Social security regulations are labyrinthine, and working out which social security benefits you are allowed to receive can be challenging. To smooth the process, here are answers to some of disability applicants most common questions.
You will not be able to get partial disability benefits through SSA. Disability social security benefits are available only to people who are completely disabled and have been so (or are expected to be so) for at least a year. If you wish to file for partial disability, you will need to do so through a state or local program. If SSA denies you benefits on the grounds that you are not completely disabled, this will not bar you from applying for and receiving partial disability benefits from local and state disability programs.
However, you can continue to work while receiving disability social security benefits as long as you are able to work only at a low level or for short periods of time. You total income will be taken into account by the state agency that handles your social security case. If your annual earnings fall under a certain amount, you will still be considered eligible for disability. Note that the agency will consider how much you CAN earn, not how much you DO earn: If you could earn more than the cutoff level of income by doing a different job (assuming that there is another job you are physically able to handle and have the training to perform), then you will not be eligible for social security benefits. You will not be pressured to do work you are not able to perform. The state agency will consider your experience, education, medical condition, and even age when evaluating your ability to change jobs. Help is available for applicants who need assistance at moving from a lower paying job to a job that would enable them to support themselves.
Many applicants are confused and annoyed by their social security agents request to continue seeing doctors even after they have doctors statements that there is no available medical treatment for the applicants condition. If you are in this position, there is an explanation! First, the state agency in charge of your social security benefits may need more information to evaluate your case, and your regular doctors may not have the equipment or experience necessary to provide it. The agency may arrange for you to see another doctor. The visit is not for treatment; it is simply part of your case evaluation.
Second, even untreatable conditions change, and not all disabilities are permanent. Regular examinations to chart the progress of your health are essential. Your health may improve enough that you can return to work, even without medical treatment.
And third, medical science comes up with treatments for "untreatable" conditions every year. Why miss out on a cure because you stopped going to the doctor out of resignation? Occasional doctors visits are a minor nuisance compared to the vast improvements you could someday see.

View PDF | Print View
by: albert.tobega
Total views: 48
Word Count: 513