The systems are very complex aren't they? State and Federal. I had two premium payments taken out of my first monthly stipend for SSDI. I was actually eligible in some crazy postdated way... i.e. I could have had Medicare backdated approximately one year if I had opted to take it and paid what would have been, in effect... 12 past due premiums
I could think of any possible benefit that would have been to me so I passed
I think the second thing that should happen when you are approved for SSDI or even SSI (or Medicaid even, which I don't have) is to have access to an advocate who is familiar with the system.