How To Get Started On Disability

Eligibility For Disability Services

How Do I Start My VA Disability Claim?

Disability Services are available to currently enrolled students who have a documented disability that substantially limits them in one or more of life’s major activities.

Individuals eligible for services include, but are not limited to, students with Learning and Psychological Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, Mobility, Orthopedic, Hearing, Visual, and Speech Impairments as well some Medical Conditions. Please see our Documentation Guidelines to clarify what needs to be submitted.

Prospective Students ODS is not involved in the JMU admission process unless we are contacted by the Office of Admissions. There is no prescribed formula for gaining admission. JMU works to select the strongest candidates from a high-quality pool. Check out the Admissions site to get an idea of what the admission committee is looking for. Disclosing a disability is voluntary and applicants are not required to discuss or disclose disability information during the admission process. However, many applicants with disabilities choose to discuss this aspect of their lives in an optional personal statement as a way to explain one’s identity and life experiences, or to shed light on skills and aptitudes. Disclosing a disability will notnegatively impact a student’s standing in the applicant pool.

Current Students Please engage in the registration process above prior to or as early in the semester as possible.

Social Security Disability Programs

There are two Social Security disability programs . They are Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income . There are some differences and some similarities in the two programs.

The definition of disability under Social Security is the same under both programs. Disability is defined in Social Security law as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

When you apply for either program, the DDS will collect medical and other information from you and make a decision about whether or not you meet Social Security’s definition of disability.

SSDI pays disability benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are “insured” meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. Once eligible, there is a five month waiting period before payments begin and Medicare benefits can start no sooner than two years after being allowed.ï¿½ There are several types of SSDI benefits:

Disability Insurance – These benefits pertain to those people under retirement age who have insured status based on their own earnings.

SSI pays disability benefits based on financial need. There is no waiting period for payments to begin or Medicaid benefits to start.ï¿½ There are several types of SSI benefits?

The DDS may contact you to:

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.

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Have A Phone Interview With The Insurance Company

After submitting your application, youâll have a short phone call with the insurer. Also called a confidential interview, the interview will involve more in-depth medical questions and questions about your occupational duties.

This gives the provider a better understanding of your risk of injury or illness and any pre-existing conditions you have, which could be excluded from coverage.

Being Physically Active Also Helps You To:

Feel good about yourself and life in general
Sleep better
Move around with less effort
Improve your posture, which reduces aches and pains that can occur if you are sedentary for a long time
Improve your balance and flexibility, which can help prevent injuries
Improve your blood circulation and reduce the risk of swelling in your feet and legs
Maintain a healthy weight
Reduce the risk of certain diseases – including heart disease, hypertension, some forms of cancer and diabetes

Do I Have To Tell Pip If I Start Work

The ability to work has in itself no direct relevance to entitlement to disability benefits such as personal independence payment and disability living allowance. However, we would talk to you about the nature of your work and test what you were telling us about the activities that make up the PIP test by looking at how you manage tasks at work that, on the face of it, require similar physical or mental/cognitive abilities.

Getting The Help You Need

The Florida disability application process has its challenges, but receiving the SSDI or SSI benefits youre entitled to can be accomplished more easily with a disability advocate at your side. Our advocates know how to cut through the red tape to help get your disability application approved if its not, well go to work to ensure a fast appeal process. At Disability Experts of Florida, we have over 100 years of combined experience navigating the Sunshine States application process and have helped thousands receive the disability benefits they deserve. We can help you too.

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Is Your Condition Found In The List Of Disabling Conditions

For each of the major body systems, we maintain a list of medical conditions that we consider severe enough that it prevents a person from doing substantial gainful activity. If your condition is not on the list, we have to decide if it is as severe as a medical condition that is on the list. If it is, we will find that you are disabled. If it is not, we then go to Step 4.

We have two initiatives designed to expedite our processing of new disability claims:

Compassionate Allowances: Certain cases that usually qualify for disability can be allowed as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed. Examples include acute leukemia, Lou Gehrigs disease , and pancreatic cancer.
Quick Disability Determinations: We use sophisticated computer screening to identify cases with a high probability of allowance.

For more information about our disability claims process, visit our Benefits For People With Disabilities website.

The Other Parts Of Medicare

Getting Started: Section 1 of the Digital 526 Disability Compensation Tool at VA.gov

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 Medicareâs 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 Medicareâs How to get prescription drug coverage page.

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How To Get Employer

Many companies offer short- and/or long-term disability insurance as part of employee benefits packages. Like other benefits, you can sign up during open enrollment periods. Depending on your employer, your company may subsidize some or all of your premiums.

Group disability policies are an affordable way to get some disability coverage, but there are caveats:

If your employer covers part of your premiums, your benefit payments may be partially or fully taxable.
The types or amount of coverage you can buy may not provide all of the protection you need.
You usually arenât able to keep your policy when you leave your job.

Unless you wouldnât qualify for private disability insurance, itâs best to use group coverage to supplement a private policy.

No matter which type of disability insurance you buy, the process for securing coverage is relatively simple. Get a sense of how much coverage you need and the policy benefits that matter to you before you shop, and compare quotes to ensure you get the right policy at the best price.

Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness: Top 3 Reasons Why Veterans Should Apply

The new Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness Program discharges the Federal Student Loan Debt of veterans who are Totally and Permanently Disabled with a 100% P& T VA RatingOR have a 100 percent Total Disability Individual Unemployability status.

Its officially called the Total and Permanent Disability discharge program, and has been a huge success to date.

And guess what else veterans?

A little known fact is that if youre a veteran with a 100 percent scheduler VA disability rating , youre also eligible for Disabled Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness!

Disability Specialists: How To Get Started In Your Calling

You have a wonderful opportunity as a disability specialist to help facilitate increased participation and inclusion of Church members with disabilities.

You do not need to be an expert to be a disability specialist. A willingness to learn about available resources, have conversations with families and ward/stake leaders, and go to the Lord in prayer will help you fulfill your calling.

Here are some ideas and resources to help you get started.

Familiarize yourself with the resources available to members with disabilities.

Section 21.1.26 Members with Disabilities in Handbook 2: Administering in the Church
Accessible Materials for Members with Disabilities available online or for purchase from the online store.

Meet with Church leaders to let them know you are here to help

Let ward and stake leaders know that you are available to help them as they support members with disabilities and their families.
Offer to help teachers include and support every student in their classrooms and other activities.
Work with ward leaders to help each member have a calling or a responsibility .
Look for ways to let ward or stake members and leaders know about your willingness to help.
Offer to visit Ward Council and meet with priesthood and auxiliary leaders to help them get to know those who have disabilities and their families.
Discuss ways to give a member with a disability, a friend, a responsibility, and nurturing with the good word of God.

How Do I Enroll In Medicare

The iPad & Students with Visual and Multiple Disabilities ...

Automatic Enrollment Period

A person receiving SSDI for the required time period is automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B . Beneficiaries should receive a Medicare card in the mail a few months before they become eligible. This will notify beneficiaries of their automatic enrollment in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. If you do not receive this card, you should contact the Social Security office as you approach Medicare eligibility. Medicare Part A is usually premium-free for everyone. If you have worked fewer than 40 quarters, the premium is based on the number of quarters worked. For Medicare Part B there is a monthly premium which is usually deducted from your Social Security check. The monthly Part B premium can change annually. A person has the option to turn down Medicare Part B. If you are a beneficiary or your spouse is actively working for an employer that is providing an employer group health plan , you may be able to continue the EGHP coverage if you or your spouses employer has 100 or more employees. In this situation you will be able to delay enrollment in Medicare Part B. If you are going to delay your enrollment in Medicare Part B, you should meet with a Social Security representative or call 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 .

Special Enrollment

For more details and further information, please call SHIIP at 1-855-408-1212 Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.

Pick A Management Option That Suits You

When it comes to deciding a management option for your plan, there are no shortage of options. If youd like to remain in complete control of your plan, you may want to self-manage or even plan-manage your NDIS plan that means you can keep tabs on your support payments at all times. You can learn more about them and how they can work with Mable here.

Want to organise support but dont have an NDIS plan just yet? With Mable, you can find local independent support workers and start scheduling sessions without NDIS funding. Once you become an NDIS participant you can continue with the same support team. Regardless of whether your plan is agency-managed, plan-managed or self-managed, Mable can work with you. Start your search for support on Mable today.

At What Stage In The Application Process Do You Need A Lawyer

Ideally, you should hire a disability lawyer during your initial application. If you get approved at this stage, your waiting will be over and you can enjoy your benefits a lot sooner.

Sometimes, an initial application can get denied even with the help of a lawyer. This is mostly because, at this stage, the applicants medical condition isnt yet so severe to be considered a disability. In this case, getting a lawyer wont help much.

But if your application reaches the disability hearing stage, then legal representation is essential. Surveys show that getting the help of a lawyer at this stage significantly increases your chance of approval. Results from the survey suggest that half of those who availed of legal assistance secured an approval. While only 23% of those who represented themselves were able to get benefits.

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Decide Which Type Of Policy To Buy

There are two main types of private disability insurance:

Long-term disability insurance is best for most people. Both types of coverage typically replace up to 60% of your income and cost approximately 1-3% of your pre-tax salary.

But, short-term coverage only lasts up to one year, whereas long-term coverage can last up to retirement age. Because short-term policies can begin paying benefits sooner , some people buy both types for more comprehensive coverage.

Ways To Apply For Disability Benefits:

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If you or your spouse worked for a railroad, call the Railroad Retirement Board at 1-877-772-5772.

Once your disability benefits start, well mail you a welcome package with your Medicare card.

Sign up for Part B if you live in Puerto Rico or outside the U.S.You get Part A automatically. If you want Part B, you need to sign up for it. If you dont sign up for Part B within 3 months after your Part A starts, you might have to wait to sign up for Part B and pay a monthly late enrollment penalty.

Streamline Your Application Process

The application process will depend on what kind of Short Term Disability coverage you have and your insurers requirements. If your benefits plan includes services from a third-party disability management service like DMI, ensure you are utilizing their expertise to help you along the way.

If you are applying for short term disability coverage, you want to focus on your treatment and recovery. To get your claims experience started right, our partners at DMI offer their advice to get things going in the right direction:

Fill out application forms in their entirety. Your application for benefits will be based primarily on the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the information that you provide, so double checking or having a close friend or family member look over your application form for any missing information can save you valuable time and energy.
Ensure your doctor, treatment team or specialist fills out the appropriate paperwork and provides the clinical records relating to your claims. This is the information your insurer will use to adjudicate your claim for benefits.
You will need to provide a clear and legible copy of one of the following documents: birth certificate, drivers license, or a government-issued passport.
Other information you may need to include is your SIN number, banking information for direct deposit, an up-to-date mailing address, as well as your employers address.

Getting It Right The First Time

To improve your chances of a successful claim, make sure to gather as many of your medical records as possible in advance of filing your claim. “How long this process takes is opaque to the claimant,” said Dunn. “It’s possible will make a decision while you’re waiting for these records to be sent.” You want them to have as full a picture of your condition as possible, right from the start.

Claims examiners want to see that you’ve received medical care for your condition regularly and recently, said Laurence, who is also the editor of DisabilitySecrets.com. Good medical records help establish both the seriousness of your condition and how it has impaired your abilities. “The doctor’s opinions about your limitations can make or break a claim,” she said.

It helps to have your doctor fill out a residual functional capacity form detailing your limitations and prognosis. Include that with your initial SSDI application, said Laurence.

If you do get denied, you have to act on requesting an appeal quickly, within two months.Stephen Dunn