SSDI

Anybody have any insight into the function report and what happens with it?

Honesty is all you can do and I think it's very normal to have ok days sometimes. That shouldn't count against you; up and down is normal for bipolar. YOu've done all you can do. Next up is the therapist/pdoc report. Mine was a few weeks later.

As I understand it they scan the reports into their computer system and once they have all your records and reports they start going through it to determine if your level of function is consistent with disability requirements.

I was told when I was approved in 11 weeks that the computer is set to kick back a small percentage of claims that are not worth reviewing because they are so likely to be approved and those are the really fast approvals. My county had never had one for mental health (this was 4 years ago and I think the program was new (?) ). I don't know what makes that happen or not. I do know they did very little reviewing as my pdoc didn't even fill out a report, just submitted medical records going back as long as I'd known her and I know she documented for years knowing that I would probably someday need to prove disability. What that means I don't know; I didn't want to know specifics about that. I was already stunned that she was aware I'd probably need SSDI when I had thought I would somehow manage no matter what.

Every state does things a little differently too I think.

Cool OK, thanks for the encouragement!!

I freaked out when I got it in the mail, I thought it meant they didn't beleive me or where questioning me. I realize now it's just a step in the process.

My dx is bipolar 1 with rapid cycling.

I don't even know what my diagnosis is in all honesty.

I'm just worried because I was at the same job for eleven years. And I've gone through four pdocs in the last year and a half and only had one appointment so far with my current one, so I have no idea what all of these people are going to say!

I panicked too because at the time I had a PO Box and hadn't gotten my mail in a few days so that I had no time to fill the thing out and get it back to them by deadline so I had to call and tell them that it would be there within a couple of days but that I couldn't do the form in 1 day to mail it on time. They were fine about that and acted like it happened all the time.

Just be prepared you may get all kinds of things; lots of people have to meet with their pdocs and that kind of thing along the way. When I was approved I got a phone all before the letter (from my local office) so calls can be good.

I'm hoping that my doc/therapist do all the paperwork and they don't make me see another doc.

Also, on application I backdated it to last Fall. I had a bad episode, was off a long time, back a few weeks, another bad episode, never worked that job again and was on leave several months.

I got another job in March, but with former employer, with special terms, and I still failed. Then had manic epsiode in May, June. Still recovering.

I said on the app and the letter I wrote to turn in tomorrow that these were unsucceful attempts at work, were shorter than 6 months, and so do not count and DO count as being disabled during that time. I read up on rules a lot, and I discovered that clause. I had no idea, but am hopeful it speeds up the process, and it would be such a blessing to get back-benefits to make up some of all of lost in last 2 years. Total, I think is over 100k between wages lost, savings spend, debt incurred.

Keep a good attitude and take care of myself is all I can do.

Thanks all.

. I applied in February and used Aug. 6 as my disability date. This worked out well because there is a 5 month wait to get benefits so my back-pay started in January. I did try to go back in Nov. but only lasted 4 days.

I'm glad you found that clause. The more back-pay the better and the further back the better in terms of getting Medicare.

Yes, I didn't even think about medicare. That is a great point.

Glad to hear you had success and they acknowledged the back-date.

Medicare starts 2 years and 6 months after your date of disability. It's kind of stupid; you clearly need insurance or you wouldn't be disabled but you have to wait.

Cool OK. I guess I need to get ACA coverage asap because I realized the other day I have 401k so I'm too 'rich' for medicaid even though I have zero income and 500 bucks to my name.

Hoping SNAP does not look at 401k and I can get that until insurance kicks in for living expenses.

Thank you for all your help. This board is so helpful and the biggest thing is realizing I'm not alone.

For a minute when I wasn't working FT I qualified for SNAP. I live in Indiana and SNAP did not consider my 401k an asset. They said it had to be cash, CD, bond, mutual fund, pension that was currently being paid to me etc.... to be considered an asset.

Good luck on your SSDI and getting insurance.

Thank you for the info!!!

This is good news.

I wrote a letter to go with the function report but now I worry it's overkill and should just let records and the report speak for itself. I did use September 2015 as onset date, I want to have enough documentation to show that, I actually have proof of a 30 day leave in August, and additional leaves after that, I barely worked after August really though I did try to go back. I want to make sure they view this as unsuccesful attempts at work. I think I am eligible under their rules and it will affect back-payments a lot and really really help me. Any advice? Or, just stop worrying about it!!!

Maybe try not to think about it for now, piano.

I drive myself nuts worrying about mine. I'm worried I didn't provide enough info on the function report.

But... hopefully my lousy psychiatric history will speak for itself.

Thanks. You are right.

I do things records count more than anything but the function report is part of the puzzle if they need it. It's hard to not go nuts on this stuff lol. I'm pretty level today and yesterday which is why I've been working on it.

Good luck to you. When did you apply?

I applied mid July. You?

I'm just so anxious about it.

Did you have someone help you apply?

I had a person at the disability office fill everything out for me because I didn't want to deal with the one online and actually wanted to talk to someone about it so I wouldn't do anything wrong.

Just a few weeks ago. I did it online, over the course of at least a week. They called me and cancelled the personal interview and said they had enough information to move forward.

Oh that's good.

I just wanted to actually talk to someone face to face. The only thing unfortunate about it was that I couldn't remember specific dates for when I've been hospitalized. I've been in the hospital six? times. I have trouble remembering each time. I get them all mixed up. So hopefully the dates will be okay. He told me it would be alright as long as they were around the right date.

I totally messed up on the first time I was in the hospital. I thought it was in 2005 and it was actually in 2007, but that was almost ten years ago, so hopefully it'll be okay.

Hi all, here is another question I am not sure on:

If my disability onset date is determined to have occurred while I still had private insurance from work, can a still file a claim even though I'm not with employer anymore? I think I should be able to. My dad pointed this out. I did call the company, and they said a claim had to be filed while I was still with the company. I tend to believe my dad.

What do you all think, or have experience with? It would really really help me if it were the case i qualify for the private insurance I used to have when I got sick. I know they would deduct SSDI amount, but I think there is usually a minimum payout that might be a few hundred dollars. That would help me a lot.

I think to get the insurance from work you'd need to do it through COBRA. You have a certain amount of time to opt for COBRA and it is pretty expensive (I think it was about $400 for me 4 years ago; I only made it one month and then gave up on insurance).

Is that what you meant? I'm not sure I understood.

Good luck! I was approved in 12 weeks. We have the same diagnosis.

I have the same diagnosis as you do and I was approved in 10 weeks. I was diagnosed in 2007 and have had three hospitalizations since. I have had three jobs but all three ended due to absences due to BP.

I hope you are approved quickly.

Try not to worry; you have a lot of evidence of disability based on your postings about your job history and leave of absences, etc.

Good luck!

Mom2trips+1

BP 1, rapid cycling
Trileptal, Wellbutrin, Rexulti, Klonipin