Social Security disability options for terminal cancer patient before retirement age - urgent Medicaid question

I'm so sorry your family is going through this. Your SIL should immediately apply for SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance). With a terminal cancer diagnosis, she would likely qualify for what's called a "Compassionate Allowance" which fast-tracks disability claims for certain serious medical conditions. Lung cancer that's advanced enough to prevent working typically qualifies. Here's what she should do: 1. Apply for SSDI online or call SSA directly 2. Make sure her medical records clearly document the severity and progression of her cancer 3. Have her doctor write a letter stating she cannot work due to her condition 4. Specifically mention "Compassionate Allowance" in her application For Medicaid, she'll need to apply through her state's Medicaid office, as requirements vary by state. Once approved for SSDI, she'll qualify for Medicare after 24 months, but given her situation, Medicaid is crucial for immediate coverage.

My mom went thru this EXACT thing with pancreatic cancer!!! The compassionate allowance thing is real but even with that it took almost 3 months for approval. Tell her NOT to quit her job yet!!! She should keep working as long as she possibly can because the bills won't stop and SS takes time. Also the first check doesn't come right away even after approval. It's all so stressful I know.

your sil needs to apply for SSI not SSDI if she don't have enough work credits. SSI is for people with no assets and SSDI is if you worked enough. both are though social security but different programs. a lot of people get them confused.

I had lung cancer 3 years ago and got approved for disability within 6 weeks through the Compassionate Allowance program. The key is having your oncologist fully document everything and be willing to complete the functional assessment forms ASAP. Make sure your sister-in-law explicitly tells SSA she has terminal cancer when applying - don't assume they'll figure it out from medical records. For Medicaid, she should apply IMMEDIATELY at her state agency. Many states have special provisions for people with terminal illness. In my case, I qualified for a Medicaid spend-down program even though my SSDI amount was technically over the limit. Also, many hospitals have financial assistance programs specifically for cancer patients. Have her ask to speak with an oncology social worker at her treatment center - they know all the resources.

So sorry about your SIL! My cousin had stage 4 cancer and got both SS disability AND medicaid but it was NOT quick or easy!!! The system is so broken even for dying people!! She had to get our congressman involved after getting denied the first time even with all her medical records. Don't give up if they deny her the first time!!!!!

A few months ago, I was trying to reach Social Security for my mom who had a similar urgent situation. After days of busy signals and disconnected calls, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real SSA agent in about 20 minutes. They basically call SSA for you and when they reach an agent, they connect you. Saved us weeks of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU In situations like your SIL's, talking directly to an agent is much better than trying to figure everything out online. They can tag her application as a Compassionate Allowance case right from the start and make sure it gets fast-tracked properly.

To answer your questions about timing and working: 1. Even with Compassionate Allowance, there is normally a 5-month waiting period before SSDI payments begin. However, in terminal cases, they sometimes expedite this. 2. She can apply while still working, but she can't earn more than what Social Security calls "Substantial Gainful Activity" (SGA) - currently about $1,550/month. If she's earning more than that, she should either reduce hours or stop working before applying. 3. For Medicaid, most states have emergency provisions for people with catastrophic or terminal illnesses. The hospital where she's being treated likely has patient advocates who can help with expedited applications. And yes, definitely connect with an oncology social worker as someone suggested. They're experts in navigating these exact situations and can often pull strings that family members can't.

Regarding the 5-month waiting period - unfortunately it's required by law for SSDI, even for terminal cases. However, there are two important exceptions: 1. If she has ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), the waiting period is waived 2. Once she's been eligible for SSDI for 24 months, Medicare automatically begins For her immediate situation, this is why Medicaid is so crucial. And to answer your earlier question, I applied online but immediately followed up with calls to the SSA. With her earning $2,800/month, she's definitely above SGA limits. She has three options: 1. Reduce hours to earn under $1,550/month and apply for partial SSDI 2. Use sick leave/medical leave to reduce income while maintaining employment 3. If her doctor confirms she cannot work, stop working and apply immediately Option 2 might be best as she could potentially keep employer insurance longer while getting the SSDI process started.

everyone's talking bout SSDI but what about retirement? since shes almost 65 couldn't she just take early SS retirement? my neighbor did that at 62

Just wanted to update everyone who's been so helpful. I talked to my SIL yesterday about all this. We're going to help her apply for both SSDI through the Compassionate Allowance program AND Medicaid through her state's emergency provision. She's also going to talk to HR about using sick leave/FMLA to stay technically employed while reducing her hours below the SGA limit. The oncology social worker at her hospital has been AMAZING - connected us with a patient advocate who's helping navigate everything. They also told us about special cancer assistance programs that might help with costs while we're waiting for government benefits to kick in. I'm still terrified about the timing of everything, but at least now we have a plan. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences and knowledge. It's made such a difference knowing what to ask for and where to start.