The voice mail on my cell was full. It happens. If I miss a call, I look at who called and call them back. Unless, that is, I don't recognize the number. Last night the voice mail was full. A dear friend with whom I was having lunch today called to ask if we could meet an hour earlier. Of course, I did not get the message, but did call him back. He was frustrated by the full message, so I decided it was time to listen to the 20 messages hanging out in the in box.
Well...........
There was a message from Integrated Benefits, the folks who handled my disability case. The nice young man informed me that the lawyer had reviewed my case and the three rejections for Social Security Disability and that the lawyer thought we had a case. So, we are going ahead with an appeal in Federal court. It will probably be another 18 months before there is a hearing. That would be April 2011. I filed for disability when I desparately needed it in September of 2003 after trying my very best to work for 6 months.
I don't have a lot to gain from this. Maybe 1-2 thousand dollars. My back payments would go to Mutual of Omaha. Any cost of living increases would go to me. Now, I could let this go and that would be the end of it. But, to tell the truth, I was thrown away by my own government and that really, really hurts. People die while waiting to go through the system. Believe it or not, it happens. And did you know that if you DO get approved for SSDI, you do not get any health insurance for two years after the date you applied?
Everyone has a right to life.
As health care forums and updates have been going on around the country today, tea baggers have been doing the most horrid and irrational things. We need dialogue and we need action. No system is perfect, but some systems are more perfect than others. What is clear is that THIS current system may respect the lives of those in utero, but those of us who are quite outside the uterus and functioning in the world are expendable.
It will take time to fix things. I hope the time is short.
Showing posts with label social security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social security. Show all posts
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Unbelievable
The System Is Broken
Last week, as I pulled into my apartment complex, I got a call on my cell. I didn’t recognize then number but I picked up anyway since no collection agencies are hunting me down at the moment for past due medical bills.
“Hi, this is Fred at Integrated Benefits. I am calling to tell you that your request for a Social Security appeal had been denied. We can take it to Federal Court if you want.”
I was speechless. Take a look at this time line and you may end up speechless, too!
February 2003-acute onset systemic lupus (14 days in hospital)
April 2003-tried to return to work but kept getting sent home
May 2003-pastor at Grace Episcopal Church calls me in to tell me that he thinks I am too weak to continue both jobs. So they are letting me go so I can really concentrate on the bigger job. (WOW, and thanks ever so much!)
September 2003-pastor at Queen of Peace calls me in to say there is no more funding for my job. Here is a severance package, have a nice life.
(I realize that I am still quite sick and unemployable and decide to go for disability and apply through private insurance and Social Security)
October 2003-kidney biopsy confirms lupus nephritis. Go on chemo. Cry a lot.
February 2004-pastor from Queen of Peace drags feet about confirming my salary and employment. I hint (OK it was more than a hint) to sue the Diocese and Bishop. Necessary papers are magically faxed the next day and I get the private disability BUT there is a caveat. I have to sign my SSDI over to the private company and let them represent me. Well when you are on food stamps and have an eviction notice on your door you will sign darned near anything.
September 2004-first Social Security rejection. File immediate appeal.
September 2005-second Social Security rejection. File immediate appeal requesting administrative law judge hearing.
July 2006-hearing. (That will be the subject of another post)
November 2006-rejected. Filed appeal.
January 2007-I decide to find a way to survive without any disability and take a part time job at the Lupus Foundation and a church. Call the private disability folks and ask how to get OFF. No one calls back. (This is yet another future post.) Checks kept coming. I stacked them up on the kitchen counter but did not cash them.
FAST FORWARD
July 2009-Integrated Benefits called to tell me that my appeal that was filed in November 2006 was denied and would I like to request a hearing in FEDERAL COURT? Of course (and I am telling the truth so help me God), I cannot expect to hear for another 18 MONTHS if they will hear the case or not.
That would be January 2011! That will be 10 ½ years! AND I will then have to wait until a decision is rendered after that. Of course, I will not get disability. All this is past stuff. What I could get is the cost of living increases from the years I was on private disability. It might just be enough to buy Christmas presents in 2012 or maybe pay off one of those medical collections!
Last week, as I pulled into my apartment complex, I got a call on my cell. I didn’t recognize then number but I picked up anyway since no collection agencies are hunting me down at the moment for past due medical bills.
“Hi, this is Fred at Integrated Benefits. I am calling to tell you that your request for a Social Security appeal had been denied. We can take it to Federal Court if you want.”
I was speechless. Take a look at this time line and you may end up speechless, too!
February 2003-acute onset systemic lupus (14 days in hospital)
April 2003-tried to return to work but kept getting sent home
May 2003-pastor at Grace Episcopal Church calls me in to tell me that he thinks I am too weak to continue both jobs. So they are letting me go so I can really concentrate on the bigger job. (WOW, and thanks ever so much!)
September 2003-pastor at Queen of Peace calls me in to say there is no more funding for my job. Here is a severance package, have a nice life.
(I realize that I am still quite sick and unemployable and decide to go for disability and apply through private insurance and Social Security)
October 2003-kidney biopsy confirms lupus nephritis. Go on chemo. Cry a lot.
February 2004-pastor from Queen of Peace drags feet about confirming my salary and employment. I hint (OK it was more than a hint) to sue the Diocese and Bishop. Necessary papers are magically faxed the next day and I get the private disability BUT there is a caveat. I have to sign my SSDI over to the private company and let them represent me. Well when you are on food stamps and have an eviction notice on your door you will sign darned near anything.
September 2004-first Social Security rejection. File immediate appeal.
September 2005-second Social Security rejection. File immediate appeal requesting administrative law judge hearing.
July 2006-hearing. (That will be the subject of another post)
November 2006-rejected. Filed appeal.
January 2007-I decide to find a way to survive without any disability and take a part time job at the Lupus Foundation and a church. Call the private disability folks and ask how to get OFF. No one calls back. (This is yet another future post.) Checks kept coming. I stacked them up on the kitchen counter but did not cash them.
FAST FORWARD
July 2009-Integrated Benefits called to tell me that my appeal that was filed in November 2006 was denied and would I like to request a hearing in FEDERAL COURT? Of course (and I am telling the truth so help me God), I cannot expect to hear for another 18 MONTHS if they will hear the case or not.
That would be January 2011! That will be 10 ½ years! AND I will then have to wait until a decision is rendered after that. Of course, I will not get disability. All this is past stuff. What I could get is the cost of living increases from the years I was on private disability. It might just be enough to buy Christmas presents in 2012 or maybe pay off one of those medical collections!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)