chuckswoman
Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
We live in a retirement community. It is classified as Independent Living and for most, it is the last stop before the mortuary or a skilled nursing facility. A percentage of the units are designated for "low income" persons primarily to accommodate Section 8 voucher holders. Although it often seems to many of us living here that we are in a detention facility, we are far from it. I think it is actually unfortunate. Hospitals, long term care facilities, rehab clinics, and even jails, sobering centers and homeless shelters are staffed with case managers and social workers whose purpose is to serve their clients. I see a lot of unnecessary suffering here because people don't ask for help or for services they are not aware exist.
I got involved in a conversation with several guys last week. I've had the same conversation with other guys that have since moved on during my tenancy here. It troubles me and I am hoping someone on this site will shed some light on the matter.
This has to do with income and disability.
I happen to be 12 years younger than the entry age here - why is a different story. The relevance is that I once had a successful career as a marketing executive but a series of traumas caused me to become disabled and in that process I was guided to apply for aid. In the beginning I was granted state disability and when my health did not improve I eventually applied for social security disability. It was approved on my first application. I've had meetings with SSA psychologist twice in the years since and each time my disability was continued. I am paid approximately 1500/mth although my net is lower due to medicare withholding. My income level basically makes me ineligible for medi-cal assistance - I am not denied but I have a $950 month deductible which is my rent payment. I will be 54yo this month.
Two guys have been on SSI since they were young men due to psychiatric reasons. They talk about jobs they had but they're dreaming! Both complained that when they turned 65 they lost income due to the medicare witholding although one claims a social worker at his mental health clinic got him an exemption from this. In addition to medicare coverage both have medi-cal with a zero deductible and are also eligible for a number of services that provide valuable assistance such as IHSS (in home support services). I don't remember the exact amount they get paid but it is just below $1000 month here in California and the number $980 sticks in my mind.
It is the last two guys whose situation troubles me. Both are now over 65 and when they turned 65 each applied for social security retirement and that is now their sole source of income. These guys worked most of their lives or intermittently in non-professional jobs that were low pay. They have no pensions, IRAs, investments, stocks, savings accounts, money in jars buried on some property somewhere. They have no families either. Neither ever applied for welfare or even unemployment insurance and for this I consider them self-sufficient even with blank periods in their employment history. One is a veteran who served combat duty in Vietnam and he does receive outstanding medical services from the VA. But he only gets $530-ish month. The other gets a little over $600.
Is this "it" until they die?
Each would probably continue working a menial job to help cover their expenses had one not had the heart attack and ongoing medical issues that followed. The other did not have a heart attack because he had a quad bi-pass before his heart stopped. He has terrible advanced arthritis and his knees and hips are shot. I am not a medical professional but I have personal experience with some of their issues and have no doubt these two would meet the eligibility criteria for a determination that each is disabled in accordance with social security rules but no one, not during their hospitalizations, not during their post surgical rehabilitations in the nursing home, not during their visits to the VA or the neighborhood clinic, despite dedicated appointments with social workers and case managers and physicians ever addressed this issue.
My deceased husband had worked in his early years but later without compensation and when he became disabled at age 60 there was not enough funds in his social security account to qualify him for SSDI so he was awarded SSI. At age 65, there were adjustments made concerning where the funds were disbursed from, but the bottom line is that his net income increased to an amount that was several hundred dollars OVER what he had received when it was all SSI money.
Would it have "added up" the same had his disability occurred AFTER age 65 rather than before? It seems to me this is exactly what is going on with my two neighbors.
I apologize for such a long post but I wanted to be as clear as possible so that you would have an honest picture of the situation.
Can a retired person, receiving social security retirement income in an amount similar to those described above, be awarded SSI (provided the SSA determines that the disability meets the criteria as defined in the social security rules)?
This poster and my neighbors thank you for your time and attention.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
We live in a retirement community. It is classified as Independent Living and for most, it is the last stop before the mortuary or a skilled nursing facility. A percentage of the units are designated for "low income" persons primarily to accommodate Section 8 voucher holders. Although it often seems to many of us living here that we are in a detention facility, we are far from it. I think it is actually unfortunate. Hospitals, long term care facilities, rehab clinics, and even jails, sobering centers and homeless shelters are staffed with case managers and social workers whose purpose is to serve their clients. I see a lot of unnecessary suffering here because people don't ask for help or for services they are not aware exist.
I got involved in a conversation with several guys last week. I've had the same conversation with other guys that have since moved on during my tenancy here. It troubles me and I am hoping someone on this site will shed some light on the matter.
This has to do with income and disability.
I happen to be 12 years younger than the entry age here - why is a different story. The relevance is that I once had a successful career as a marketing executive but a series of traumas caused me to become disabled and in that process I was guided to apply for aid. In the beginning I was granted state disability and when my health did not improve I eventually applied for social security disability. It was approved on my first application. I've had meetings with SSA psychologist twice in the years since and each time my disability was continued. I am paid approximately 1500/mth although my net is lower due to medicare withholding. My income level basically makes me ineligible for medi-cal assistance - I am not denied but I have a $950 month deductible which is my rent payment. I will be 54yo this month.
Two guys have been on SSI since they were young men due to psychiatric reasons. They talk about jobs they had but they're dreaming! Both complained that when they turned 65 they lost income due to the medicare witholding although one claims a social worker at his mental health clinic got him an exemption from this. In addition to medicare coverage both have medi-cal with a zero deductible and are also eligible for a number of services that provide valuable assistance such as IHSS (in home support services). I don't remember the exact amount they get paid but it is just below $1000 month here in California and the number $980 sticks in my mind.
It is the last two guys whose situation troubles me. Both are now over 65 and when they turned 65 each applied for social security retirement and that is now their sole source of income. These guys worked most of their lives or intermittently in non-professional jobs that were low pay. They have no pensions, IRAs, investments, stocks, savings accounts, money in jars buried on some property somewhere. They have no families either. Neither ever applied for welfare or even unemployment insurance and for this I consider them self-sufficient even with blank periods in their employment history. One is a veteran who served combat duty in Vietnam and he does receive outstanding medical services from the VA. But he only gets $530-ish month. The other gets a little over $600.
Is this "it" until they die?
Each would probably continue working a menial job to help cover their expenses had one not had the heart attack and ongoing medical issues that followed. The other did not have a heart attack because he had a quad bi-pass before his heart stopped. He has terrible advanced arthritis and his knees and hips are shot. I am not a medical professional but I have personal experience with some of their issues and have no doubt these two would meet the eligibility criteria for a determination that each is disabled in accordance with social security rules but no one, not during their hospitalizations, not during their post surgical rehabilitations in the nursing home, not during their visits to the VA or the neighborhood clinic, despite dedicated appointments with social workers and case managers and physicians ever addressed this issue.
My deceased husband had worked in his early years but later without compensation and when he became disabled at age 60 there was not enough funds in his social security account to qualify him for SSDI so he was awarded SSI. At age 65, there were adjustments made concerning where the funds were disbursed from, but the bottom line is that his net income increased to an amount that was several hundred dollars OVER what he had received when it was all SSI money.
Would it have "added up" the same had his disability occurred AFTER age 65 rather than before? It seems to me this is exactly what is going on with my two neighbors.
I apologize for such a long post but I wanted to be as clear as possible so that you would have an honest picture of the situation.
Can a retired person, receiving social security retirement income in an amount similar to those described above, be awarded SSI (provided the SSA determines that the disability meets the criteria as defined in the social security rules)?
This poster and my neighbors thank you for your time and attention.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?