Disability benefit denials, delays ravage lives of claimants

[Seriously Sarcastic]

yona wrote:

My gripe is the rampant fraud that is being perpetrated on SS. I know a woman with virtually no disability (can't state her claim to maintain my anonymity) and her son, her exhusband, and half a dozen friends all get full disability. None of them are truely unable to work disabled.

Have you reported this fraud? If any of them receives Medicare or Medicaid, they should be turned in.

[NATIVE Mountain Educator]

From what I've seen, many people receive disability who don't really need it. They are able to smoke, surf the web and ride the roads. There are computer jobs and training programs available. I agree that there should be no disability for those whose disability is being obese. That is 100% correctable and is not a reason to be on the dole.This backlog of cases is probably due to these Social Security lawyers who actually advertise for clients and flood the system with phony claims. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there is a way to report those on disability who are faking it?

[Seriously Sarcastic]

NATIVE Mountain Educator wrote:

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there is a way to report those on disability who are faking it?

For reporting abuse in federal programs such as Medicare, go to
http://www.oig.hhs.gov/hotline.html
I'm sure the state website has information to report abuse of Medicaid.

[Seriously Sarcastic]

For reporting fraud or abuse of Medicaid, go to
http.//www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/cons umer/fraud.html

[Seriously Sarcastic]

Seriously Sarcastic wrote:

For reporting fraud or abuse of Medicaid, go to
http.//www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/cons umer/fraud.html

Forgive the typo, that should be a colon after the http...
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/consumer/fraud.html
...and if it sticks a space in the middle of "consumer" again, take that out.

[MurphyMobile]

This site should explain the difference in SSI and SSD.

http://www.idahocareline.org/eLibrary/SSI%20V...

NC is not any different since it is a government
claim.

[What]

yona wrote:

I have heard horror stories from people trying to get SSI and people I knoe that help people file for SSI. It is awful when some people have to wait years for benefits. While at the same time who can ever explain why some people get approved on their first application.
My gripe is the rampant fraud that is being perpetrated on SS. I know a woman with virtually no disability (can't state her claim to maintain my anonymity) and her son, her exhusband, and half a dozen friends all get full disability. None of them are truely unable to work disabled. The woman, in fact is a bit of a mogule but doesn't report her income so she gets full SSI payments.
SS should requier a more stringent review process with an interview. Something face to face. Oddly enough most of these SSI determinations are made using third party evaluations.
It's our tax money at work and those in need should be cared for. Those that claim, oh I got tennis elbow and am permenantly disabled, shouldn't get SSI!

Hey, I know them! They ALL live in our rental home and we can't get rid of them!:o

[yona]

Seriously Sarcastic wrote:

<quoted text>
Have you reported this fraud? If any of them receives Medicare or Medicaid, they should be turned in.

No, I haven't, and it makes me embarassed to think about it. Truth is this woman is a friend of a relative (not close relative) and it would cause sore feelings within my family if it were discovered that I had informed.

I did, however speak with SS in a general way and suggested that they really should reevaluate those on disability.

Its what I could do.

[Keith retired Gun-bunny]

NATIVE Mountain Educator wrote:

From what I've seen, many people receive disability who don't really need it. They are able to smoke, surf the web and ride the roads. There are computer jobs and training programs available. I agree that there should be no disability for those whose disability is being obese. That is 100% correctable and is not a reason to be on the dole.This backlog of cases is probably due to these Social Security lawyers who actually advertise for clients and flood the system with phony claims. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there is a way to report those on disability who are faking it?

If my sexy 300 pounds has to work for a living, me being 5'11" tall, anyother slim 300 pounder can do it.

[Johnny]

I find it shameful that there are no interim programs for the disabled while waiting for there disability application to be "adjudicated". My brother recently became disabled and has tried everything. DSS was kind enough to allow $162.00 per month in food stamps. However, because his Dr. will not sign a release for work, he can't even apply for unemployment benefits. To my knowledge, he has not missed a day of work in over 20 years, but now he is unable to "look for work". I personally have gone into debt to keep him afloat, I guess that is what families are for, but my resources are limited as well. I am deeply discouraged by all the negative posts and hope that I don't go broke helping my disabled brother.
I can only imagine that the backlog is due to the number of able bodied people who are bilking millions of dollars out of the system because they are too lazy to work.
I guess if he wants any assistance, he should get married and have a child every year until he gets enough welfare money to survive.

[STINGRAY541]

From what I see somebody has been eating well.

[Yep]

STINGRAY541 wrote:

From what I see somebody has been eating well.

I hear tell stingrays have very poor eyesight.

[STINGRAY541]

Yep wrote:

<quoted text>
I hear tell stingrays have very poor eyesight.

Look at the picture!

[yona]

STINGRAY541 wrote:

<quoted text>Look at the picture!

Yep looks like they never met a doughnut they didn't like. Probably did dinners in front of the TV, as well as virtually everything else.

It is true tht people have claimed obesity as a disability and gotten paid on the tax payers dime. I suspect, though, that these are more the poor masses that can't afford to eat a healthy diet. No sarcasm. I have priced out a healthy nutritious diet, as opposed to preprocessed, prepackaged goop that most people eat. To eat healthy cost almost double what eating poorly does. Is it any wonder that the less fortunate amoung us look as they do, what with consuming empty calories and the bad fats.

[Wandering Wanda]

Keith retired Gun-bunny wrote:

<quoted text> If my sexy 300 pounds has to work for a living, me being 5'11" tall, anyother slim 300 pounder can do it.

Looks like a lot of people agree with you. Look at the poll.

[djs51]

I am here to tell you that it is a bunch of bullshit. I started looking at this article because I am related to Dave Obey. It was not that long ago we had a discussion on ssdi. I have been waiting for 3 years when my company that is doing it decided to send my case to Santa Barbara from Wisconsin and now I have to start my waiting all over again. We have lost everything. Medical bills - outrageous. Multiple are in collections. I don't give a crap any more. I have no choice. If I had money I could pay the not for profit hospital. We're working on losing our house now because we simply don't have it. My husband is laid off. What the f--k how can they do it to people. I have done everything I was suppose to do. Now I find out I have traumatic brain trauma. Nice. And I think why don't they hire them illegal aliens and give them a job since they get everything free, why not put them to work. I am just sick of it. I'm going to do something pretty quick if they don't award it to me. I don't care if I have to take an ad out on a whole page in the paper and write Michael Astrue and call him out. Just frusted with not a dime to my name.

[What]

djs51 wrote:

I am here to tell you that it is a bunch of bullshit. I started looking at this article because I am related to Dave Obey. It was not that long ago we had a discussion on ssdi. I have been waiting for 3 years when my company that is doing it decided to send my case to Santa Barbara from Wisconsin and now I have to start my waiting all over again. We have lost everything. Medical bills - outrageous. Multiple are in collections. I don't give a crap any more. I have no choice. If I had money I could pay the not for profit hospital. We're working on losing our house now because we simply don't have it. My husband is laid off. What the f--k how can they do it to people. I have done everything I was suppose to do. Now I find out I have traumatic brain trauma. Nice. And I think why don't they hire them illegal aliens and give them a job since they get everything free, why not put them to work. I am just sick of it. I'm going to do something pretty quick if they don't award it to me. I don't care if I have to take an ad out on a whole page in the paper and write Michael Astrue and call him out. Just frusted with not a dime to my name.

Have you consulted any lawyers?

[K-Man]

One big problem is the numbers of would-be cheaters who file claims. I have had nemerous people approach me who wanted to work "off the books" so it wouldn't affect their SS benefits.

It may seem cruel, but those cheats force the government to investigate everyone who applies. We cannot afford to keep everyone up who just doesn't want to work anymore or get benefits while they continue to work and not report it. SS funds are limited and measures must be taken to ensure that only those who are actually disabled get the benefits. Otherwisw the system will go broke sooner unless there is a huge tax increase.

SS does however require that a person be unable to perform any gainful employment, not necessarly the work of his choice in order to receive disability benefits. I personally have known a lot of people who applied for SS disability. I have never known anyone who was actually completely disabled who was denied.

[Bubble Burster]

My sister was denied while she was dying of cancer. She was on morphine injections and unable to leave her bed the last six months of her life. She was on her fourth round of lymphoma and the doctors had given her less than a year to live. She lived almost two. Those of you who believe that most or even half or even a quarter of the people on SSDI are frauds have not done your homework. This has already been researched to death. The actual number of fraudulent cases is less than 5%. I just went through the process with another relative (another one who looks just fine but has seven separate debilitating illnesses) and believe me, there are very few people getting away with fraud. Unless you know the person personally, like exactly what their diagnosis is, what medications they are on, and what is stopping them from functioning in a job, then you are assuming. Looks can be deceiving. A person with levator ani syndrome is not going to tell you that their anus is spasming so bad that they have to take shots of morphine in order to have a bowel movement. Think that person can sit or stand to do any kind of job - think again. The disorder is just too painful. The PTSD veteran is not going to tell you that they spent last night hiding next to the bed because they were sure the people in the parking lot were joint to shot her through the window. I had lunch with her then spent the evening on the phone assuring her that she was safe and could quit hiding. Most disabling conditions are not obvious to the general public. Let me repeat that - most disabling conditions are not obvious to you or me. It is between the treating doctors, psychologists, social security, the state and the person claiming the benefits. I wouldn't presume to understand anyone else's disability unless I had absolute proof. And if I had that proof, I would get the fraud number on the social security website and call it in. Sheesh people. Is this what we have become? A nation of suspicious, negative unempathetic friends and neighbors. Now I understand why my agoraphobic friend won't leave her house.

[Dee]

Smiley Face wrote:

This is definately a lawyer spin story. I am tired of these fatasses whose goal in life is to "get my disability."

I know this post was a yr ago but,what da hell do you mean your disability? You obviously don't know what the hell you're talking about because if the pesron is getting SSD then she worked for her own disability,if she's getting SSI that's welfare and it don't concern you.No i'm not fat and no i'm not on disability but, you need to learned your facts and leave others alone"dumb a$$"