How to Get Government Help for a Sudden Disability
When you've been struck with a sudden disability, your life can go into a tailspin. But it's important to take charge of your financial health. Fortunately, the U.S. government can help. The two largest government disability benefits are the Social Security Disability Insurance Program (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The government supports more than a thousand benefit and assistance programs, many of which help the disabled. Finding the programs that might benefit you takes research and patience -- but it's an important step in managing your disability.
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Instructions
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Apply for Social Security benefits, including SSDI and SSI, online at www.ssa.gov, at your local Social Security office or by phone. The Social Security Administration requires that your disability be expected to last at least a year, or result in death, to qualify for benefits. But you shouldn't wait a year to apply, as it can take months to get your application approved. Just make sure that your physician can document in writing that the disability is expected to last at least 12 months, then apply right away.
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Apply for Medicare/Medicaid. You should begin receiving Medicare benefits about two years after you start receiving disability benefits. The Social Security Administration will send you enrollment information a few months before you are eligible. Medicaid is a state-run program that provides medical benefits to low-income individuals. If you think you may qualify for Medicaid, contact your local medical assistance agency, social services or welfare office.
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Visit Benefits.gov, the U.S. government's one-stop website for connecting Americans to more than a thousand government benefit and assistance programs. Fifty-one of the programs listed on the site provide disability assistance. The site's Benefit Finder allows you to search for the benefits that you qualify for by plugging in criteria such as the nature of your disability, your household income and employment status. The site lists specific disability benefits for paralysis, coal miners, individuals seeking independent-living assistance, limb loss victims, blindness, disabled seeking tax relief and vocational rehabilitation services, to name a few.
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Keep detailed records of your medical disability and your application process for government assistance. It is not uncommon to be refused Social Security benefits when you first apply. If this happens, you may file an appeal. Having all of your documentation organized and available will increase your chances of a successful appeal.
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Tips & Warnings
If your request for Social Security benefits is denied, you may want to hire an attorney. The attorney will only be paid if the case is settled in your favor.
Apply for government assistance as soon as you become disabled; processing your application can take three to five months.
Social Security will not pay benefits to individuals with partial or short-term disabilities.
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