This information may help claimants with representation, as well as claimants who are not represented by an attorney or non attorney representative. Understanding how the Social Security Disability system works can make the difference between winning or not winning the continuing disability benefits and backpay to which a person is entitled. |
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I have MS. Right now I can get medications, but soon I will have my insurance canceled due to nonpayment of the premium. I can't get any help from social services due to being slightly over the income limit. I am stuck and without my medications I will be a goner. My medications cost $1082.00 per month without the insurance, but without the insurance I can't get them at all. I can't believe this is happening to me. What do they expect me to do? Unfortunately, your situation is very common. I would suggest writing a dire need letter (make a copy before you mail it just in case it doesn't get there---that way you won't have to write the letter again from scratch). A dire need is simply a letter that you send to the attention of the hearing office where your claim is pending a hearing date. In the letter, you need to specify (remember, a staff member will read your letter) very clearly how bad your financial situation is. In certain instances, a dire need letter can result in a hearing request being expedited, which simply means that your case will be moved up faster. There are, of course, no guarantees as to whether or not your dire need letter will produce the desired result. Additionally, if your request for an expedited hearing is granted, there are no guarantees as to how much faster you will get a hearing date. But, certainly, it's worth a try if your situation is especially abysmal. Typically, the basis for sending a dire need letter to the Office of Hearings and Appeals involves the imminent danger of eviction from rental property or the foreclosure of real property i.e. the danger of becoming homeless. However, in your case, your dire need letter should also focus on your need to have access to your medications. More specifically, you should point out the fact that you will not be able to afford your meds, and, as a result, your health will be in danger. Something else I would suggest is this: about two weeks after you've sent in your dire need letter, contact a senator or congressman's office and ask one of their staffers to do a congressional inquiry on your behalf. These offices do this all the time and, again, though there's no guarantee as to effectiveness, it can't hurt to have a politician's office call the hearing office on your behalf. In your case, it may be a good idea to tell whichever congressional or senatorial staffer you speak to that your situation is especially urgent due to the medication situation. Good luck. |
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If you suffer from a medical disability such as hip, neck, shoulder, ankle, wrist, back, or other joint problems, disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, rsi or repetetive stress injury, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, dysthymia, depression or other mood disorders, congestive or chronic heart failure, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, high blood pressure (hypertension), seizure disorder, stroke, copd, emphysema, hearing loss or poor hearing, statutory blindness, peripheral field problems or other vision loss, clinical obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity or, simply, adhd, bipolar disorder or manic depression, panic disorder, schizophrenia, autism, head trauma, memory loss, low iq, mental retardation, learning disability, epilepsy, cancer, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, lupus, anxiety, inner ear problems, meniere's, vertigo or dizziness, kidney failure requiring dialysis or other renal problems, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or other liver disease, pancreatitis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, rsd or reflex sympathetic dystrophy, crohn's disease, sarcoidosis, peripheral vascular disease, lyme disease, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, hiv, aids, anemia, sickle cell, thyroid problems including hypothyroidism, esrd or end stage renal disease, reflux, gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease), cfids, muscular dystrophy, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, or tachycardia, bradycardia or other arrhythmia and have initiated or been denied on a social security disability, or ssi, claim for benefits, this site may assist you with your case. Social Security Disability benefits are often difficult to win; however many claims for social security disability are lost simply because a claimant did not know enough about the disability process to their social security or ssi claim. For information re: representation on a social security disability or ssi claim (attorney or non attorney representative), see the "questions" & "how" pages. |
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