Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
Anybody been through one of these? Not the small one Social Security sends out every 2 years. The BIG 'do you still qualify under the same reasons' review where you send back a stack of paper and they kick out 5 more sets of forms and questionnaires. I sent the first set back to Social Security and now I am getting forms from my state disability office. I don't get a separate state check. I have never seen so much documentation. I had an attorney handle my original filing, so this is more than I can handle with all of my medical stuff too. They gave me 10 days to fill out all of this stuff but I have trouble writing. I missed the deadline and got a letter they were going to cut me off and I would lose my income and insurance (doctors and medicines). I called my attorney but they don't take the case unless your status is revoked.
Is this normal?
I finally got it all finished and mailed back.
I can't work. I might be able to fake it long enough to get a job, but I would get fired fairly quickly. I just can't hide all of my problems to be able to function.
I did check arthritis.org and they have some resources and tools on medical coverage, claims denials etc. Not sure if there is information in there that may be helpful but they also have a help line that offers contact with social workers who may be able to help on a variety of topics. Maybe you could try them and see if they can point you in the right direction if not help directly. Here is the number: 1-844-571-HELP.
Hope you find some answers soon.
I am in Canada, too! We have a different system. With CPP disability, my doctor filled it out and I was on it for 15 years. Then, the automatically turned it into CPP pension, I didn't have to do a thing.
When I was on work disability, I had to fill out a long form, showing I was still sick, plus one for my doctor, every year. The anxiety of thinking they would not approve me drove me to distraction. Then, one day, about 6 or 7 years into disability, I began to realize how badly damaged I was ], and that I could not work.
In 2009, I was feeling good and had been for 4 years. I talked to the health people in my school district about coming back. The person said, never! I was always going to be sick, tired, and my meds would fail. I told her no, I had been good for 4 years. She said, never! So, I stopped worrying!
Ironically, this was in March. Within 3 weeks, mthx failed, and Kineret wouldn't work without it. Then I got my foot reconstructed, which was a fail. So, I hate to say it, but that health a personal person got it so right!
As for you, Kim, you do need to find someone or organization to intervene. That is just absurd! And 10 days to file?? Not sure what to do, I hope you find help, and soon.