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In case you’re not hip to the meme (we have kids in the house so I’m forced to stay up on stuff) the title is meant to be read in a mocking tone when written in this kind of reverse sentence case.
So. Friends. Believe it or not? I know that disability is a thing.
I have known since 1998, when I first started to have stretches of time that I couldn’t work. I had to use my work benefits for long term disability several times until I was fired during my Family Leave Act unpaid time off.
(Man I had great benefits back then.)
Here’s what I didn’t know until it was too late. And what you probably don’t know, about being disabled and trying to get on disability.
Little known fact about disability #1 — It’s NOT automatic.
I know this will come as a shock. But even though your cousin’s sister’s neighbor hit her elbow in 1981 and is still getting workman’s comp for it?
It’s not an automatic thing. Your friend’s friend’s friend may have found a loophole in the system, but I doubt it.
The fraud cases are low. There are a couple of places where people slide in on a technicality. But widespread fraud is a myth- and belief in this myth is what makes people think getting government benefits is a snap.
It makes sense that it would be though, doesn’t it? We literally pay our taxes into the social security system. When we stumble, we should be able to get OUR MONEY back right?
Even the needs based systems that don’t require you to have worked are still paid for with our taxes. Sales taxes. Income taxes. Property taxes. The tariffs and levies that make everything so GD expensive.
So even if you get a tax refund or you’re too poor to have ever paid income tax?
You got taxed by the system at some point.
And since it’s our money to an extent, we should be able to get it back, right?
And we pay our taxes to also help our fellow man, right?
Since that’s how taxes are supposed to work? We pay taxes to keep the social safety net, roads & schools running?
The actual things we’re paying for should be available right?
Ha. Apparently not.
I don’t know if it ever was easy but it certainly isn’t now.
You have to apply. I guess because the six people on a couch somewhere that managed to fool the system are a huge threat, right?
Instead of them setting up the system to make approval automatic and move the bureaucracy to catching offenders?
You have to prove your need.
That makes it easy to deny applicants l, despite the fact that our country can afford the cost of a social safety net versus say, the corporate welfare system that is way more expensive.
You may be wasting your time applying if your disability isn’t on the government’s list.
Yes, there’s literally a list of conditions, not a general severity level.
Not even all cancers qualify, and when they do, not for long enough. It’s not an exclusive list, but you better have something damn close or be ready to demonstrate your need constantly.
By the time some cancer patients are healthy enough to handle the paperwork process, they’re well enough not to be eligible anymore.
Not all cancers. Qualify for disability.
One of the most universally disabling diseases.
Sometimes many chronic illnesses put together is what it takes to finally convince them. Illnesses that might not have happened had you been helped out from the start.
Little known fact about disability #2 — Being disabled doesn’t mean you’ll get one red cent.
Even if you meet all the complex qualifications of the legal definition?
It doesn’t mean the state you live in will agree that you are disabled. Or that on the federal level you get any money or help.
It… really doesn’t even mean shit to your doctor, necessarily.
For me, finally accepting that I have not one, but many disabilities gave me permission to stop driving myself into an early grave trying to catch up to my former life.
Most of my adult life I’ve had at least one disability. I soldiered on until I had 4 plus cancer.
I now have 5 (that count), plus cancer.
Technically I have… lets just say I’ve stopped counting and leave it at that.
I’m convinced I have some kind of systemic failure happening that stems from a chronic inflammation and/or autoimmune issue. I may have made it worse by working so hard for so long, and skimping on sleep.
To other people though, including the government and doctors and people on the street, it doesn’t entitle you to anything, not even accessibility.
Anything aside from abuse, that is. Which again is why I resisted calling myself disabled for so long.
People do not treat people well who aren’t well.
Think about how much negative slang is tied to lack of mental or physical ability.
“Crippling” debt.
“Crazy” president.
“Stupid” voters.
Think of how often most people’s snap judgement is to believe that people who can get up from their wheelchairs can walk a few steps are faking.
You have friends who think nothing of using the disabled stall, even if someone disabled is present and waiting in line.
People either pity or abuse us. Most of the time we’re not seen as people.
Little known fact about disability #3– It could take weeks or years.
Literally it takes years for some to get approved. If ever. 10,000 people died waiting in 2017.
Yes.
Died.
So IF you get approved?
You still have to wait one to three months for the money to start coming too.
SSDI doesn’t pay until the 6th month after you qualify. No joke.
Little known fact about disability #4 — You probably need a lawyer.
But you can’t afford a lawyer.
Because you need disability, so you don’t have the money to hire a lawyer.
But you probably need a lawyer to get on disability.
But if you could afford a lawyer you wouldn’t need disability. But if you need disability…
And yes, I know you can hire a lawyer who will just take a portion of what you get after the fact. That lawyer gets a third buddy.
Of what is already a pittance.
Middle class people can’t afford to give someone a third of their money.
See also unpaid student loans.
I promise you, broke disabled people or people in debt from having cancer can’t either.
Which we’ll get to in part two – read the next four things you don’t know about disability benefits here.