Medical Care: an Important Step in the Social Security Disability Application

01/10/09

Obtaining Social Security disability benefits for a person under the age of 50 is not impossible, but it is much more difficult then it would be for someone over 50, who is considered an older individual. For those that are younger than 50, obtaining disability benefits is dependant on their ability to prove that there is no work they are currently able to do. For an older individual, they typically only have to prove that they can no longer do the work that they did in the past 15 years. If you do not have medical insurance, Social Security will send you to their doctors. These Social Security doctors are not actually there to treat you, but to examine your case impartially and methodically. The best way to prove your case is to get treatment with your own doctors. These are physicians with real knowledge of your case and experience with your disability.

If you do not have medical insurance, there are two different places you can go for help. One of these is the county clinic in your county, and the other is a vocational rehabilitation center. County clinics exist to provide care to those without medical insurance. If you decide to use a county clinic, the best way to go about it is quietly: it is best not to tell them about your current disabilities. Often times, when the administrative staff hears about your complicated medical problems, they will tell you that they cannot help you because they do not have proper funding for your condition(s). When they hear of the depth of your disability, they may turn your away without letting you see even one doctor. Instead of providing a long medical history, when you speak to a county clinic, simply state that you a person without medical insurance who needs to see a primary physician. Nothing more. Once you see the actual doctor, then you can tell him/her about all your medical conditions. Often times, they will send you to specialists for your conditions and pay for it.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Program, is a state funded program designed to help people be trained to do some type of work. However, before sending you off for training, this program will check your medical history and have you checked out by doctors associated with the program. And if they feel it is needed, vocational programs may pay for visits to specialists and physicians, medicine, or even surgery on your behalf. At the end, they will make a determination as to whether they feel you can or cannot work. If they feel you cannot work due to your severe limitations, they will issue a decision stating so and refer you to apply for disability benefits through SS. This can help your claim, because the experts in the field of getting you back to work say you cannot. And as a "bonus," you have also received the treatments and medicines you needed without having to pay a penny. And, if a vocation rehabilitation program does decide that you are fit to work, they will help you find the employment you need. In this case, the medical records, etc., you obtained can still be used to prove your Social security disability claim.

The truth is, it is incredibly difficult to get Social Security disability benefits if you are under 50 unless you have received medical treatment outside of Social Security. Therefore, you have to get into medical treatment as soon possible.