How do people survive on disability?

HI Tess: Boy I could write a book on this subject, I've been on disability since 1999 and its been a long hard road ( money wise) and I'm still struggling but I am hopeful that things will improve a bit for me ( moneywise) per month now that I found this place and a few legit writing places, thank The Lord; I guess Texas and Missouri are some of the DUMB STATES because thanks to our idiot Government here in Missouri aka state of MISERY...they too have changed and done away with so many things that medicaid used to pay for me too, Dental being one I lost count of how many years its been for me since I last went, can't afford it and I need to go badly; I'm not sure what all is wrong with you but it sounds like you've more than enough to qualify for LTD...did you get a disability lawyer to help you, if you try to do this on your own, you are in for a long drawn out battle, I believe; Sounds to me like you need to change Doctors too Tess, I have the worlds best Doctor and I just love that man, he is a rare breed of those kind of Doctors that "CARE" about you and your health and he is moves heaven and earth to fill out form after forms for your disability, and for your medications and he is up to date on stupid medicare changes and medicaid so much, I myself can't keep up but he has so many of us on disability, and so many of with our monthly spenddowns to get our prescriptions and so on; Talk to your doctor again ask him for his help to get the ball rolling here, if he won't or has no interest change doctors search around for a good one, if you are leaving Texas then I'd just wait until you get settled where ever it is you are moving too; There's no way I could pay for my monthly round of meds even if I had to do a major payment on them, I'd just have to roll over and wait to die. They've changed crap on my oxygen too, I am hoping the newly elected people in my state make some good changes for us because so many here are suffering and have no help at all. its just really sad; but try again for your LTD...maybe once you get moved it will go through this time; good luck to you!!

Hey tess~I don't quite understand. I have just applied for SSDI benefits. I am on temporary emergency benefits and have Medicaid and an HMO supplement. When I reach my threshold Medicaid sends me a letter that I send to my doctor to increase the amount of prescriptions and he faxes them the letter saying that I need more coverage and they do it. Can't your doctor say that you must have them? I take 6 prescriptions a month and I go over my amount for the year really quickly. My doctor has increased the amount necessary twice for this benefit year that I am on Medicaid. I also get free transportation to and from my doctors appointments. I also have free dental coverage. And I get one pair of glasses per year. I get better coverage now then when I was paying $600 a month for my regular insurance. Have you ever checked with Medicaid about having the prescriptions extended by your doctor? That is how it is in NY.

You should still be able to get the supplement. I am 52 and on disability. My part D supplement only cost $32 a month. Considering this wont even pay for one of my medications it is well worth it. Just call medicare up and they set it up for you. And then you will not have to worry about the Gap. They will ask you exactly what medications you are on and find the coverage that will help you the most. Also with being low income we qualified for medicaid supplement on top of the medical. Make an appoint at your welfare office and they can help you get any additional aid you need.

My grandparent are retired, have medicare and still fall into the "gap", they call it a "donut hole". My grandfather takes alot of heart medications and they spend several thousands for a few months a year. Luckily they worked all their life and have the saving to spend on the medications (grandpa takes like over 15 pills a day) and grandma has her own set of medical issues. Not sure how long they can do this though.

I cannot live well on it. I live in the UK and my husband has to pay for most of my medications. It is unfair. He has an average paid job and I recieve no benefits, just some disability at a low rate. I am on oxygen also as I was a severe asthmatic and I now have COPD. We can pay for a monthy presciption, but it is still expensive. I can work on the internet sometimes, but other times I cannot breath bad. The money I get is nothing. Yes we worked hard and this is how we get paid. You rant away cause I am listening.

The way I understand it, the more medications you take, the more you will need to take in order to off-set the side effects of the medications you are taking. Have you looked-into herbal remedies or just more natural cures alltogether? The folks at www.communitycures.com might be able to offer some suggestions or you could try reading "Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know About" by Kevin Trudeau Happy MyLotting!

I think a person can survive as long as they have some help. I know that it is very hard to pay for Meds. but don't you pay 80%? I thought that is how it went?

Some of my friends are on SSI, and I do not know how they do it? I would think that they would have to live with friends just to make ends meet.

My daughter has been on SSI since she was four. Medicaid has always paid for her medical needs. Now she works part time and receives SSI and SSDI. I was told that she would be receiving medicare in about two years. It makes me rather anxious thinking about it. You can work and make up to a certain amount without it affecting your SSDI. SSDI is more lenient than SSI in the amount you can make. If there is something you can do at home that isn't stressful on you to make money it might help your situation.

Hi Tess, Wow are you ever barking up my tree. I have only been on SSDI since March 2008 and I'm still wondering how we are suppose to survive!! My Medicare doesn't kick in till Sept. 2009. I'm 58 and trying to survive on $758.00 a month. Worse yet, my hubby has been out of work for over a year now. In Fl. Medicaid stops if your husband or wife gets unemployment because you are making too much money. Can you believe that? Last week I almost had a nervous breakdown because I didn't have the money to buy my anti-depressants. I went without for a few days. I'm suppose to be on oxygen and inhalers but have no money to pay for it. We are the honest ones. It's because of the rip off scam artists taking or I should say abusing the systems that we have to pay with our lives. How do we believe in anything, much less the Government system that is suppose to help us? Didn't we work all our lives to cover these very times in our lives? God help us. leenie

Hi, I am extremely fortunate in that I am on medicaid so I don't have to pay for medical. However, in general, bills have to be low and I live by the principle of waste not want not. I also have to manage every penny, which is good in a way because it teaches me to manage my budget when a lot of kids my age are using credit cards for everything! Ok, you've got to be kidding? Wow! Btw, I get the frustration. It is sad, but true.