Disability and Medical Care

Everybody thinks that just because I’m disabled means my Medicare will cover everything I need medically. What most people do not realize is Medicare doesn’t cover a lot of things.

1. Medicare doesn’t cover the surgery my husband needs, at least not in it’s entirety and what we need up front is A LOT. 
2. Medicare does not cover Physical Therapy for PAIN and I am in a lot of pain ALL the time.
3. Medicare does not cover all the medicines we each take every month for our serious heath conditions. I’m currently paying over $130 a month in medicines. Granted I'm glad for the coverage we have because it would be over $500 a month without it. 
4. Medicare does not cover certain tests that my doctor insists I need to have but cannot afford so oh well.

I’m sure there are more but this is just the things I’ve currently run across. And did you know that not everyone on disability even gets medicare?

I do because I get SSD, which means the money’s I paid in to the government while I worked toward social security are being used to help me now. But people who get SSI, which means basically just Social Security Income instead of their insurance, may not receive Medicare. They can but it costs a LOT of money every month and many cannot afford that money to come out of what little they get. Some don’t even get the option of getting medicare at all.

So just because someone is on disability don’t make the assumption that they can receive all their needed health care or that they are automatically taken care of. Many times this is not even close to the case.

Not that I think health care in this country is doing well in general but people with less income, less money, really do receive a lesser quality of care. People who can afford to pay for basically anything truly do get care that allows them to suffer less and Live more. Insurance, in any form, seems to provide less and less true coverage for anyone. Don't assume that something is covered for somebody just because they have Medicare, Medicaid, or even Blue Cross for that matter. So much necessary coverage has been removed over the years or reduced. Human quality of life no longer matters as much as that bottom line for anyone. 

I found this very helpful article to help you understand the differences in the two disability programs though the Medicare differences and lacks in coverage may not be here at least some of this information should help you understand.

What Is the Difference Between Social Security Disability (SSDI) and SSI?

Supplemental Security Income is a program that is strictly need-based, according to income and assets, and is funded by general fund taxes (all tax monies). SSI is called a "means-tested program," meaning it has nothing to do with work history, but strictly with financial need. 

Disabled people who are eligible under the income requirements for SSI are also able to receive Medicaid in the state they reside in. Most people who qualify for SSI will also qualify for food stamps, and the amount an eligible person will receive is dependent on where they live and the amount of regular, monthly income they have. SSI benefits will begin on the first of the month when you first submit your application.

and

Social Security Disability Insurance is funded through payroll taxes (the disabled persons previous payroll taxes). SSDI recipients are considered "insured" because they have worked for a certain number of years and have made contributions to the Social Security trust fund in the form of FICA Social Security taxes. SSDI candidates must be younger than 65 and have earned a certain number of "work credits." (To learn more, see our article on SSDI and work credits.) After receiving SSDI for two years, a disabled person will become eligible for Medicare.

Under SSDI, a disabled person's spouse and children dependents are eligible to receive partial dependent benefits, called auxiliary benefits. However, only adults over the age of 18 can receive the SSDI disability benefit.

There is a five-month waiting period for benefits, meaning that the SSA won't pay you benefits for the first five months after you become disabled. The amount of the monthly benefit after the waiting period is over depends on your earnings record, much like the Social Security retirement benefit.