Applied for ssdi?

[TheRainman]

I applied for ssdi last week in Florida. The web site said on average it takes 224 days before they give you a decission. Like to know how long other peoples actually took. Thank you!

[Sheri]

My understanding is it’s NORMAL to be declined then forced to hire a lawyer. I won at that step. Your timeline sounds about right. Good luck!

[Oddity]

I was approved on first pass in about 4 weeks. When I applied, the folks at my local SSA office said SCI was generally much quicker than average, and almost never questioned, and that was definitely my experience. (I never worked after my injury, so maybe having work history with an SCI changes things? I dunno.)

(My experience was 15+ years ago. Might be slower today?)

[Sheri]

Whoops definitely don’t listen to me! I have the more serious form of MS so only had a cane and bad prognosis when I applied.

[Gearhead]

I was approved in a few weeks while still in hospital. I was nothing but a talking head at that time. Having an x-sister in-law, retired from SS help speed my case, no doubt.

Did they deny you or have you in a delay loop?

As Oddity mentioned, work history is a big factor. Your occupation pre &/or (if) post injury too. Post injury job will cause you to jump through more hoops. Gather all papers you can from doctors stating your level of injury and prognosis (can you get better). Go to a SS office and talk face to face with a human (if Covid hasn't closed them as FL is one of the hot states for spreading). If denied, then get a lawyer (Pitts as seen on TV has helped a few I know). Don't expect this to speed things up much as they get a big chunk of your back pay. You will get back pay starting from date of denial.

[funklab]

I was approved quite quickly. I don't remember exactly how quickly, but from what I remember in 2007ish it took six months to actually kick in, like you get approved then wait 180 days before the payments start. I wonder if that is factored into the 224 day number... probably not I'm guessing.

[WheelieWhiz]

I was approved fairly quickly as well and that timeline sounds pretty accurate. Though my disability isn't SCI related. (Quadriperetic CP) it was mainly the getting the paperwork organized that was the biggest issue for me.

[TheRainman]

I want to thank everyone that replied. They got my application in December of 2021. I stop workin in 2020 Thinking I would go back to work. But thats not going to happen for health reasons. I get my healthcare coverage from a private insurer which I went through Obamacare and got a subsidy of 600.00 a month. Now I was told by my insurance agent I need to show income for that year or I don't qualify for the subsidy and I will need to pay it back. I now need to show on my tax return income by end of February. So I was hoping that ssdi would do that. Any advised would be appreciated.

[Gearhead]

No doubt you need a tax pro for that. A face to face real person tax adviser, not the type that just wants you to drop off paper work.
I had to be classified as disabled for 2 years before I could get Medicare.

[funklab]

Im no expert, but Im pretty sure SSDI and Medicare are a package deal. I don’t think you can get disability from social security and decline Medicare.

i looked it up the other day and the way I read the website at least, it sounded like you are not eligible to participate in a marketplace plan if you’re eligible for Medicare.

[TheRainman]

Im no expert, but Im pretty sure SSDI and Medicare are a package deal. I don’t think you can get disability from social security and decline Medicare.

i looked it up the other day and the way I read the website at least, it sounded like you are not eligible to participate in a marketplace plan if you’re eligible for Medicare.

I don't qualify for the medical part of ssdi untill I've been on it for two years because of my assets. And the market place says the minimum income required is 16,000 or so. I think I might be screwed.

[Oddity]

Im no expert, but Im pretty sure SSDI and Medicare are a package deal. I don’t think you can get disability from social security and decline Medicare.

i looked it up the other day and the way I read the website at least, it sounded like you are not eligible to participate in a marketplace plan if you’re eligible for Medicare.

That is true. Although there is a waiting period for Medicare to kick in, after SSDI approval, but once it does, it is automatic. Folks with limited income, and a disability, can also apply for their state's Medicaid program, as they'd likely be Dual Eligible, and they essentially use both, with Medicaid usually being primary. It is also true that ACA Marketplace plans are not available to anyone on Medicare. (Which is fine, IMO, since Medicare plus a gap plan, or dual 'Caid/Care, are better than the best healthcare exchange market plans.)

Edit: SSDI beneficiaries CAN use a Marketplace plan during the 24 months waiting period, though. Or apply for Medicaid immediately (if low income and assets.)

[pfcs49]

I don't qualify for the medical part of ssdi untill I've been on it for two years because of my assets. And the market place says the minimum income required is 16,000 or so. I think I might be screwed.

I don't know about disability elgibilty vis a vis assets, but I can say that after I became disabled in 95 and unable to perform as a mechanic, (self employed small shop owner), after a year of state disability I went on SSDI/Medicare. At that time I owned a middle class home and the pretty valuable commercial property my shop was on/no problem getting disability and going onto Medicare.
Six years later my malpractice case settled and my assets grew significantly but it had no effect on my benefits.

AFAIK, benefits before retirement age are pretty much the same as retired benefits, but what do I know? I'm just a paralyzed Volkswagen mechanic.

[Mike_Stan]

It took me 1 week to get approved. 6 months to get my first check. 2 years to get on medicare.

[TheRainman]

Thanks again everyone for all the good information. It really did help.