I am new here

[JMR53]

Hi,

I have been reading useful info from this blog page about SSDI. Unfourtunetly it sounds like most people have experienced the same kind of problems I have. I applied for ssdi in November of 2004. Got denied and hired an attourney. I finally got my hearing in November of 2007. Got a fully favorable notice about a week after my hearing. It says to notify them if I don't recieve my benefit award letter with in 60 days. Well as of this coming Thursday it will be 60 days and still no info. I did however recieve my medicare card last Friday. Has this happened to anyone else? There was no information sent with it. All it said is to present it when ever I have a Dr. appointment, admission into a hospital or outpatient treatment. I have insurance through my husbands employer, but the card does not state weather the medicare is supposed to be primary insurance or secondary insurance. I am confused as to why I have recieve this and no benefit award letter yet. I had back surgery in April of 2002 and was diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma in September of 2004 and as of now there is still no cure for it. If anyone else has gotten their medicare card before they got their benefits, I sure would like to hear from them. Thanks for your help.

[creakyneck]

Ring up the local Social Security office and see if one of the staff can do a lookup on the system for you and see where the "official" Letter is. My Decision was just last week and my attorney indicated that I should have the approval letter in about two weeks. Just remember "the squeaky wheel get the grease". So "squeak" until you get an answer;)

Creaky

[sigma693]

I had a similar problem. Filed 3 times and got approved on the 3rd. I received my approval letter but never received the money. Turns out that because I moved from Florida to Georgia, they transferred and lost my file so they couldn't pay me. I finally sent a letter to my Congressman and 2 weeks later I got my pay. On the other hand, you received a medicare card which I never did. I'd say call the 800-772-1213 number first to question them. If no good, go to your local SS office and question them. Go to ssa.gov and find where your local office is. Go early and be patient as in my case the local office is always crowded.

[JMR53]

Thanks Creaky and Sigma,

I will do just that.

[Sammie]

Generally you Medicare is primary, that is what I was told and that is how they handled mine when I had insurance through my husbands employment...

Make sure to sign up for your Supplement plan/Advantage Plans to go with your Medicare...Just Google : Medicare Advantage plans...

I chose Aetna this year...Last year I had Wellcare and they were okay...The only reason I changed is the limit on Physical Therapy...I can't have a limit...I also had back surgery in 03' and it is a constant pain in the back side, hehe..

Anyway you are on a time limit as to when you can apply for a supplement or advantage plan...

[cindybear]

Medicare is only primary if the employee (that has the other insurance ) has less than 50 employees ..Otherwise, the other insurance will be primary and medicare will be secondary..Just how it is///...Good luck, Cindy

[cferro514]

You need to contact your husband insurance company to see whether Medicare will be primary or secondary.

[Nana4&cntn]

Welcome JMR,

Wow, you have been fighting this for along time. If you have already received your MDCR card it has been well over 2 years. I say this because you don't get mdcr untill you have been on disability over 2 years. I also have some maybe good news, The Fed's owe you 2 years worth of back payments. That is what happened to me. Also if you have children under 18 they will also receive benefits. But, you need to apply for them.

A really bossy ex Social Worker
kathy

[Sammie]

Medicare is only primary if the employee (that has the other insurance ) has less than 50 employees ..Otherwise, the other insurance will be primary and medicare will be secondary..Just how it is///...Good luck, Cindy

Don't see how this is the case, because my husbands employer, employees over 1000 people. My medicare was still rated as primary over the insurance from his employ...

[Nana4&cntn]

Medicare is almost always primary, Then what ever insurance you have is secondary, including medicad:eek: