Illinois Issues blog: Cutting some Medicaid services may not create savings.
Click above to read. Be careful of the law of unintended consequences. A dollar saved today may result in higher medical costs tomorrow. Medicaid recipients do not have anywhere else to turn to for medical treatment. Many of them are on SSI or Social Security Disability.
Click above to read. It is hard enough to get medical treatment. More Medicaid cuts will make it worse.
Social Security is complicated.
There are many rules and laws that can trip you up.
One is the Date of Last Insurance requirement.
You must work and pay into Social Security to be eligible for Social Security Disability.
If you were not in the work force, or worked in a job where they did not take out Social Security taxes then you cannot get Social Security Disability.
Some examples, are stay at home spouses, some State University employees, or you have a sporadic work record.
The basic rule is that you must have worked enough quarters in 5 of the last 10 years.
Your date of last insurance tells you the date before which you must prove disability.
For example, if your date of last insurance is December 31, 2011 and you are found disabled as of August 31, 2011 then you are entitled to your monthly Social Security Disability benefits.
If you are found disabled as of February 1, 2012, then you are not entitled to any Social Security Disability benefits.
Sounds harsh, but those are the rules.
Just another reason you should file as soon as possible for your Social Security Disability.
For those not eligible for Social Security Disability, you may still qualify for SSI.
Questions about this confusing mess? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.
Click above to read. You can only use Social Security benefits for the assistance of the beneficiary. This includes children’s SSI benefits. You can end up in jail if you do not follow the rules.
Do all these questions from the Administrative Law Judge mean anything?
Every question the Social Security Judge asks is important.
Some are obviously important.
Others are more subtle.
For example, the questions about your daily activities and chores are important because they give the Judge an idea of what bothers you most and how you are limited.
This is not idle chatter no matter how friendly or disinterested the Judge may seem.
If you cannot do something or need to take breaks while doing performing a chore, make sure you explain it clearly to the Judge.
Judges may use your testimony to deny your Social Security Disability benefits.
Need to know more about what happens at a Social Security hearing? Feel free to call Illinois Social Security Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.