Disability Cases

Social Security Disability Tips

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Just a few comments

There is a new class emerging in America. Once prosperous, or at least middle class, these families are being forced to obtain large amounts of money through refinancing their homes simply to make ends meet. Whether these families are forced into poverty by illness, loss of a job, or simply the rise of food, gas and energy costs, being forced into refinancing has created a larger than life debt scenario for many that are unable to keep up with their monthly mortgage payments.

In North Carolina alone (my own state of residence), the number of homes foreclosed upon rose 140% between 2006 and 2007. OnTrack, a money management and debt repayment service company located in Asheville, North Carolina, reported that those who sought their services rose from 282 in January 2007 to 346 in January 2008.

The cost of living continues to go up and at the same time people are seeking assistance now more than ever for things like medicine, energy costs, housing assistance and other needs. Many of these people are first-time assistance seekers, who have fallen into bad circumstances. These hard working families used to be stable, functional families doing well, but many have found themselves in this position due to health issues.

The government systems of Medicare, Social Security benefits and other systems set in place to help those with disabilities are not sufficiently helping the situation. Many have to wait months or years to see benefits, if ever, while families spiral into more debt making them America’s ‘New Poor’.

So...what's the solution. I don't have one. However, here's the problem. Better leadership is now not only needed, it is required for the future well-being of the United States and its citizens. However, this "need" does not simply apply to the office of President, but also, and, actually, more importantly, to that institution known as Congress. For it is Congress and the 535 elected members of both houses that continue to waste the people's time and the nation's resources while they remain committed largely to their own goals. And who should expect that it would be anything different, considering the fact that members of Congress have their own retirement system, one that is not part of the social security system, and have healthcare that provides coverage substantially superior to what the average citizen has.

Solution? Again, I can offer no specifics. But suffice it say, the citizens of the USA need to become politically much more active and better educated about the system in which their representatives operate and also about their representatives. And when their representatives fail them, they need to fire them.

In short, not only do you get the system you deserve, you get the one you were too lazy to do anything about in the first place.

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Social Security Disability Tips

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Should you apply for disability online or at a social security office?
How does a decision on a disability case get made?
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What happens if you do not go to a social security doctor appointment?
What does it mean when your disability case has gone to quality control?
Can I apply for disability at any social security office?

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The Social Security Disability Five Step Sequential Evaluation Process

Social Security uses a five-step sequential evaluation process to determine if an individual has the ability to work in spite of their alleged medical and/ or mental impairments.

The five steps of the sequential evaluation process are as follows:

The first step in this evaluation process is to look at work activity, if there is any. If you have stopped working or are working below the substantial gainful activity (work earnings) monthly amount you can move on to the next step.

The second step of the sequential evaluation is to determine if you have a severe medical and/or mental impairment, or combination of impairments, that has prevented substantial work activity for the past twelve months---or you're expected to be unable to work for twelve months or more due to your medical impairments. If you meet this step, you move to the next step.

The third step of this process is to determine if your medical and/or mental impairments meet a listing in the Social Security listing book. If you have an impairment or impairments that meet or equal a listing, you will be found disabled at this step. If your mental and/or medical impairments do not meet or equal a Social Security disability impairment manual listing, you move on to the fourth step of the sequential evaluation process.

Social Security evaluates your ability to perform the physical and mental qualification of your past work. If you can meet the physical and mental demands of your past work you will not be found disabled.

However, if you are not able to meet the mental and physical demands of your past work, Social Security evaluates your past work, educational level, age, and residual functional capacity in an effort to A) determine if your impairment prevents the performance of all work or B) if you are able to make an adjustment to some type of other work.

If Social Security determines that you are able to make that adjustment you will be found "not disabled". However, if Social Security determines that you are unable to make an adjustment to other work, you will receive a disability medical allowance based upon medical and vocational (education, age, work activity) factors. In other words, you will be approved.

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Social Security Disability Tips

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What does social security consider to be mood disorders?
Bipolar Disorder Social Security Disability
Age as a factor in determining social security disability and SSI cases
Should you get a lawyer for an SSI disability case?
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Massage may be more than Relaxation for Migraine Sufferers

Millions of people suffer from the devastating painful effects of migraine headaches, and there is no denying the pain that accompanies a migraine. While many migraine sufferers have over the course of time developed their own individual migraine coping methods, there are times when their coping strategies fail to relieve the pain of migraine headaches. If all of your coping strategies have failed you may wish to consider the benefits of a massage.

Some studies seem to indicate that massage therapy has the potential to relieve or prevent migraine headaches. Massage therapy for migraines does not replace the use of medication or a physician’s care, however it may be useful in conjunction with conventional medical treatment. Dr. Audrey L. Halpern, neurologist and headache expert, suggested that the two most common causes of migraine headaches are muscle spasms and stress, and that the upper neck and shoulder area should be the area of concentration. Of course, individual response massage therapy varies and in some cases individuals actually find that neck movement triggers their migraines.

Additionally, Dr. Halpern suggested that full body massages might also be useful because they help elevate serotonin levels and reduce stress. If you are not able to afford the cost of regular massages, you may wish to try simple at home massage techniques such as hand and foot reflexology for your migraines.

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