Help please! Social Security SSI Benefits

[Roxy's Run]

Hi everyone! As most of you know, my boyfriend is disabled and has not worked since January 20, 2006. We filed for Social Security and he was denied "regular" benefits because he didn't meet the amount of work credits needed. (Long story there :new_2gunsfiring_v1: ) So now we are pursuing the SSI benefits. We both physically went to the local office and filed a claim. Gave them all requested documentation. I called his claims rep the other day who determines whether he is medically disabled or not. Claims rep tells me that his case was closed Aug. 1 and he was "approved." :aktion033: :new_multi: But I had to call the local office as they were the ones who determine the dollar amount. Can't get through to local office - line CONSTANTLY busy!

: Received letter in mail requesting "bank statements". Ok, no problem - FOR WHAT MONTHS?!?!?!?!?

: Try to call local office for two days! Can't get through so send a fax with copy of latest bank statement with cover letter requesting a phone call to ME at my office during office hours. (It is extremely difficult for my boyfriend to get to the phone in time. Plus he is really not good at handling this sort of thing.) No response for two days!! Go to work today and there's a message on the office machine that a rep from the local office called at 7:50 am and the bank statements needed were from May 31, 2006 to present. Ok. Try to call rep back to make sure she received my fax from two days ago with the latest bank statement and that they already had the prior months. Line is BUSY!!!

: So send another fax asking her to call me at my office as soon as possible. She finally calls only to tell me that she cannot talk to me as I am not my boyfriend, the actual claimant, and she can only speak to him. So I offer to get him on the phone and we could have a conference call right then and there. NOPE!!! A conference call will have to be scheduled or he will have to make an appointment to go in to the local office. :new_shocked: I told this woman that my boyfriend had signed a form of theirs naming me as his representative. She told me that they don't have that form on file. Funny, I was looking at a copy of that signed form right in front of me!!! :deadhorse2: Oh, and she didn't receive my fax with the bank statement. THEN HOW DID YOU GET MY OFFICE PHONE NUMBER to leave the message on the machine?!?!?!?!?!?!?! So now we have a 9:30 am appointment at the local office tomorrow. I have to take time off from work, drag my boyfriend out of the house, fight traffic, and meet with these people only to give them documentation which they already have and RE-sign a representation form!!! I can see why so many claims are denied. With the games they play, it is so easy for a person who is disabled or ill not to have the strength or the determination to keep after these people! So now that I've written a book here (Sorry) does anyone know what the next step is? Since he has already been approved by the Disability Determination guy, what's next? How much longer can this go on? We are drowning here in debt and some extremely important bills are not able to be paid!

: Yes, we have filed for Food Stamps and Social Services assistance and just today, we received that approval letter, but no Food Stamps or anything just the approval. Has anyone gone through this and can offer some guidance? If it makes any difference, we are in New Jersey. Sorry this is so long. I guess I needed to vent a little. Thanks for "listening."

:

Linda

Roxy's Run Miniatures/Renditions

 

[shortymisty]

Might want to also try applying for adult Medicaid, yes you'll have to take in your bank statements again, assets, and all unpaid medical and pharmaceutical bills, they may be able to help. You will get different answers from each social worker but you still can file for it.

 

[keeperofthehorses]

Oh jeesh... we feel your pain... Call the office of your boyfriends primary physician and ask them if they have a social worker on staff. Darrin's dialysis unit has one and she is a GEM for helping us out with all of this. There is no way we could have done it without her.

Also, in addition to the SS representation form you signed, you may want to consider getting a full legal Power of Attorney and Living Will. I know with all the medical bills, the last thing you want right now is a lawyers fee, but it may be worth it in the long run.

 

[strass]

Oh Linda, I wish I had some advice for you, but I have no experience with this.

You are truly a kind, caring person and it pains me to see you struggle.

Hang in there, Kiddo. Keep plugging away at them until you get the results you are after.

 

[Frankie]

It's so hard to say as the state regulates some of the things, but not all.

Making copies of everything, documenting all calls can help. But it looks like not so much in this case.

Sometimes I think when a person is hired for SS, the first thing told to them, is we expect you to act like this money is yours, then you won't give it away.

In my opinion, they HOPE you will give up.

My son was born with Hydrocephalus,,,,,,,,,,I filed for SSI when he was almost 3. They turned us down because, He must of had the condition for 12 months to file. I guess because he had had it for almost 3 years that wasn't in the 12 month time frame they were referring to.

:

He had just been through his 7th surgery, in the hospital for a few months, had all his doctors do the paperwork,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and SS wanted him to see another doctor and go through ALL the tests again. The poor kid was bruised from his head down to his waist from sugery, IV's, etc. I was not putting him through more.

So yeah, we gave up.

But, my senator, congressman, and govenor, got one beautiful letter from me. All whom replied.

Sorry to say, but for him to get SSI, you have to jump through their hoops and play their games. But I do wish you the best of luck.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Most hospitals have a ss rep on site. So, if you have such bills, you may want to go there and they will be able to help guide you through many things. I know we talked to one when my step-dad was very sick and possibly would need full care in a nursing facility. We were concerned that mom might have to sell house, etc. to meet their demands but, this rep was wonderful and really, really helped explain things.

All worked well for us and we didn't even need the nursing home for more than a couple of months which was covered with Medicare.

I wish you luck, it is TRULY frustrating to work with ANY "government" agency.

SO, every wonder why it is so easy to get $100,000 grant to study results of eating pork rind????

:

 

[JO~*]

Yes lots of hoops to jump.

If your boyfriend was aproved you should get the back checks from then at least.

At least I think thats how it went with my husband.