Esophageal Cancer Support Group

My husband was able to get SSD from his dx of esophageal cancer. He was already retired and was age 58 when he was diagnosed. They gave us back pay for his SSD. I didn't think he would get it since he was already retired, but he did. It was very easy to get it as it is an automatic approval with such a diagnosis.

CyndiC

Thanks. Cyndi did you call them or fill out the online form? It seems confusing to me, but I'd like to try to get it. Did he have to ask for the back pay or did they base it on when he was diagnosed?

Suzie, thanks so much for posting this information. I was wondering if I should just get copies of my reports and mail them in with a form from online or call them first? What are your thoughts?

Did it take a long time for the process?

Thanks so much to both of you for posting and caring about those of us dealing with esophageal cancer. How thoughtful and caring of you both! Thank you, thank you, thank you :-) God bless. Brenda

We are fortunate in one respect in that we own are own business and had ST and LT disability insurance thru the company. The disability plan filed the paperwork for us so I'm not real sure how it all worked. I would think, with governmental red tape involved, it would be better to get the forms online and submit all paperwork in person.

The downside to being a business owner is that without my husband there, and the current economic downfall, is we have suffered huge financial loses. We are currently pursuing what's called a LILOC, a loan or advance against a life insurance policy. We have qualified however the paperwork is frustratingly slow. By the time it's all said and done it will have been a month from beginning to end. It will literally save us financially but the process has been stressful due to the time delays.

You are welcome if any of this info helps in any way. I'd rather share what I know than leave someone to learn everything the hard way like I tend to do! :)

Yeah, why do they make things so hard to do and understand :-) I know when I was my sickest - there was just no way I could figure anything like that out and I wouldn't have even felt like helping anyone else do it for me, if it involved any thinking or concentration on my part. I was just too tired, too sick, too weak. But, now that I do feel better, I would love to sort things out better. Being sick can take a big dip out of one's savings/assets - even when you have insurance. But, I'm so grateful to be alive and better :-) So, I'm ready to tackle the paperwork trail :-)

My husband had a stroke a couple years ago and is a veteran, so, I want to check on what services they can help with too. I know when I was in the hospital and he needed to stay in an assisted living for the 8 days I was in the hospital, they pretty much told us it takes weeks or months to apply for help, so we needed to come up with the funds ourselves. It was 5000.00+ because they had a one month minimum pay. I don't believe there would have been any reimbursement. But for future, I do want to see what progams they offer to help with things he may need down the road. If I did need some type surgery again - that's the only reason (God willing) that we need to be apart, because with him having the stroke, he really couldn't stay overnight with me there, like I could with him when he had his stroke.

Well, thanks again - tomorrow I'm checking both these out :-)

I found the SSD process to be relatively quick and painless. I did a lot on-line, and had to go to the office in person only twice, once for my husband (the patient) to get benefits and once for myself and my kids. Since I am currently employed I am not eligible for benefits, but if I should lose my job, the paperwork is already in place.

After dealing with multiple healthcare providers, insurance companies, FMLA, and other headahces SSD was not a problem. Also, my husband was a state employee and the his work disability was also fairly easy to obtain.

That said, I don't know how patients who don't have a loved one doing all of this for them could possibly cope with all the paperwork.

I could not have done the paperwork myself when I was the sickest, for sure. In fact, I could not have even answered the questions that someone else would have needed to know from me. Course, I didn't even know about it back then. Why is it that financial help seems to be such a secret? Really, aren't we dealing with enough just trying to survive? Well, thank God for places like this and people like so many here, who take their time to help others :-) Thanks so much! I am in the process of the online part of it. There is a lot to enter....dates, Drs., etc.... but it's great that it lets you stop and continue without losing all that you've entered up to that point. I will need to do mine in stages, for sure. Thanks!