If you believe you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, it is because you have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from returning to work. Before unfortunately incurring this disability, you may have relied on your employer’s health insurance program. Now, you may sadly be without insurance and with more demanding medical bills than ever before. If this is your current predicament, please read on to discover whether SSDI benefits can help you if you are uninsured and how a seasoned New Jersey SSDI benefits lawyer at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur can work to ensure you get the financial coverage you direly require for your medical needs.
Can receiving SSDI benefits help if I’m uninsured?
Of note, SSDI benefits are not considered a type of health insurance plan. Rather, its primary purpose is provide you with a monthly income that compensates for your inability to maintain substantial gainful work activity. So, indirectly, you may allocate these funds to cover your out-of-pocket medical expenses. It is worth mentioning, though, that after being approved for SSDI benefits, you may qualify for Medicare coverage later on. Specifically, after a 24-month waiting period. This is unless your diagnosed disability, like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or end-stage renal disease, exempts you and makes you almost immediately entitled to these benefits.
What should I do while awaiting my SSDI benefits decision?
Understandably, 24 months is a long time to go without health insurance. This is especially true if your physical or mental condition requires urgent medical intervention. Not to mention, your initial SSDI benefits application may take the Social Security Administration (SSA) three to eight months to process and approve. From here, you may not receive your first payment until six full months from your established disability onset date have passed.
This is to say that you may need a more instantaneous solution than Medicare coverage. Well, in this case, we encourage you to explore the Health Insurance Marketplace, which is an online platform where you can compare and shop for health insurance plans that meet the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements. When filling out this application, please answer “yes” when asked if you have a disability. This is so your application can be forwarded to New Jersey’s Medicaid agency.
Yes, you may be a possible candidate for Medicaid disability insurance. Generally speaking, you should be classified as an individual who earns a low income or who has limited financial resources, and, of course, who meets the SSA’s definition of having a disability. Otherwise, your hired lawyer may provide you counsel on which subsidized private health insurance makes the most sense for your health condition, and is the most affordable given your current financial standing.
You should not let the financial pressure of being uninsured while suffering from a disability rest solely on your shoulders. Please allow a competent New Jersey SSDI benefits lawyer from The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur to assist you with understanding your coverage options. We look forward to helping you with your application. Give us a call today.
