Medicare for disabled adult child - waiting 2 years after starting my Social Security retirement?

Thank you! No, he hasn't been approved for DAC benefits yet. I didn't realize that was a separate process. Do we need to file an application specifically for that? The rep didn't mention anything about this when I called.

this happened to my nephew too, SS people don't even understand their own rules sometimes lol

This is incredibly helpful. No one at SSA explained this process to me. My son's disability began when he was 19, so it sounds like he should qualify. Is there any way to expedite this 24-month waiting period? His current insurance barely covers anything.

did this actually work? i'm always skeptical of services like this but i've been trying to reach SSA for 2 weeks about my benefits and keep getting disconnected

Yes, it actually did work for me. I was skeptical too but was desperate after getting disconnected three days in a row. They got me through to an agent who helped file my daughter's DAC application correctly. Definitely worth it to avoid the endless hold music!

He doesn't have either of those conditions unfortunately. He has severe schizophrenia that developed when he was 19. I appreciate the information though - it's helpful to know what the exceptions are.

this is good advice 👍 medicaid saved us big time during the wait

Thank you for this suggestion! I'll definitely ask about SSI when we apply for the DAC benefits. He has very little income and resources, so this might be an option for us. I really appreciate everyone's help - I feel much better informed now than after talking to the SSA representative.

Thank you for the tip about asking for a disability specialist! I had no idea there were different types of representatives at SSA. That explains why I got such confusing information when I called - the person I spoke with probably wasn't familiar with DAC benefits. I'll definitely try calling at 8 AM and specifically ask to speak with someone who handles disability cases. It's really helpful to know that other people have successfully navigated this process, even though it seems so complicated right now.

I'm dealing with this too and it's so confusing getting different answers every time! From what I've learned reading through this thread, it sounds like that rep gave you incorrect info - there's definitely a 24-month Medicare waiting period after DAC approval, not immediate coverage. As for processing times, when I applied for my daughter's DAC benefits last year, it took about 3-4 months to get the initial decision. But I've heard it can vary a lot depending on how complete your documentation is and which office handles it. The key thing I learned is to submit ALL medical records from when the disability started - they really scrutinize the onset date since it has to be before age 22. Good luck with your application!

This is such a helpful breakdown, thank you! It's frustrating how much misinformation is out there about this process. I'm definitely going to follow your advice and call back to speak specifically with a disability specialist. The 4-month timeframe you mentioned for DAC approval is really useful to know for planning purposes. Did you have any issues with documentation or was the process fairly straightforward once you got connected with the right people at SSA? I'm trying to prepare mentally for what might be a long road ahead, but hearing success stories like yours gives me hope that we can navigate this system successfully.

@Manny Lark This is incredibly helpful! I m'a newcomer here but dealing with a similar situation for my brother who s'32 and became disabled at age 20. We ve'been getting the runaround from SSA for months now with conflicting information. Your step-by-step explanation makes so much more sense than anything we ve'been told. Quick question - when you say it took 4 months for DAC approval, was that from the time you submitted the application or from when you first contacted SSA? I m'trying to figure out if we should expect additional delays just in getting the paperwork process started. Also, did you have to provide extensive medical documentation going back to when the disability first occurred? We re'trying to gather records from over a decade ago and it s'been challenging. Thanks for sharing your experience - it s'exactly what newcomers like me need to hear!

@Jay Lincoln Welcome to the community! I m'also new here but have been learning so much from everyone s'experiences. The documentation piece you mentioned is really important - from what I ve'gathered reading through this thread, SSA is very particular about having medical records that clearly establish the disability onset date before age 22. It might be worth contacting your brother s'doctors from that time period to see if they still have records, or check with hospitals where he was treated. Some people have mentioned that incomplete documentation can really slow down the process, so it s'probably worth taking the extra time upfront to gather everything you can. Also, based on what others have shared, it sounds like the 4-month timeframe usually starts from when the complete application is submitted with all supporting documents, not from the initial contact. Have you been able to speak with a disability specialist yet, or are you still dealing with general reps?

@Jay Lincoln Welcome to the community! I m'also relatively new here but have been learning so much from everyone s'experiences. The 4-month timeframe that Manny mentioned is really helpful to know. From what I ve'gathered reading through all these posts, the medical documentation piece seems to be really crucial - especially proving that the disability onset was before age 22. It sounds like you re'being smart to start gathering those older medical records now, even though it s'challenging. Have you tried contacting the medical providers directly to request records, or are you working through a different approach? I m'in a similar boat trying to collect documentation going back to when my son s'disability started at 19. It s'definitely overwhelming, but seeing how many people in this community have successfully navigated this process gives me hope that we can figure it out too!

@Jay Lincoln The 4 months was from when we submitted the complete application to getting the approval decision. But getting to that point took us an extra month or so of gathering documents and dealing with SSA to make sure we had everything right. For medical records, yes, they wanted extensive documentation going back to the disability onset - it was definitely challenging to track down records from 12+ years ago! Some of the older medical offices had closed or moved, so we had to do some detective work. My advice is to start gathering records ASAP while you re'dealing with the application process, and don t'be afraid to ask the disability specialist for guidance on exactly what types of records they need most. They were actually pretty helpful once we got connected with the right person. Also, if you can t'find some older records, focus on getting recent comprehensive evaluations that document the ongoing disability - sometimes that can be just as valuable as the historical records.

@Jay Lincoln Welcome to the community! I went through this same confusing process with my disabled daughter about 18 months ago, so I totally understand the frustration with getting conflicting information from different SSA reps. To answer your questions - the 4 months Manny mentioned is typically from when you actually submit the complete DAC application, not from initial contact. The key is getting all your documentation together first before submitting, which can take weeks or even months depending on how far back you need to go for medical records. For the medical documentation, yes, you ll'need comprehensive records showing the disability onset before age 22. I had to get records going back 15 years for my daughter, and some doctors offices' had closed or moved their records to storage facilities. Start by contacting every healthcare provider your brother saw around the time his disability began - hospitals, specialists, even his regular doctor. Many places charge fees for older records usually ($20-50 ,)but it s'worth it to have complete documentation. Also, if you re'having trouble getting old records, SSA can sometimes help by sending medical release forms directly to providers. The whole process is definitely overwhelming, but once you get the right paperwork together and speak with a knowledgeable disability specialist at SSA, it becomes much more manageable. Hang in there!

@Jay Lincoln Welcome to the community! I m'new here too but have been learning so much from everyone s'experiences. The 4-month timeline that Manny mentioned is really helpful to know. From what I ve'gathered reading through all these responses, it sounds like gathering those old medical records is going to be crucial since SSA is very strict about proving the disability onset was before age 22. You might want to start requesting records from all the doctors/hospitals your brother saw around age 20 - even if it seems like a lot of work upfront, having complete documentation will probably save time in the long run. Have you tried contacting the medical records departments directly? Sometimes they can expedite requests if you explain it s'for a disability application. Good luck with the process!

Welcome to the community! I'm also relatively new here but have been following this thread closely since I'm in a similar situation with my disabled daughter. From what I've learned reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like you'll definitely need extensive medical documentation going back to when your brother's disability first started at age 20. Several people mentioned that SSA is really strict about proving the disability onset date since it has to be before age 22 for DAC eligibility. I'd suggest starting to gather those medical records now even while you're waiting to speak with a disability specialist - it seems like having complete documentation upfront can help speed up the approval process. The Claimyr service that @QuantumQuest mentioned earlier in the thread might be worth looking into if you're having trouble getting through to SSA by phone. Good luck with your brother's case!