Bummed. I was rejected for SSI.

[Akoto]

I'm practically bedridden at the moment, so I was really hoping. :(

They said it's because I don't have enough work credits. I'm 23 and have only managed to hold one job due to my health, so no kidding. The letter states that they didn't even bother to review my medical situation.

Needed to vent a little.

[Tikki]

1. So sorry. I hope there is another recourse for you...no one should have to..

live in pain.


Tikki

[billyoc]

2. If you've just applied for the first time, remember that EVERYONE gets rejected at first.

and by that I mean everyone. It's a cheap anti-fraud technique.

[Akoto]

3. Yes, but ...

They rejected me on the basis of not having enough work credits. It didn't even get to my health situation. Considering that I can't work to earn more credits, what recourse do I have?

[old mark]

6. I hate to say this to anybody, but you need a lawyer.

My wife got SSI the first time around. We had already contacted a lawyer, who told us it is extremely rare for anyone to get it on the first go round. Most attorneys in the field will consult for free, take a cut when you get the checks. You really need to do this, and not rely on what the government tells you.

They WILL lie to keep you off the SSI rolls.
Good luck.

mark

FWIW my wife has been dealing with SSI for almost 10 years now, and they still try to screw her around. Some of it is just stupid bureaucracy, some is not.

[Red State Rebel]

10. Not true - my daughter was approved in 2 months

I was shocked! No question, no problem, and she was in her mid 20's.

[bicentennial_baby]

4. SSI or SSDI?

I think it's SSDI that has the work credit requirement, but that SSI does not.

[Akoto]

5. I applied for SSI. n/t

[billyoc]

7. Reapply.

[zabet]

8. Appeal the decision immediately..

(there is a time limit for you to do this) and get an attorney. They will deny you a minimum of once for whatever reasons and sometimes up to 3 times before you get approved. It does tend to weed out the ones attempting to fraud the system.

[pitohui]

9. you really can't do this w.out an attorney who specializes in this

i don't know why they make this so hard on sick people

there are 2 kinds of disability payments, one kind is for people who have already worked 40 quarters, as you are too young, you have to get the other kind, but it's VERY tough to get and i've known people w. very severe illnesses who had to get attorneys to collect

don't give up, they do this to absolutely EVERYONE who applies

but i wouldn't take "you haven't worked 40 quarters" for an answer since there IS an alternative

otherwise everyone who was disabled as a child or teen or young adult would never be able to get assistance and that would be insanely unfair, now wouldn't it?

[zanne]

11. My husband had to appeal...

He got a lawyer but it shouldn't have been necessary. He was in his 40's and he had had so many back surgeries that he was made of nuts and bolts. At the time, he couldn't even sit up for 20 minutes at a time. The government clerk (or whatever) who was handling his case told him that he could always find a job where he could lie down, so he was refused SSD.

[raccoon]

19. What an idiot that clerk was!

"The government clerk (or whatever) who was handling his case told him that he could always find a job where he could lie down,"

Like effing what??

[Silver Swan]

12. From the SSA web page

A person who becomes disabled before age 24 needs to have earned six credits in the three-year period ending when disability starts in order to meet the work requirement. For 2008, workers generally receive one credit for each $1,050 of earnings. For 2007, the amount of earnings for one credit was $1000. A worker can receive a maximum of four credits for any year.

For SSI disability, there is no work requirement, so that would not be a valid reason for denial. However, SSI can be denied if you do not meet the income and resources criteria.

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. I spend an awful lot of time battling with them and have to tell you

"Don't give up" They, monthly, threaten to cut off my son's benefits if I don't turn in an accounting for every penny spent, get forms signed by principals etc...

They are hoping you will give up. Don't.

[Forkboy]

14. Keep trying. They turned me down twice before I got it on appeal with a lawyer.

And there are lawyers who will take your case and only take money if you win. It took me over two years to go through the whole process, so you will need major amounts of patience. I didn't have enough work credits either.

I got pretty bummed after the first denial even though I knew it was coming. Hang in there and keep fighting for it. They want people to give up. But be prepared to spend the rest of your life jumping through their hoops.

The good news...you get retro pay from the time you first applied once you get it.

[GOPisEvil]

15. I didn't think SSI had a work credit requirement.

RSDI does, but SSI is specifically for those without a work history. For example, disabled children get SSI all the time.

I'd appeal with an attorney as others have stated.

[WolverineDG]

16. They always reject the first go-round

file your appeal.

dg

[Rising Phoenix]

17. keep trying

I was on disability by the age of 21, never could hold a job for health reasons......it might be worth it to get some legal counsel, a lot are priced reasonably for ssi cases.......good luck and feel better!
rp

[kath]

18. Akoto, as others have stated, you need work credits for SSDI, but NOT for SSI. SSI is based on

financial need, and is for those with little to no income. http://www.ssa.gov/disability/


Here is some info: http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/
On the left of the page, click on "Am I eligible for SSI" which will take you to the "Benefits Eligibility Screening Tool" - this contains some questions which will give a preliminary evaluation of your eligibility.

If it looks like you may be eligible, reapply, making it clear that you are applying for **SSI**, not SSDI.

No need to involve a lawyer at this point -- they will just take some of your money if you are allowed. (and if you don't have enough work credits to be eligible for SSDI, there is NOTHING a lawyer can do that will change that. If it's a close call in terms of your work credits, make sure that the info they have on your work history is correct - that no job history is missing.)

The "everyone is denied the first time" line is bullshit.

If you meet the income and resources criteria for SSI, they will look at your diagnosis - if the diagnosis is not enough to make you meet a listing, then they will look at your ability to function, as we discussed before.

[Crazy Dave]

20. In less than two weeks the government can hand out $700 billion so easy

Yet from most of the replies I've read it takes up to three times to apply and also takes a long time to get the help that you need.

I really hate our government and it's failure to help people like yourself.

Good luck.