Hi, Lance.
I'll throw another 2 cents here. LOL.
It's my understanding that the difference between SSI and SSDI is the number of quarters you have worked in your life. I believe that SSI is part of the state welfare system (and possibly part of the Social Security system on the federal level, but I could be wrong) and that if you receive SSI benefits, you automatically qualify to receive Medicaid. It's my further understanding that if you apply for SSDI, when/if you are eventually approved, it takes almost two years before you can be eligible to receive Medicare benefits. (Again, I'm new at all this so I could be wrong.) I think the SSI qualifications and benefit amounts depend on the state you live in.
I was under the impression that in order to even apply and be considered for SSDI benefits, you weren't allowed to earn more than $200 per week and that once approved, you could earn up to $1,000 monthly and not lose your SSDI benefits. To qualify for SSI, one would be required to earn much, much less than that.
I'm in a similar situation as you, except I'm 54. I know there is no way in the world I could hold a "normal" 40-hour-a-week job. I work from home as a medical transcriptionist, and I'm paid on a production basis. (My computer is in my bedroom, and my chair is literally within "rolling distance" from my bed because I never know when I'm going to need it.
I currently earn just a little more than $200 a week. It all depends on my "spurts" of feelng well enough to work. I've earned more than that, and I've earned less than that. I suppose I could easily "manipulate" what I earn and earn less in order to prove I only earn $200 per week, but it's almost impossible to survive on that income, and if I would have to wait two years until Social Security made a decision about my case, that just makes it even harder. Like you, I feel that maybe I'm not "sick enough" to apply for it.
Regarding Beth Sufian, I actually called her office and spoke with her paralegal. She specializes in representing people in SSDI cases, but she won't become involved in your case until you reach the administrative law judge stage of the case. I would strongly suggest contacting her office, and she will send you materials and guidelines that will help when applying for SSDI. Her "Hotline" number is 1-800-622-0385.
The first thing she will recommend is that you set up an appointment with your nearest CF center (mine is about 80 miles away). The CF center can aid with writing a letter on your behalf when you apply for SSDI and help provide medical documentation that is necessary when applying. I had an appointment with the CF center scheduled in early November, but I couldn't keep that appointment because I was in the hospital again on that date. Since then, my car has been repossessed because I couldn't afford the payments any longer, so I don't have any transportation now to get to the center. I'm hoping that when/if I receive a tax refund, I can add it to Bush's "generous" rebate (in my case, probably the $300 amount since I earn less than $20,000 a year) and hopefully pay cash for a junker that might be able to complete the 160-mile round trip to the center.
Again, I believe the difference between SSI and SSDI depends on your past earnings and the number of quarters you have. The good thing about SSI is that you can get immediate medical insurance, though probably lower monthly cash benefits, whereas with SSDI, you will probably receive higher monthly cash benefits but have to wait approximately two years before receiving help from Medicare.
As I said in the beginning, I may be totally wrong about the numbers, but I do know what you can expect if you contact Beth Sufian at the number I provided, which I would strongly advise that you do. They are very nice and are very eager to help.
