Thanks SJ for this post. I see many clients a day, who are on the SSDI(the nontaxable part), yet the onces, that deserve it have to spend thousands of dollars in lawyers fees to fight, what should be rightfully theirs, having worked very hard and paid into the system (FICA, the possible taxable part.)

I like this thread. I would also like to hear about expierences from other states or countries posted here.

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Pluto will always be a planet to me.

Seti Ambassador
Not to late to order an Anni Shirt

I'm in MA and on SSDI - kept getting kicked off of it and having to refile over and over, and that was no picnic. The thing that bugs me is I've a chronic Illness and that seemed to make it harder, though my docs are competent enough. The worst part was when I'd get kicked off it and have to go to the ss office to talk to them, and my father would be out of his mind about "how is she going to live? she has no income!" and they'd just shrug. The issue seems to be worked out, but I'm a little pessimistic about it by now, y'know?

I like Obama's ideas on disabilities... as I wrote over on LiveJournal, though, he'll have some problems with employers who are afraid of lawsuits. We've all run into that one! Hell, I even had it happen once in college:(

I at least think he's on a good track with some of them, like the healthcare bit and the stuff about unemployment... sure they aren't specific to folks with disabilities, but they do start work with the most immediate issues like the economy. I mean, nobody'll have money if the economy goes any farther downward, which stands to reason the disabled will then have it worse. I'm hoping he'll work on the disabled-helping stuff as soon as he gets the money issue clear (or near clear, anyway).

That is one thing, I have never understood, since I came to this country. Why are the ones, that need it the most always the first to see the cuts? Raise the top tax rate in California to ten percent, for those who can afford it.

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Pluto will always be a planet to me.

Seti Ambassador
Not to late to order an Anni Shirt

While there are valid concerns over the funding of SSDI for those who rightfully deserve it, I feel there needs to be more investigation and reporting of those who are scamming the system.

I have a former friend in Florida who is in a wheelchair-has Spina Bifida, hardly a bed-confining disability. He had a number of poor job experiences due to a need to demand accomodations that simply weren't within the "reasonable accomodations" domain or proved.

One example of many would be for a company we mutually worked for at one point. Seniority determined shift opportunities. As a new employee, he demanded daytime shift hours only because he supposedly had night blindness. This was never proven and he could never seem to get proof of this issue. He and I drove often at night and he never mentioned any issues in 15 years of hanging out (was Best Man at his first wedding, etc). His first wife also never mentioned any problems when they'd go out at night and he'd insist on driving.

Now in Florida he found a doctor to determine he is too disabled to work and he receives SSDI. Yet he drives, has been seen hanging out at coffee shops/restaurants often (we have mutual friends in the area) and even brags that he went on a cruise after his recent wedding. If you ask him why he's not working, he will even admit he "chooses not to" (his direct words) and he is living a "Purpose driven life by volunteering" while drawing off our taxes.

I think without a doubt he is a prime example of fraud.

Just because you're in a wheelchair it doesn't mean you can't work. If you can get valid medical documentation--great. When you start doing what he's doing though, then it is nearly impossible to get the disability revoked.

This--imho is a real injustice.

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Absolutely true about the invisible illnesses... I have one myself! I'm not able to work 9-5 jobs and part-time jobs don't want you if your health is erratic (believe me, I know from experience). So I stay at home on SSDI and I write when I feel well enough to do so, and then I can take breaks during the day that I wouldn't be able to take at a job -- which is how I ended up on it in the first place. I'd love to be able to someday get off SSDI and support myself writing, but even in remission from SLE I still have a lot of CNS issues -- which you can't see unless I have a seizure in front of you. So yeah, I too go out every so often, I need a wheelchair every so often, I visit people and camp every so often. Just don't tell me I'm being fraudulent because you can't see the illness.

I think without a doubt he is a prime example of fraud.

Just because you're in a wheelchair it doesn't mean you can't work. If you can get valid medical documentation--great. When you start doing what he's doing though, then it is nearly impossible to get the disability revoked.

This--imho is a real injustice.

If you think it's a real injustice, then do the right thing. Report him. End it. He makes you people look BAD and reinforces negative stereotypes. Step up to the plate and take the moral high ground.

Here's the form: http://www.ssa.gov/oig/guidelin.htm

You can do it online. Or, if you don't want to, give me the details and I'll do it for you.

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Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

If you think it's a real injustice, then do the right thing. Report him. End it. He makes you people look BAD and reinforces negative stereotypes. Step up to the plate and take the moral high ground.

Here's the form: http://www.ssa.gov/oig/guidelin.htm

You can do it online. Or, if you don't want to, give me the details and I'll do it for you.

Rush--we agree on this point... :)

I have reported him..several times in 2 years...hasn't changed.

His disability is not an unseen disability. I totally recognize some issues are unseen and legitimate...his, however, are not

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Rush--we agree on this point... :)

I have reported him..several times in 2 years...hasn't changed.

His disability is not an unseen disability. I totally recognize some issues are unseen and legitimate...his, however, are not

Good job! Well done, Sir!!

No real surprise that the gov't even screws that up.

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Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

"Do you mean this SLE"

I do indeed! Sorry if I've sounded defensive there; I just have enough of a personal guilt trip about not working normally anymore... I have to keep reminding myself that I can still write some, albeit slowly. At the same time, I know where others are coming from with regards to people and fraud -- it pisses me off too.