To ensure the application is completed properly, hiring a disability attorney is a very smart move. He or she will go over all information and documentation needed to ensure the application is completely processed the first time around. The last thing you want when you are in need of money is to have your application put on hold because you were missing a document or did not have the contact information for one of your health care providers.
Requesting An Attorney Advisor Decision
Another way to avoid the wait for an ALJ hearing is to get an earlier decision from an attorney employed by Social Security. Attorney advisor decisions are available for claimants who can show that Social Security made a mistake, who have new evidence to support their claims, or who can show that there has been a change in the law that will support their claims.
To request an attorney advisor decision, contact your local OHO office after you have requested a hearing. An attorney advisor may ask for more evidence or may schedule a conference with you to find out more.
If you are successful, you will get a written attorney advisor opinion that is “fully favorable”that is, it will award you benefits back to the onset date that you claimed in your application. If the attorney advisor decides there is not enough evidence to approve your claim, your case will just proceed on to the ALJ hearing. If the attorney advisor thinks that you are disabled but disagrees about your onset date, then she can issue a partially favorable decision. You have the option of accepting the partially favorable decision or going forward to the ALJ hearing.
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