Why can’t I qualify for Social Security benefits—my doctor has told me I’m disabled?
While SSA must take your treating doctors’ opinion into consideration, your doctor does not determine whether you qualify for SSDI. Instead, you have to go through SSA’s process which includes completing an Application and a Disability Report (available online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/).
Do you have a question about social security disability issues here in Colorado? Call me today.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Colorado DWC to Host WC Educational Conference
The Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation has announced plans to host the inaugural Colorado Workers' Compensation Educational Conference in Denver, Sept. 16-17, 2010. The conference will be held in cooperation with the International Workers' Compensation Foundation.
According to the DWC, "[t]he goal of this conference is to educate those who participate in the Colorado workers’ compensation system regarding current statutory and case law, rules, procedures, policies and forms and to provide an opportunity for dialogue among these participants."
Employers, worker representatives, medical providers and their office staff, insurance claims professionals, self-insurers, third-party administrators, safety and human resource managers, claimant’s and defense attorneys, and vocational rehabilitation providers are encouraged to attend. The conference will also feature an Exhibit Hall, presentations and workshops from experts from the Division of Workers' Compensation.
For more info or to register, visit www.coworkforce.com.
According to the DWC, "[t]he goal of this conference is to educate those who participate in the Colorado workers’ compensation system regarding current statutory and case law, rules, procedures, policies and forms and to provide an opportunity for dialogue among these participants."
Employers, worker representatives, medical providers and their office staff, insurance claims professionals, self-insurers, third-party administrators, safety and human resource managers, claimant’s and defense attorneys, and vocational rehabilitation providers are encouraged to attend. The conference will also feature an Exhibit Hall, presentations and workshops from experts from the Division of Workers' Compensation.
For more info or to register, visit www.coworkforce.com.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
SSI Benefits Question of the Day
Are Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments only paid to the disabled?
No. SSI payments are made also to people who are age 65 or older and have limited income and financial resources. For more information, see www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/11000.html.
Courtesy of SSA
No. SSI payments are made also to people who are age 65 or older and have limited income and financial resources. For more information, see www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/11000.html.
Courtesy of SSA
Friday, February 12, 2010
SSA Adds New Allowances to Speed Disability Benefits
The Social Security Administration added more than three dozen new medical conditions to its list of Compassionate Allowances -- the first expansion since the original list of 50 conditions - 25 rare diseases and 25 cancers - was announced in October 2008. The new conditions range from adult brain disorders to rare diseases that primarily affect children.
“The addition of these new conditions expands the scope of Compassionate Allowances to a broader subgroup of conditions like early-onset Alzheimer’s disease,” said Commissioner Michael Astrue. “The expansion we are announcing today means tens of thousands of Americans with devastating disabilities will now get approved for benefits in a matter of days rather than months and years.”
Compassionate Allowances are a way of quickly identifying diseases and other medical conditions that clearly qualify for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits. It allows the agency to electronically target and make speedy decisions for the most obviously disabled individuals. In developing the expanded list of conditions, Social Security held public hearings and worked closely with the National Institutes of Health, the Alzheimer’s Association, the National Organization for Rare Disorders, and other groups.
New Compassionate Allowance Conditions include:
1.Alstrom Syndrome
2.Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia
3.Ataxia Spinocerebellar
4.Ataxia Telangiectasia
5.Batten Disease
6.Bilateral Retinoblastoma
7.Cri du Chat Syndrome
8.Degos Disease
9.Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease
10.Edwards Syndrome
11.Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
12.Fukuyama Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
13.Glutaric Acidemia Type II
14.Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), Familial Type
15.Hurler Syndrome, Type IH
16.Hunter Syndrome, Type II
17.Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
18.Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa, Lethal Type
19.Late Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses
20.Leigh’s Disease
21.Maple Syrup Urine Disease
22.Merosin Deficient Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
23.Mixed Dementia
24.Mucosal Malignant Melanoma
25.Neonatal Adrenoleukodystrophy
26.Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses, Infantile Type
27.Niemann-Pick Type C
28.Patau Syndrome
29.Primary Progressive Aphasia
30.Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy
31.Sanfilippo Syndrome
32.Subacute Sclerosis Panencephalitis
33.Tay Sachs Disease
34.Thanatophoric Dysplasia, Type 1
35.Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
36.Walker Warburg Syndrome
37.Wolman Disease
38.Zellweger Syndrome
“The addition of these new conditions expands the scope of Compassionate Allowances to a broader subgroup of conditions like early-onset Alzheimer’s disease,” said Commissioner Michael Astrue. “The expansion we are announcing today means tens of thousands of Americans with devastating disabilities will now get approved for benefits in a matter of days rather than months and years.”
Compassionate Allowances are a way of quickly identifying diseases and other medical conditions that clearly qualify for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits. It allows the agency to electronically target and make speedy decisions for the most obviously disabled individuals. In developing the expanded list of conditions, Social Security held public hearings and worked closely with the National Institutes of Health, the Alzheimer’s Association, the National Organization for Rare Disorders, and other groups.
New Compassionate Allowance Conditions include:
1.Alstrom Syndrome
2.Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia
3.Ataxia Spinocerebellar
4.Ataxia Telangiectasia
5.Batten Disease
6.Bilateral Retinoblastoma
7.Cri du Chat Syndrome
8.Degos Disease
9.Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease
10.Edwards Syndrome
11.Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
12.Fukuyama Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
13.Glutaric Acidemia Type II
14.Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), Familial Type
15.Hurler Syndrome, Type IH
16.Hunter Syndrome, Type II
17.Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
18.Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa, Lethal Type
19.Late Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses
20.Leigh’s Disease
21.Maple Syrup Urine Disease
22.Merosin Deficient Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
23.Mixed Dementia
24.Mucosal Malignant Melanoma
25.Neonatal Adrenoleukodystrophy
26.Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses, Infantile Type
27.Niemann-Pick Type C
28.Patau Syndrome
29.Primary Progressive Aphasia
30.Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy
31.Sanfilippo Syndrome
32.Subacute Sclerosis Panencephalitis
33.Tay Sachs Disease
34.Thanatophoric Dysplasia, Type 1
35.Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
36.Walker Warburg Syndrome
37.Wolman Disease
38.Zellweger Syndrome
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Open Goverment Project Now Includes SSA Webpage
The SSA has a new Open Government webpage available to the public at www.socialsecurity.gov/open. The new webpage serves as the portal for all agency activities that support the President’s Transparency and Open Government initiative.
“Our new Open Government webpage gives Americans an opportunity to give us their ideas on how we can become a more open and transparent agency,” Commissioner Michael Astrue said. “They will be able to post their ideas on transparency, participation, collaboration, and innovation that should be included in our Open Government Plan. I encourage everyone to visit our webpage and submit their ideas, read and discuss what has been posted, and vote on the ideas that have been submitted."
The purpose of the project is to foster the administration to work better with others inside and outside the government; solicit feedback from the public; improve the availability and quality of information; be more innovative and efficient.
Social Security’s new Open Government webpage also provides easy access to important agency information such as the Agency Strategic Plan, Freedom of Information Act Report, as well as program laws and regulations.
“Our new Open Government webpage gives Americans an opportunity to give us their ideas on how we can become a more open and transparent agency,” Commissioner Michael Astrue said. “They will be able to post their ideas on transparency, participation, collaboration, and innovation that should be included in our Open Government Plan. I encourage everyone to visit our webpage and submit their ideas, read and discuss what has been posted, and vote on the ideas that have been submitted."
The purpose of the project is to foster the administration to work better with others inside and outside the government; solicit feedback from the public; improve the availability and quality of information; be more innovative and efficient.
Social Security’s new Open Government webpage also provides easy access to important agency information such as the Agency Strategic Plan, Freedom of Information Act Report, as well as program laws and regulations.
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