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The Disability Claims Digest
Paralegal Owned and Operated Company

Volume 10                                                         Copyright 2010
In This Issue
Peruse Our Archived Newsletters
Medicare Application is Now On-Line
Visit our Disability Forum
Application for Medicare Premium Assistance
Available State Benefits
Social Security's On-Line Services Have Proved to be Beneficial
What is All This Buzz Surrounding the Health Care Reform
Quick Links

Center for Women With Disabilities

Housing Assistance for Elderly and Disabled People

Disability Dollars and Sense

Special Needs Financial Planning

Disability Resources by State

National Organization for Rare Diseases

Ability Beyond Disability

Support Groups for Disability by State

Through the Looking Glass

Angel Flights Southeast

Monkey Helpers

Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans

Financial Aid for the Disabled and their Families

We represent Social Security disability claimants locally, regionally and nationally.
 
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Please make note of our new Email Address
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[email protected]

Feel Free to view our archived E-Newsletters by clicking on the following link:

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Medicare Application is Now Available On-Line

Social Security has implemented an on-line application for Medicare coverage.  It takes about 10 minutes to complete.  This pertains to people over the age of 65 or who are disabled and have won their Title II disability claims.

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More Information About Medicare

Official Retirement/Medicare On-Line Application


Our Disability Forum

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Please visit our disability forum where you can  post a question, respond to a post or share any of your thoughts and experiences with us and others that are on the same journey.
What Information Would You Like to Know????

questions from the field

Please email us with any questions or topics you would like addressed in our next edition of The Disability Claims Digest.

 
 
Application for Medicare Premium Assistance

If a person who is receiving Title II disability benefits falls under the eligibility requirements, they can apply to the State to pay their $110.50 monthly Medicare premium.

The link below will take you to the application to complete and  submit to your local Social Services office.


Application for Medicare Premium Help
 
Available State Benefits

When a person must stop working because of a severe injury or illness, they often times do not know which way to turn for help. 

It is important to understand all of the potential State benefits that are available to disabled individuals who no longer can work.

Read more about these benefits by clicking the link below:


State Benefits
 
Please Take Note of Our New Address:

PO Box 8411
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
 
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National Association of Disability Representatives

National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives

New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners


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New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

e-Women Network

Gloucester County Chamber

Camden County Chamber

South Jersey Paralegal Association

National Federation of Paralegal Associations


Greetings!

Welcome to the tenth edition of our Disability Claims Digest.  In this edition, we will be focusing on several topics including:

In light of the most recent health care reform that has now passed in Washington, there has been a lot of confusion about how it will affect people with disabilities.  We will discuss the more important highlights below.

The health care reform affects older adults and persons with disabilities.  Learn all about what this means for you or someone you know.

The technological advances made by Social Security has helped claimants speed up the process of filing for disability.  We now can submit applications and evidence electronically to the claimant's folder within seconds. 

Many of the topics that we will discuss in our monthly digests are frequently asked questions by our clients, and we hope that the information we are sharing will help to clarify some of these complicated issues.

We warmly welcome the referral of anyone you may know who needs help with their Social Security disability claim.  We are here to answer any questions that you may have regarding the disability claim process.  And if you choose to have a representative assist you with your claim, please reach out to us.

 You can reach us at:


1-888-WIN-CLMS
1-888-946-2567

[email protected]

Please read on....
Please visit our website for more helpful information and guidance regarding the Social Security claims process.

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Social Security's On-Line Service is Top Notch

On-Line Services

Over the past few years, Social Security implemented an excellent on-line service which allows individuals and representatives to submit disability applications on line and to electronically file medical evidence into a person's claim file within seconds.

This procedure has helped to expedite the claims process and to move the disability claims to a conclusion in shorter time.

Social Security also has implemented other excellent on-line services which you can learn more about by clicking the link below.


What is All This Buzz Surrounding the Health Care Reform Changes

health care reform

As you are all aware, President Obama signed into law the "Patient Protect and Affordable Care Act" and the "Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010".

How do these laws most affect persons with disabilities?

Some of the changes will be implemented sooner then others.  Let us review the more important changes:

States Cannot Impose New Eligibility Barriers for Medicaid

What is being called the"maintenance-of-effort" (MOE) law, prohibits states from making it more difficult for people to become eligible for Medicaid.  This law is already in affect and will continue until the health care reform goes into affect on January 1, 2014.  This will help to prevent states with budgetary issues not to attempt to save money by imposing new eligibility limitations on Medicaid while the new health laws are being implemented.

No More Restrictions on Annual Limits and Lifetime Limits of Coverage

Health care plans are prohibited from placing lifetime limits on coverage and they cannot impose limitations on a person's annual coverage.  This will become effective in 2014.

Expanded Coverage of Preventive Care Under Medicare

Any office visits or other preventative medical services will not be subject to copayments or deductibles effective January 1, 2011.

Health Care Plans Cannot Drop Individuals From Their Plans When They Get Sick

This will become effective six months after the law is enacted.

The Medicare Prescription Donut Will No Longer Be In Effect

The Medicare Donut Hole describes an insurance coverage gap in which a person's Medicare prescription drug benefit has run out and he has to pay for all drug costs himself for the remainder of the current year. This situation applies only to those Medicare beneficiaries who have elected for prescription drug coverage under Medicare Part D. You are unlikely to run out of Part D coverage if your annual drug costs are relatively low, you have supplemental insurance coverage that covers this gap, you are eligible for Medicaid or you have other special coverage. The changes: A $250 rebate will be paid to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010.  In 2011, the law implements a 50% discount on brand name drugs in the donut hole.  The donut hole is to be completely terminated by 2020.

Health Plans May Not Drop Individuals From Coverage When They Get Sick

This rule is implemented 6 months after enactment of the law.

Community Living Assistance Services and Support (CLASS) Program

This is a new national program for long-term care insurance.  This is implemented through voluntary payroll deductions.  It will provide a cash benefit to people who are unable to perform activities of daily living and will enable them to purchase community living assistance services and supports that they need.

For more information concerning the details of the health care reform enactment, click on this link:

From The President's
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We hope that the information in this edition of our Disability Digest will prove to be beneficial to you or someone you know that is applying for or receiving Social Security disability or Supplemental Security Income benefits.

It is our mission to help as many people as we can to make their way through the frustrating claims process.  We are here to help anyone who is on this journey.  In addition to excellent representation services, we provide all of our clients with guidance, words of comfort, compassion, encouragement and kindness.

If you know of anyone that may benefit from the information contained in our newsletter, please forward it along to them by using the link below.

Until next time, take care and be well.
 
Sincerely yours,
 
Lisa S. Wagman, CP
President
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Disclaimer:

Social Security Disability Benefit Consultants is a subdivision of Premier Legal Services, LLC.  We are independent benefit consultants authorized by law to represent claimants before the Social Security Administration from the initial application to the Appeals Council level.  We are in no way affiliated with the Social Security Administration directly.

We do not provide any legal advice.  Our newsletter is a general service that provides legal information.  We are not a law firm.  The information contained in this newsletter is general legal information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual information.  We do not endorse any content provided by any linked sites, nor do we assume any responsibility for the interpretation or application of any information originating from such content.

Copyright 2007-2010 by Social Security Disability Benefit Consultants.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials from this newsletter,
including reproduction, modification, distribution or republication,
 without the prior written consent of SSDBC, is strictly prohibited.