posted
I have short term (16weeks)disability insurance at work. Physically I'm doing my job but mentally struggling as the meds are doing there job but making me worse befor better. I'm working extra for free to make up for it to some extent. I'm six months into treatment for lyme and bart and think a month or 2 or 4 off to concentrate(Ha Ha) on resting and getting better and avoiding stress could help me turn the corner.
Do people manage to qualify for SDI for lyme/bart treatment or does insurance fight it?
Does the Dr need to write it up a certain way?
Is it easier to qualify for something related like depression?
If you file for SDI and get laid off can you still qualify?
Posts: 17 | From Maryland | Registered: Feb 2011
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chiquita incognita
Unregistered
posted
Hello Flyingtreefort I don't know the answer to your question where disability is concerned. But here is some hopeful news:
As we were shopping around for health insurance (no thanks to the economy, hubby's employer can't pay for mine anymore, they preferred to do it this way rather than cut back employees) several insurance co's told me that they are seeing increasingly many lyme diagnoses.
That is a good sign because obviously the illness is gaining more recognition.
Hope springs eternal! We shall overcome. Some day. But we will. The truth will triumph, and the truth will set you free.
Perhaps you could consult a social worker in your area about this.
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lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
You cannot apply for SSDI if you are working. You have to stop working and then apply. For full details you can go to www.ssa.gov.
Insurance has nothing to do with SSDI, other than the formal name is Social Security disability Insurance.
That just means you have been paying into the fund as part of your withholding as long as you have been working.
As for qualifying, it is based on what you are unable to do, not your diagnosis. Not everyone with Lyme gets approved.
I agree that taking some time off will help you heal, but you won't be able to qualify for SSDI for just a short term leave.
It takes much longer than that to qualify, at least for most.
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
Lymednva I think flyingtreefort is talking about short term disibility from the job not SSDI.....
anyway I did short term disibility then longterm disibility......I guess it depends which insurance company you have.
Mine took about 6 weeks to go through the process..they required Drs notes the whole way through....it was stressful!!.......
anyway at 16 weeks i switched to long term and then it got tough.....they had an independant dr review my case and it was terminated after about 6 weeks.....thet was July 2010.......
I got an Attorney, my LLMD is supporting me but they found every loop hole they even said there was no evidence of tickbourne illness despite having had a positive lyme western blot and positive babesiosis.....they said they were false positives...!!!......they said they numerous symptoms were my judgement there wasnt any testing to support my claim.....they denied the appeal...anyway my attorney applied for a court date to fight them but said they may settle before...
I am still in a battle no money since july.....
my only recommendations are for your LLMD to write your notes water tight.....so reason for them to say other.....having said that my first LLMD took notes as I spoke and that was my DRs notes, the office note. My LLMD since July has a specific format and has all the notes typed up so it a lot more specific.....
on another note get yourself a GOOD LLMD that can diagnose all your issues!!..........not just guess at what is going on with you.......
you may not think its important but when i went off work for a few weeks a few weeks became a few months then a year and i am still off 19 months later so get it water tight from the beginning, I didnt have anyone to tell me that and didnt think it important at the time also i didnt want to come across as planning something on planning on not going back to work........
sorry about the long reply but my whole process has made me mad and also put me in a huge financial mess......good luck....
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
I did mean separate short term disability insurance that I pay extra for. I'm finding out more about what it can cover. I think it's a little more liberal than the govt. program. I appreciate the responses, there's a lot of good information there for me to investigate further. I'll write more when I can.
Posts: 17 | From Maryland | Registered: Feb 2011
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lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
It depends on the company. I have long-term disability, which came after short-term, in my case.
They were ready to kick me off when I was approved for SSDI, so they let me keep it. When I turn 65 I will lose it, and almost half my income.
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
it will cover you to be off but you still have to "prove" your case even if you do pay for it,
I paid into it through my employer, I still battled every step of the way......then as I said after the short term finished you think long term is available to you but its not automatic again you have to prove your case.......dont be fooled by the fact that you pay for it they determine wether you can claim it..........
the other thing is i paid the higher rate so i would get 60% of my income well my 60% was above the max agreed amount that my companies contract had so infact i paid for what i thought would be 60% i actually got just less than 50%..
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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MichaelTampa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 24868
posted
typically if you qualify for short-term disability, and lose your job through layoff, you would still have the disability coverage during the time it should be available. but then, when that's over, or you're healthy again, no job can be a bummer.
i've had my short-term claim denied, yes they are clever at fighting it. the more objectively you can demonstrate inability to work, the better. the mistake i made was not getting neuropsychiatric testing which could have demonstrated that. of course, that can cost $1,000 or so, but can be covered by insurance.
Good luck! it's tough
Posts: 1927 | From se usa | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
Thanks all for the input and answers I'm going to try to do everything I can to keep working. Besides needing to support my family and avoid burning all our savings, I wondered if being forced to go and do was good to some extent. At the same time I'll get and read the fine print of the disability claim paperwork and try to do everything necessary to build a strong case in case I need to use it. I see my LLMD this week and will ask how much they've dealt with this and success rate. I never brought it up along the way not planning to go there but....... I need to check if ours has a cap and I wouldn't get my 60% I was thinking to get neuropsych testing to see what it found so this may be another reason to do it. Don't know how much insurance will cover.
Posts: 17 | From Maryland | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
the other thing to remember is if the testing doesnt come out in your favor well not in your favor because something wrong is not in your favoe what i mean is if the testing is all ok......they will use that against you aswell....so test as necessary.....but beware it could be used either way.........
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
I drew short term disability with no diagnosis. I was just sick and no one had figured it out at that point yet.
It is mostly about how disabled you are and not what is causing it. Might be better not to mention LD, maybe use the mental side of it.....like depression, etc.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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