| Does your government really care if you are disabled? | | | | administration currently sitting in office. So, do they |
| That's a question that is becoming more and worthy | | | | care? Do they really care about those who are least |
| of the public's consideration. | | | | able to assist themselves? |
| Recently, I was on the phone with a disability claimant | | | | I would have to say no. They do not. |
| who needs to have his reconsideration filed and I | | | | I will leave you with this anecdote: about 2 years ago I |
| asked him if he had been seen by any doctors | | | | tried to assist one particular claimant whose situation |
| recently. He gave the all too common answer: "No, I | | | | was quite miserable. He had no access to medical |
| haven't been able to go. My insurance ran out a long | | | | care and his living conditions were beyond the pale. To |
| time ago". | | | | try to help him, I contacted the following agencies in his |
| This is a very common situation. And I've heard it so | | | | city (not my own area of operation): the salvation |
| much that I've become somewhat desensitived to it. | | | | army, catholic social ministries, and urban ministries. |
| But...if you really think about it, these situations (which | | | | Want to know what I was told? They were out of |
| ARE extremely common) are horrendous. | | | | funds. THIS WAS IN FEBRUARY OF THAT YEAR. |
| Let me put on my examiner/caseworker hat for a | | | | So, what does that say about the federal |
| moment. The disability system is set up so that the | | | | administration's notions of faith-based charities taking |
| prospect of being approved for disability weighs | | | | up the slack from the government cutting back: that it |
| entirely on a claimants medical records. And not just | | | | is essentially useless and disingenuous rhetoric. |
| on medical records, but on recent records (aside from | | | | In addition to being a former disability examiner, I used |
| closed periods). | | | | to be a food stamp caseworker, medicaid |
| Well, ding ding ding (wake up bureaucrats, politicians, | | | | caseworker, and an afdc worker, and I can tell you |
| and red-tape functionaries), if the process for | | | | unequivocally that private charities will never be able to |
| eventually---we hope---getting approved for disability | | | | fill any gap left behind by the feds, but that's another |
| benefits can take up to 3 years (I'm not pulling that | | | | conversation. |
| number out of a rabbit hat either----just call any | | | | Now, why this article? Because there are changes in |
| attorney or non attorney practicing in the raleigh north | | | | the works that while masquerading as reform of the |
| carolina area and they will sullenly confirm this | | | | social security disability system...will actually make the |
| information), then how can a claimant be expected to | | | | system more hostile to disabled benefit applicants. |
| have decent medical record documentation by the | | | | Chew on this as a parting thought. The people who |
| time they get to a hearing (a destination most cases | | | | are trying to "reform" social security disability are the |
| will arrive at)? | | | | same people who tried to (or are trying to, as the |
| Answer: an unacceptably large percentage of | | | | case may be): |
| claimants won't (I typically tell people to seek out a | | | | 1. bust the federal employees unions (and have to |
| county health department, free clinic, or even go the | | | | some extent succeeded), |
| ER, if need be. But's let be honest--that doesn't take | | | | 2. altered regulations regarding overtime compensation |
| the place of records generated via an ongoing treating | | | | in a way that was clearly hostile to workers, |
| physician relationship). | | | | 3. are trying to limit the ability of mesothelioma victims |
| Now, before I go on any further, I acknowledge the | | | | to seek compensation (the sick part part about this is |
| notion that the disability system is not responsible in | | | | that mesothelioma has an incubation period of up to 40 |
| any way, shape, or form for facilitating a claimant's | | | | years following exposure to asbestos fibers and the |
| access to medical care while a case is pending in | | | | diagnosis itself is a literal death sentence----no one |
| order to substantiate a claim (i.e. ensure that records | | | | survives, even following a pneumonectomy). |
| are in place to support allegations of disability). But, | | | | And these are just a few things. |
| even for those claimants who had mainstream | | | | So, to address the question we began with: does your |
| employer-provided health insurance, COBRA only lasts | | | | government really care if you become disabled and |
| 18 months. | | | | need immediate benefit assistance to avoid falling into |
| So, when the process can last 2 or 3 years, where | | | | a financial abyss? Perhaps to some extent...but, |
| does that leave claimants? In a bad way, without a | | | | unfortunately, I would have to say, not particularly |
| doubt. Not only are they put in the position of finding it | | | | much. |
| difficult to document their impairments----to add insult to | | | | The author of this article is Timothy Moore, who, in |
| injury their conditions will sometimes worsen as a result | | | | addition to being a former food stamp caseworker, |
| of having inadquate access to medical care. | | | | medicaid caseworker and AFDC caseworker, is a |
| Now, back to the headline of this post. THESE HUGE | | | | former disability claims examiner. |
| WAIT TIMES came into effect under the | | | | |