Social Security
What if you or a member of your family becomes completely disabled or so impaired that it becomes impossible to work at any job? You may be eligible for social security benefits.
What Benefits Are Available?
The Social Security system offers two categories of possible benefits to someone who is so disabled.
- Social Security Disability - To be eligible, you must be insured under the social security system. That means that you must have worked at a job and paid taxes into the social security systems for at least 40 calendar quarters. The disability must be proved to have begun within 5 years (or less) of the date when you last worked. The last day of eligibility is referred to as the "Date Last Insured".
- Supplemental Security Income Benefits - If you do not meet the work requirement for disability benefits, you may still be eligible to receive supplemental security income benefits (SSI). The medical proof is the same as that required to get disability benefits. However, SSI benefits are based on need, so your eligibility to receive money depends on whether you have other income or live with people who do.
Unlike workers' compensation benefits, which you get only if you can prove your work caused or aggravated your injury or disease, you do not have to prove what caused your disabling physical or mental health problems to get SSD or SSI benefits. But you do have to prove that your health problems are serious enough to keep you from working and are expected to last at least 12 consecutive months.
Children who are mentally or physically disabled are entitled to SSI benefits, and applications my be filed on their behalf by their parents or guardians.
Medicare Benefits - After you have been eligible for disability benefits for 24 months, you are eligible for Medicare benefits which can pay for hospitalization and medical expenses. If you choose to receive Medicare Part B benefits, SSA will deduct a monthly premium from your disability check to cover the cost.