#ssdi is not ssi

[rainofaugustsith]

I've already seem one Pride related post about this, so as a friendly neighborhood disabled person, I'd like to clarify something about disabled marriage equality. Whether a disabled person loses their benefits when they marry depends entirely on the TYPE of disability benefit they have. SSI and SSDI are the two most common and they are not the same. SSDI: Social Security Disability Insurance. Based on earnings overt a certain number of recent work quarters. Not income or asset based. Your payment depends on what you contributed while working over the years. SSDI makes you eligible for Medicare. There are two basic ways to lose SSDI: a) you are deemed non-disabled; b) you earn more than the amount set forward for SGA (substantial gainful activity) for a period longer than a trial work period of nine months. OR: You turn 67 and then start collecting regular Social Security retirement instead. That's it. SSDI does not care if you marry, divorce, win the lottery, move to Tahiti for the winter. Where this gets sticky, however, is that SSDI recipients often have income low enough to also qualify for Medicaid as a secondary insurance, Section 8 housing help or SNAP (food stamps). Those things can all be affected if a person marries and additional income is added to the household. But - if they marry they will not lose their Medicare or their SSDI. SSI:

Supplemental Security Income. If you are disabled but don't have the work credits to qualify for SSDI, you get this. It often happens to people who are disabled as children or teens, or those who have been out of the workforce for a while. SSI has a maximum monthly payment of under $1000/month. It is income and asset based. If you have more than a certain amount in the bank, if you marry, if you have too many other assets, if you move in with friends, if a friend gives you regular groceries, it all counts against you. You're poor and it's designed to keep you poor, and to balance out any small amount of help you may get. SSI gives you almost nothing to live on, but also bars you from receiving any assistance that might help because it will be counted against you. SSI qualifies you for Medicaid. SSI is a cruel system. The asset limits, the marriage penalty and the in-kind rules desperately need to be updated. People should not have to choose between getting married and keeping benefits. But SSDI and SSI are two different programs, both called 'disability' and in this discussion it's important to remember that to avoid giving inaccurate information.

[bitchesgetriches]

✨NEW POST!✨

The Social Safety Net for Disabled People Is Broken

The Center for American Progress interviewed disabled people who had been through the American Ninja Warrior obstacle course that is the bureaucratic process of applying for disability benefits. If I may summarize their experience in one sentence, it would be: The dehumanization is the point.

These folks described how they were treated like criminals and frauds; evaluated by unqualified medical professionals; judged by people who had no idea what their disability entailed; and how they spent money they didn’t have on lawyers just to access basic ADA protections.

Keep reading.

[yamimichi]

Ya know, I can understand that some people who are disabled want to keep working. They don't want to apply for SSI or SSDI. And that's fine. More power to them.

What bothers me though is when they say things like "I don't want to live off the system" in a very derogatory manner.

Some of us can't work. And SSI and SSDI don't really give us enough to live on. So we need food stamps. Some of us rely on subsidized housing. We struggle to get through each month. And we don't need people being derogatory to us because of our disabilities. We don't need people acting like we're "less than" because of our disabilities. And we especially don't need this coming from other disabled people.

[pumpkinspicedmochi]

Feel like ssi/ssdi is wayyyy harder to get than it should be..why are they allowed to tell you that you not in pain as if they would know how YOU feel inside own body..it feels like they are more worried about "people lying" than they are with actually helping disabled people..but like not surprised

[larjb3]

So for anyone who believes the medical system is relatively simple to navigate, here is how my afternoon has gone so far:

Called my insurance for help answering 5 questions. The first question took about maybe 50ish minutes to only sort of get an answer? And that was after the agent repeated back to me, several times, saying "As I previously explained" followed by an explanation that did not answer my current question. So that took a while. Then I went on to my next questions. Two of them apparently did not make sense to the agent either (in addition to me), based on the claims, and so they had to go talk to another department while also transferring me to another different department. They also were confused by another one of my previously appealed claims, and so they had to do their own digging as to what was going on. This entire call lasted just over 1 hour 40 minutes.

THEN I got to call ANOTHER number for a different hospital service because my account online wasn't showing a balance, but the letters I have received said I do have a balance. The agent who answered the phone for this call also didn't know why my balance was not showing online. This question got squared away pretty quickly, running just over 11 minutes in call time.

So now think of this: I am a (reasonably) well-educated person, with a PsyD in Clinical Psychology, and have been closely intertwined with the medical system since 2017 when I finally got one of my diagnoses. I have, in recent years, been even more intertwined with the medical system, with applying for Medicaid at one point, managing which doctors I see due to them actually being in-network with my various insurance providers through the years (not sure any of you notice, but finding an in-network provider, ESPECIALLY when on Medicaid, is extremely difficult), managing various prescription costs, talking to insurance as to why certain medications are suddenly no longer covered, advocating for myself when meeting with different providers (which they absolutely do not like but it 100% is necessary), calling insurance when something doesn't make sense on a claim (e.g., why a service, that was not specified, is suddenly not covered under an in-network provider), finding the right department to contact for insurance, trying to send messages with insurance and getting answers that pretty much say nothing with regard to answering my actual question (which then results in having to call insurance, which is not really all that fun), and there's probably more that I'm missing.

I'm also a relatively privileged individual, with a (mostly) stable wi-fi connection, a phone that can be easily charged and is currently connected, and a way to jot down notes both before and after calls (before: what questions I have; after: what the agent(s) said regarding my questions).

Now think about those in poverty. Do I have the most money? No, but I have a stable place to live, food, and water, and I have support from others (including you all!) who have helped me tremendously through financial support. But do those in poverty often have those things? Not always. Then put on top of trying to fend for basic survival necessities (which should probably be a pretty high priority) the medical system. This includes insurance (or lack thereof) and, if someone has it, paying consistently for it. This includes paying out-of-pocket costs with probably minimal money. This includes somehow getting to appointments on time with methods of transportation that may not be the most reliable, or they may cost a lot of money. This includes picking up and paying for prescriptions on time. This includes (if at all possible) communicating with one's insurance regarding claims that may not make sense. THEN we add on possible kids and have all the same barriers previously mentioned. THEN we have the possibility of someone having a job (if they're lucky enough to hold one), while managing medical things for both themselves, and if they have them, their kids. If they don't have a job, then we're looking at figuring out how to get on disability or SSI (both of which are TREMENDOUSLY difficult and tedious to get on and takes months to years to actually successfully do it). Now we're looking at if this person even has an advocate or case worker to help them. If they don't, or don't know how to get set up with one (because actually knowing what services you're entitled to, especially with different insurances, is exceedingly confusing), then they're on their own trying to navigate this vast landscape of things to manage. Oh, and we also have to consider that if someone IS on Medicaid or disability, they can only work a certain amount and take in a certain amount or else they lose their coverage. I'm not entirely sure the number of hours one is allowed to work on disability, but I want to say maybe around 15/week? (If someone actually knows this number please reach out to me and let me know!)

So we have all this mess. And think, I spent just under 2 hours on the phone with various insurance and medical providers today, but someone who is super struggling and under-privileged likely doesn't have the 2 hours needed to whatever questions they may have. Which can unfortunately result in frustration, hang-ups, and not getting an answer that can be understood in layman's terms which can result in more frustration and potentially just giving up on advocating for oneself.

It's a mess, and there are so many layers that are not discussed or even thought about by so many different people. I feel as though this needs to be said and at least somewhat recognized by others, potentially to help provide compassion to those so closely intertwined in the medical system.

[neuroticboyfriend]

the fact it's possible to be too disabled to qualify for SSDI is so incredibly fucked up.

[whatshouldwecallchronicillness]

What applying for disability feels like...

[discountprophet]

hey im looking into applying for SSI/SSDI and i was wondering if anyone had any advice/resources/information about the process, best ways to approach it, tips, or anything else like that

[follow-up-news]

The Social Security Administration on Monday said it is making a major change that could help more people qualify for disability benefits.  The change involves a practice used by the program to determine whether a disability applicant could, in fact, find another job based on their abilities, which could result in a rejection of benefits. To make that determination, the SSA relies on a jobs database to suss out if there are any jobs the applicant can still perform. But critics have called the database unfair and flawed, given that it was last updated in 1977 and includes dozens obsolete occupations. Those occupations include reptile farmer, railroad telegrapher and watch repairer — jobs SSA said will now be stricken from the database. The decision comes after the Washington Post highlighted the case of a disability applicant who had worked as an electrician, but was rejected after a judge determined he could find a job as a nut sorter, a dowel inspector or an egg processor, all occupations that effectively no longer exist. "It makes sense to identify occupations that now exist in very limited numbers in the national economy," said Martin O'Malley, commissioner of Social Security, said in a statement. "By making this update, our decision-makers will no longer cite these jobs when denying a disability application." The changes will apply to both the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.

[citronavalkiro]

An ace attorney game but you are a disability lawyer helping disabled people get their benefits and compensation.

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

Wanted to spread some awareness to folks who have been looking at the 9 days left and 23 days left on the Facebook class action lawsuit settlements:If u have SSI and SSDI be careful, because any money you receive from that can count against you and you *can* lose your benefits for SSI due to that. --anon who is unbelievably angry at the state of disability rights in the US + who isn't a lawyer or representative + this isnt legal advice just warning folks and asking them to look over their rights

🤬

Thanks for the heads-up. And I suppose that could apply to other class action law-suit settlements, too.

Also not a lawyer.

But, what a way to be reminded that if you are disabled, you really are considered a different category of citizen from normate people

[bitchesgetriches]

Do you have any resources on poverty and physical disability? I saw some on mental health + poverty related topics, but not physical illness. I’m trying to work out how I’ll survive on my own when my meds cost more than my salary 😬

Hi kitten! We just spent the month of July publishing a lot on this topic in honor of Disability Pride Month. Hopefully some of our guides on SSI and SSDI will help with your situation:

Why There’s So Little (Good) Personal Finance for Disabled People 

Short-Term Disability Insurance Is a Waste of Money… With Two Very Specific Exceptions 

Long-Term Disability Insurance Is a Necessity… and a Scam 

The Social Safety Net for Disabled People Is Broken 

How To Start at Rock Bottom: Welfare Programs and the Social Safety Net

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[cavityinmybrain]

SSI is a purposefully convoluted system of bureaucracy that is made to be difficult to understand/navigate and you cannot change my mind.

i should not have to call one office to ask a question about information i was told yesterday in the same office, only to get condescended upon and given a second office to call.

i should not call the second office and get once again condescended to because of the question i had. not only was i condescended to, i was condescended to over questions i did not even ask. and when i had the gall to correct the person on the phone for the question i was actually asking, i was spoken to like i couldn't understand basic information about the program.

the system made to 'help disabled people' is nothing more than a thinly veiled program designed to keep people poor and not asking questions, because you should be grateful for the $943 that you're given a month even if its barely enough to live off of.

[entitledrichpeople]

is this factually true for all of america? https://prnt.sc/LmJPFf0JCCaF

Generally, yes. Though SSI and SSDI are different, with SSI being the program that applies to those who were disabled young or had very low incomes during their working years and SSDI is higher with far fewer income and asset limitations but is still inadequate.

SSI's maximum payment is below poverty level ($914 a month maximum) and yes, it is counted against other anti-poverty measures like food stamps. Basically every time I get an extra dollar from SSI, I lose one from food stamps. On SSI you're not allowed more than $2000 in assets total (with some exceptions, like primary residence) and no income from any sort more than $1913 of income from any source. If you can work, you're not eligible.

SSDI levels are based on income during working years, if you paid in more than so many quarters (it's possible to have income so low it doesn't count) and payments tend to be significantly higher than SSI. The asset cap doesn't apply, nor does a general income prohibition, except income through work. Living on SSDI alone is difficult, even on the higher end, but some of this group have pensions or spouses with higher incomes. If you're on SSI and you marry they automatically cut your benefits even if you partner has no income or is also on SSI-it's a bad idea to marry if you get SSI, but people on SSDI's spouse's income isn't counted against them.

As to health insurance, both SSI and SSDI qualify you for (certain parts of) medicare, which, yes, has obscene drug prices generally. People on SSI also almost universally qualify for medicaid, though how the combination of the two gets administered is absurdly inconsistent between states & can fluctuate a lot. Medicaid tends to be better than private insurance when it comes to paying for drugs and testing, but discrimination by healthcare providers is rampant and, again, this isn't consistent state to state. I live in one of the better medicare states, but the way they farm out administration means you lose some aspects of medicaid when you qualify for both. Medicare pays for medical equipment in a way that medicaid never did for me, but medicaid alone never complained about name brand vs generic or tried to nickel and dime me to death by making me pay $1 to get some of my prescriptions.

You can't afford typical rent on SSI, let alone rent on the extremely small amount of housing that is accessible to people who use wheelchairs. Public housing also has only a few accessible spots and elevators in most public housing are constantly non-functional. Depending on where you live, those waitlists-even for extremely inaccessible or frankly unsafe and run down apartments-can be years long. Some places use a lottery system.

Oh, and if you get hospitalized for a month they take your SSI for that month so you can't pay whatever nominal level public housing insists on, so you can end up being evicted for being hospitalized.

If you don't have family that can take you in, it's extremely easy to end up homeless on SSI. And if you do have people that can take you in, the power dynamics of that situation enables a high rate of abuse.

As absurd as it sounds "it's illegal to not be poor on SSI" is the literal truth.

[creativeronica]

Social Security says it's improving a major practice called unfair by critics. Here's what to know. - CBS News

[mathsbian]

I walked for a mile yesterday, half in the rain, and today I am in so much pain I can’t think or make decisions or even feel hunger.

But sure, SSA of the USA, I am not severely disabled by my condition and could totally work 30 hours a week as a “garment sorter”.