Baby Boomers Still Misunderstand Disability Income

Original Link: Baby Boomers Still Misunderstand Disability Income (from: ohsonline.com)

Posted: May 7, 2008

According to a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of America's Health Insurance Plans, most baby boomers overestimate the breadth and depth of the public safety net available for workers who suffer a disability, believing public programs provide disability benefits to more people than they actually do and overestimating the amount of benefits available.

The survey assessed boomers' knowledge about public disability income programs, such as Social Security Disability Insurance and Worker's Compensation. Nearly half of boomers surveyed believe incorrectly that a working adult would qualify for SSDI benefits if he or she were unable to work at their current job, but could still work at another job that pays less money. More than a third of baby boomers believe a worker is qualified if he or she can work no more than twenty hours a week, and one in four say they do not know what the qualifications are. In reality, workers are eligible for SSDI benefits only if they are unable to do any work for which they would earn $1,000 or more per month.

"Baby boomers believe they have more disability income protection than they actually do, giving them a false sense of security against the financial risks of disability," AHIP President and CEO Karen Ignagni. Humphrey Taylor, chairman of the Harris Poll, seconded that thought, saying, "Baby boomers know very little about the public disability safety net available for workers who suffer a disability."

Only one in five boomers correctly estimated the average monthly SSDI benefit for a disabled worker to be about $1,000 a month. Eighteen percent overestimated the benefit and a significant number of those surveyed (43 percent) said they did not know how much the average monthly SSDI benefit was. While a majority of boomers (60 percent) accurately stated that job-related illnesses and injuries are qualifications for worker's compensation, many incorrectly believe this coverage is also available to individuals who suffer a disability in other situations. Many of those surveyed said they believe people can qualify for worker's comp benefits if they suffer a disability that prevents them from working at their previous job (26 percent), forces them to work at a job that pays less than their current job (10 percent), or if they can only work part-time (9 percent).

Thirty-six percent of boomers did not know how much of their current income worker's comp benefits would replace, and one in five overestimated benefits. Only 24 percent of boomers accurately stated that worker's compensation replaces two-thirds of a worker's pre-disability income.

The survey also assessed baby boomers knowledge of the length of time it takes to receive SSDI benefits. Thirty-four percent estimated that the length of time to receive benefits was shorter than it generally is, and more than a third (35 percent) said they didn't know how long the process takes. The average length of time it takes for a person who files a SSDI claim to be accepted or denied, including any appeals, is approximately 500 days, or more than 17 months. A memo outlining the survey findings is available at www.ahip.org/content/default.aspx?docid=23188, and the survey questionnaire can be found at www.ahip.org/content/default.aspx?docid=23187.

Disability Lawyer Blog: Links & Free Case Evaluation

Click to Ask a Question from a:
Social Security Disability Attorney

Free Disability Case Evaluation from a:
Social Security Disability Lawyer

Resources: Looking for Additional Social Security Disability information?

• Need to apply for Social Security Disability?
• Have you been denied Social Security Disability?
• Do you want to appeal a Social Security Disability case?

www.NationalDisabilityLawyer.com

1-800-507-4774

NationalDisabilityLawyer.com is a website with SSDI and SSI Disability information. Learn more about disability cases, how to apply for disability and how to appeal a denied Social Security Disability case.

Breast Cancer Disability Impairment SSDI and SSI Benefits

Breast Cancer can be a difficult condition to to document by Social Security Disability (SSDI, and SSI Disability) rules. To win disability benefits for a breast cancer case, the claimant must provide documentation that fulfills the SSA requirements (Social Security Administration) for disability benefits. One of these requirements difficulties arises because many women recover within one year of treatment.

Breast Cancer Unique Disability Considerations

There are some unique considerations for breast cancer Social Security disability cases. Too often Social Security denies breast cancer disability claims without fully crediting the claimant's situation. As an example, after a mastectomy women can have prolonged pain and complications, including lymphedema. There are additional side effects of chemotherapy that can leave women suffering from fatigue, nausea and other disabling medical conditions.

For matters of a breast cancer SSDI or breast cancer SSI Disability claims, it is important to gather medical documentation to help present your breast cancer disability benefits claim to the Social Security Administration. If you are not currently working with a disability attorney with breast cancer disability benefits experience, you may want to consider contacting a breast cancer Social Security disability attorney. Your disability benefits attorney will help you present the proper questions to your doctors and can be a resource through the disability claims process.

Breast Cancer: More information and SSDI and SSI resources

For more information about breast cancer, please review information offered at breastcancer.org. For more information about breast cancer disability impairments and how it can impact a SSDI or SSI Disability benefits claim, please consider contacting a breast cancer Social Security disability lawyer.

Breast Cancer Attorney Fees and Breast Cancer Disorder Lawyer Fees

Many disability lawyers and disability attorneys will only charge a fee if they are able to win disability benefits (SSDI and SSI Disability). This means you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by reaching out to an attorney that is experienced with breast cancer disability cases. Click on the links to see more information about a breast cancer disability lawyer fee and a breast cancer disability attorney fee structure for breast cancer Social Security disability cases.




Click for a free case evaluation from a Social Security disability lawyer.

SSDI Application Submission Expectations

If you've sumitted your SSDI application recently you're probably asking you're "what's next?" After your SSDI application has been submitted there are a serious of steps that occur to help Social Security determine if you will be awarded SSDI benefits.

Social Security Reviewing Medical Records

Social Security will attempt to obtain your disability medical records from your doctors. You may also be asked to see Social Security's doctors based on different aspects of your disability. Typically these doctor visits are quick examinations.

At these doctor visits the doctor reviewing your disability typically does not have access to your medical records. The doctor's verbal comments may lead you to believe he understands your condition and believes you are disabled. The doctor's written report will often be far different and not in your favor.

SSDI Benefits, a 50/50 chance

At the initial level more than 65% of all claims are denied. With less than a 50/50 chance, what can you do? For starters, don't give up! Documenting and proving your disability case is not easy. It is your job to present your disability case.

SSDI Lawyers can help improve your odds of winning SSDI benefits. If your claim is denied at the intial level, remember there is an appeal process. Also remember, the sooner you talk to an SSDI lawyer about your disability claim, the sooner the process can be affected.

Learn more about Social Security Disability Lawyers