Just about every Tennessean has suffered at injury at one time or another. In most instances, these injuries are relatively minor, and people are able to get back to their normal lives fairly quickly. However, there are many other individuals who are unable to recover quickly from the injuries they suffer. Sometimes these individuals may never fully recover. These types of injuries change people’s lives, forcing them to learn to do things in a different way. This includes figuring out a different way to make money.
Many times this is not an easy task since people in this situation may have physical limitations. If an individual is unable to work to earn money, he or she may be able to receive Social Security Disability (SSD) to help them meet their financial obligations. Although these benefits can provide significant financial relief, they sometimes are not enough to cover the full extent of one’s medical bills, especially when those with severe disabilities need extra medical attention.
So, people who qualify for and receive SSD benefits may also be able to receive Medicare for their medical insurance. Those individuals who have received SSD for two years are automatically enrolled in Medicare. People who receive SSD will actually be enrolled in two parts of Medicare: the hospital insurance and the medical insurance. Hospital insurance covers inpatient hospital care and some after care and is free of charge. Medical insurance pays for outpatient care, but people must pay a premium for this coverage.
There are many people with disabilities in Tennessee. Some of these individuals may be entitled to benefits through SSDI and Medicare, but first the person must apply for disability benefits and be approved. This can be a complicated process, though, and many people are initially denied. Luckily, there is also an appeals process for people whose initial claims are unsuccessful. It is very important to understand the application requirements and how to present adequate evidence to meet the legal burden placed on those seeking disability benefits, regardless of which stage of the claims process an individual finds himself or herself. Experienced attorneys understand the application process and may be able to successfully guide one through it.
Source: Social Security Administration, “Disability Planner: Medicare Coverage if You’re Disabled” accessed on Feb. 5, 2018