Comments on: Scoop Essentials: The Dollars And Cents Of Disability

By: seeandbesafe.com

seeandbesafe.com — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:32:56 +0000

I found the article extremely informative! I think Ms. Wachbrit did a great job of detailing in great specificity both the benefits and pitfalls of supporting oneself or someone else with a disability via government funding sources and outside sources. I’m one who thinks that the system needs to be tweaked in order to allow someone to be more productive without having the entire rug pulled from under them. No one can live on Social Security alone or SSI but for too often it seems that individuals appointed to an either or scenario. Either stay home be unproductive and collect SSI and Social Security or try and go out and make something of yourself but lose those much-needed benefits before you able to be self-sufficient. It is what has been deemed by some as the welfare trap. I found myself in a position where I have Social Security and Medicare but am in need of Medicaid in order to pick up a 20% co-pay that Medicare doesn’t. However, I have been told that I get too much Social Security to qualify for Medicare. With the power wheelchair that is beyond its sixth year and is falling to pieces as we speak, I am greatly in need of another. However 20% of the cost of my specialty would be close to $4000. There are even problems with the Medicaid buy-in program in my opinion. If someone has been deemed by Social Security and Medicare to have a disability that warrants the need of both, and Medicaid says that they receive too much Social Security income in order to qualify for Medicaid, there should be no problem allowing a person to buy into Medicaid without them having to be employed or any other stipulation. Having a permanent disability should be enough.

By: wgnburnr

wgnburnr — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:56:53 +0000

The things that seem to be talked about, well they only fit those of us who have no ability to thing for our selves. As they call for some one to assum all money dealings for us. This in it’s self sounds more like a prescription for another to take our moneies and do pretty much as they, see fit. With out any real regard for our well being. I would rather see it as more protections for us, not a total asumption that we , have no minds. Many of us are capable of thinking and assuming our bills, we just can’t do some things for our selves. Other than this program you speak of, there isn’t a whole lot of help for many of us. We don’t qualify for most things. We were just born this way, we weren’t in an accident or something like that. Who are these people who would assist us and help us?

By: hl2112

hl2112 — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:45:24 +0000

First, if you are on SSDI you can have a limitless amount of resources anywhere in the USA. It’s SSI that has a limit of $2000.00.

That is, you can be a milioniare and be eligible for SSDI.

Alsdo, you are able to work on ssdi. The SGA for 2009 is $980.00

By: Carol S

Carol S — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:51:02 +0000

As a high school special ed teacher and as a parent of a student with special needs, I think this article provides great information and is worth sharing with other parents of special needs students.

By: BenefitStudio

BenefitStudio — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:06:00 +0000

As a client of Diedre Wachbrit, I was delighted when I came across this article. Diedre set up a special needs trust for my daughter in 2003 and has been a great resource to our family since we met her.

By: Matt Toohey

Matt Toohey — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:46:43 +0000

The author speaks of conservatorship or guardianship as a necessity if someone is cognitively disabled. I would respectfully disagree that this is a necessity as their are other alternatives for legal representation that do not result in what can be seen as giving up one’s rights to make decisions. Guardianship is used far too often when other alternatives can assist one to make informed decisions yet still maintain their legal rights.