In Kissimmee and throughout the nation, there’s often confusion as to whether certain illnesses make a person eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits for illness. It can be a difficult road to understand disability status and by the time a decision is made, it’s often too late to help the person who applied. There are certain federal regulations that prevent a person from receiving benefits even if the individual is in a situation in which it makes logical sense for the person to receive it.
A woman is working to change the federal regulations when it comes to the disease that afflicted and eventually killed her mother. Huntington’s Disease is comparable to a combination of ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. It is an inherited disease and those whose parents have had it are believed to have a 50 percent chance of the gene being present in them. Currently, over a quarter of a million people are at risk. The woman is trying to get the Huntington’s Disease Parity Act passed so that the two year wait for Medicaid will cease and people with the disease will have greater access to Social Security disability benefits for illness. The legislation is currently being sponsored in congress.
The process of applying for Social Security disability benefits can be trying. Regardless of the issue that leads to a person seeking benefits, it’s imperative that all the federal regulations are understood and the process is completed as required to ensure there are no hold-ups in the granting of benefits.
Being properly prepared for a disability hearing, knowing what to bring when it comes to medical expenses and proof and how to testify are all imperative factors in receiving a favorable ruling. In the event that a claim is denied of qualifying SSD benefits for illness, there are options to file an appeal to try and have the decision overturned.
Source: Fox News, “Advocate fights for new Huntington’s disease legislation in mother’s memory,” Oct. 6, 2014