I’ve written a lot about the government programs that could help you survive while managing your disability, and about how very broken the entire system is. Today, I want to dig into an additional issue that is also a side effect of the broken system: simply being left in limbo for prolonged periods with no…
So Medicare and Medicaid are two terms that a lot of people seem to mix up on occasion. They are both important insurance programs, but they are run and managed through different levels of government. They also provide different types and degrees of coverage, and the process to get them is different, as is the…
We are now approaching the beginning of the open enrollment period for Medicare. The enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7. This is the time period where we can finalize our plans, adjust our coverage if necessary, and commit to the coverage, and type of coverage, that we will receive for the following year….
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about the current storm of stress that is happening in my life. My migraine started as a headache during a peak stress day(the day started with dropping my cat Rorschach at the vet’s for an endoscopy, then picking up a bridal shower present for a friend…
Third in the series on building a partnership with your doctor, this post digs into how to tell if you are seeing the right doctor.
Doctor and patient communication should be a two-way street, not one. While your doctor has medical expertise and training in how to recognize and treat medical conditions, you are the expert on your body and your needs. As a patient, it’s your responsibility to gather good information about yourself and your history and symptoms, and…
There are incentives and support for you to return to work, but the rules are a bit complicated and confusing, and the rules for Supplemental Security Income(SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance(SSDI) are very different. I discuss the general expectations for working under these programs on another post, while this one digs into the specific…
SSA does actually have an entire program to help people with disabilities return to work. It is called Ticket to Work. Whether you are on SSI or SSDI you can request a Ticket to help yourself learn new skills, find work, or rethink your career goals. It’s a voluntary program that will help you with…
This is the first of three posts on creating a partnership with your doctor(or doctors). This post focuses on how often to see your doctor. The second post will be about how to communicate better with your doctor, while the third post digs into recognizing your doctor’s ability(or inability) to work with you. I always…
Medicare Advantage is an alternative to original Medicare. The name is disturbingly misleading. It isn’t actually Medicare, and often getting it puts the client at a disadvantage. What do I mean? Well, Medicare Advantage Plans are really private insurance plans that replace original Medicare. They do not need to follow Medicare’s rules and while aspects of…