World AIDS Day was December 1st

Posted December 2, 2016 by Premier Disability Services, LLC® World AIDS Day is held on the 1st December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate the people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988.

Fewer people died of HIV in 2015 than at any point in almost 20 years, while new HIV infections are at the lowest point since 1991, as the World Health Organization noted in its 2016 progress report. That may be in part because at least two million new people began taking antiretroviral therapy in 2015, the largest annual increase ever in the history of the disease. There are, however, an estimated 34 million people who currently have the virus. Despite the virus only being identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.

Today, scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV, and we understand much more about the condition. Despite this, many people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with the condition.

World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and governments that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.

If you or someone that you know has been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS, please contact us for a free evaluation of your claim.

Source: http://www.disability-links.com/december-1-world-aids-day/

How Does My Working History Affect My Claim?

Posted November 23, 2016 by Premier Disability Services, LLC® Benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) remove some of the financial strain from individuals and families when disability strikes. Program eligibility depends on various factors, including previous employment for adults who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Work history, including the kinds of jobs you have traditionally held, can also play a role in whether you are able to prove your disability.

Available Disability Programs and Work History Requirements

Benefits may be available to you through the SSDI and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. SSI requires no work history at all, because it is a program for the most financially needy among the disabled population. For SSDI, you must have a fairly recent work history and must additionally have paid Social Security taxes on your income. Your work history translates into work credits with the SSA, and these credits make you a “covered” or “insured” person for SSDI as well as old age or retirement benefits.

SSDI Benefits, SGA Work, and MVA Qualification

Basic SSDI eligibility requires a disability so severe that you cannot participate in “substantial gainful activity” (SGA). This essentially means that you are unable to earn a living because of your medical conditions.

You may qualify under one of the SSA’s Blue Book disability listings, which proves you cannot perform SGA work and are therefore entitled to benefits. Not all applicants qualify through the Blue Book though. (See more on the Blue Book here: https://premierdisability.com/what-is-the-blue-book/). Most claimants must instead go through a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) evaluation and be granted benefits under a Medical Vocational Allowance (MVA).

To approve an MVA, the SSA must see (a) that you can no longer work in your traditional field of employment, and (b) that you can’t succeed in any other field either. To make this determination, adjudicators will review your age, education, job qualifications, and employment history, in addition to your medical records. These factors combined must show that you are not capable of performing SGA level work. Because of this, older applicants and those with fewer transferable job skills are more likely to achieve benefits through an MVA.

Getting Help with Your Disability Claim

No matter your work history, don’t be intimidated by the disability application or eligibility review processes, especially since you do not have to go through it alone. An advocate or attorney can help you make a stronger argument for eligibility. Please contact us for a free case evaluation if you are looking for help with an application, appeal, or if you are waiting to be seen in front of a judge.

Source: http://www.disability-benefits-help.org/blog/work-history

By: Thomas A. Klint of Premier Disability Services, LLC^®

Government Benefit Tips for Disabled Individuals

Posted November 18, 2016 by Premier Disability Services, LLC® Here are some tips for saving money and reminders of benefit eligibility for free services if you are disabled:

 

1. Social Security Payments to Dependents

 

Who is eligible: Widows and widowers, children, and other dependents of a Social Security recipient.

What you get: Monthly payments based on the Social Security recipient’s work history.

How it works: After a death in the family, many people fail to take advantage of money that they are entitled to receive from the Social Security Administration. Referred to as “survivor benefits,” these payments are made to the spouse of the deceased wage earner and any children or stepchildren under the age of 18. To qualify, the widowed spouse must be over the age of 60 or over the age of 50 and disabled. If the spouse is caring for children of the wage earner that are under the age of 16, then these age restrictions do not apply. And in some cases, stepchildren, grandchildren, or step grandchildren can also collect. If a child is severely disabled, he or she can also collect on a parent’s Social Security for as long as needed.

Tip: Divorce does not necessarily disqualify you from collecting benefits. You can collect on an ex-spouse’s Social Security record if you were married for more than ten years before you divorced and the benefits you are entitled to from your own work are less than that of your former spouse.

 

2. Free rides

 

Who is eligible: People with mobility problems and seniors.

What you get: Transportation to and from your home to appointments and other activities.

How it works: “Paratransit” is the official term for transportation provided by local communities for those who cannot drive or comfortably use regular public transportation. These services vary by community, but is typically a door-to-door van service available by appointment. The services are provided by local government agencies, but they receive federal funds intended to guarantee access for the disabled and elderly.

To find out more about the federally funded transportation options in your area, contact your local Area Agency on Aging. More transportation resources are available by searching the Department of Health and Human Service’s Eldercare Locator on the topic Transportation.

Tip: These services typically require advance planning. It works best if you establish a regular weekly schedule, so you don’t have to remember to call each time.

 

3. Home or Car Modifications for Veterans

 

Who is eligible: Veterans with a disability.

What you get: A loan or loan guarantee to buy a house or car or modify an existing house or car.

How it works: The Veterans Administration provides extensive services to veterans who are considered to have a service-related disability that prevents them from performing normal, everyday activities. But this doesn’t mean that you had to become disabled during service. For many veterans, a mental, emotional, or physical condition that began decades before in the military only becomes disabling with age. In this case, you may qualify for service-connected disability benefits at the point that your condition actually becomes disabling.

Tip: If you live with family members, the grants may also be used to modify the home you’re living in or the car in which you’re being driven, even though it’s not owned by you.

 

4. Help with Household Chores

 

Who is eligible: Those over 60 or disabled.

What you get: Free or low-cost home and yard maintenance and moving help.

How it works: If you are struggling to maintain your home, it may be possible to obtain help with all those household tasks that have become difficult or impossible to cope with. Under the auspices of the Older Americans Act, many Area Agencies on Aging offer help with household chores as part of the umbrella of services they offer to help people live independently in their homes. In Florida, for example, the Mid-Florida Area Agency on Aging covers a wide array of household chores including seasonal cleaning, yard work, and household repairs that don’t require a specialized license. They will sometimes even cover pest control if it is part of overall house maintenance. They will also send someone out to help with lifting and moving furniture, appliances, and other heavy objects.

In some areas, the Area Agency on Aging charges a fee for these services, but it’s typically much less than you would normally pay. In Minnesota, for example, one agency charges $15 an hour for snow removal and yard work. Some programs are free but require participants to pay for the services upfront, then apply for grants for reimbursement. In many cases, the minimum age to qualify is 60.

More ideas here: https://www.caring.com/articles/government-benefits

Source: http://www.disability-links.com/government-benefit-tips-disabled-folks/

By: Joyce Trudeau of Premier Disability Services, LLC^®