Medicare and Social Security Questions for a Social Security Lawyer
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by: albert.tobega
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Q: How long will I have to wait to receive Medicare coverage?
A: A social security lawyer will tell you that, if youre retired, Medicare is fairly simple. If you are 65 years old or older, and worked for at least ten years in a Medicare covered job, you will generally be eligible for Medicare even if youre working. If you are under 65 and suffering from a disability, you may also be eligible for Medicare. But for these applicants, it may be a good idea to speak to a social security lawyer or advocate about several complications involved with receiving coverage for a disability.
If you dont talk to a social security lawyer or advocate when your disability first presents itself, you may not know that you will have to wait 24 months for Medicare coverage. This is a two year waiting period that starts when your disability begins. In order to receive Medicare coverage for your disability, you are also required to be eligible for social security disability. When you combine the waiting period for Social Security Disability with the waiting period for Medicare, it can be a very long time before you see coverage. Its generally a good idea to speak with a social security lawyer at the beginning of the process to gauge how long your wait may be.
Q: According to the Social Security Administration, I am one credit short of the number I need to be eligible for benefits. What should I do?
A: Social Security Disability eligibility is a complex system (which is why its a good idea to work with a social security lawyer). In order to qualify as "insured" under SSD, most adults need to have earned 20 credits during the last ten years (counting towards your total number of working credits). This 10 year rolling period should end when the SSA deems your disability to have started.
Unfortunately, due to the combination of rules requiring a certain number of credits for people of a certain age, and a certain number of those credits earned in the last 10 years, not meeting the credit requirements is easy. A social security lawyer will tell you that this often happens when an applicant simply hasnt worked enough. Unfortuantely, though, it can also happen when youve waited too long to apply for SSD, or when a judge has decided to change your disabilitys official onset date. If this happens, your first step should be to consult a social security lawyer or advocate to find out your options.
Q: Can I work while I have a claim pending?
A: Your social security lawyer will describe disability that is eligible for benefits as any that keeps you from earning a substantial income. Eligibility doesnt, however, require you not to work at all. If the salary you earn with your work falls below a certain limit (which is set annually but the SSA), you may still be approved for benefits. Talk to a social security lawyer or advocate for details.
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