Help with cancer and SSDI

[30yeardraw]

Hi,

Lurked here for a little while. My DW at 64 just had a CT scan and found cancer
in her back and kidney.

Going to apply for SSDI and social security this week.

She is going to try and get short term disability from work, and I am going to try
to get FMLA. Mostly to keep our health insurance. I know she can get Medicare at 65. I am 61 and don't think I will return after FMLA.

I guess we waited too long. I think we could have pulled off an earlier retirement
Hard lesson learned.

Thanks for any advice. I don't think the SSDI will do much for us, but why not.

 

[pacergal]

I am so sorry for your wife's new diagnosis.
I believe she can qualify for medicare early if the cancer has caused end stage renal disease.
.
So many knowledgeable folks here, if you have any questions re: budget, retirement finances, etc.
Feel free to ask.

Best wishes to you and your wife
Take care.

 

[badatmath]

So sorry to hear about DW.

 

[Sarah S]

I am very sorry. I hope she doesn’t qualify but there is a fast track for ssdi paperwork if the condition is deemed a TERI ( for terminal) illness. Metastatic cancer unresponsive to treatment is one on the list.

Has she stopped working? No matter what the diagnosis do not apply for ssdi until she stops or you will get an automatic denial which would put you in the position of having to appeal

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0411005601

 

[GaryInCO]

I feel your pain. I got two cancer diagnoses in late 2019, when I had just turned 63. One of them (prostate) was totally treatable, and they claim 99% cure for 10 years. Treatment wasn't fun but not terrible, and now I don't worry about it. The other one (a form of lymphoma) is not curable, but recent advances have improved incredibly. When I was diagnosed, the Mayo / MDAnderson / etc websites said I had about 2 years. That was 3.5 yrs ago, and my lymphoma has been fully in remission since we started treating it in 2021. My oncologist says if my current treatment fails, there are already several new therapies that are almost certain to control it. So, courage. Maybe your DW's cancer is similarly treatable. Good luck !!

 

[ivinsfan]

I'm sorry..when you say short term disability from work does that include a paycheck..if her DX happened very recently you might take a little time to consider the best course for maximizing your income going forward...

 

[30yeardraw]

I am very sorry. I hope she doesn’t qualify but there is a fast track for ssdi paperwork if the condition is deemed a TERI ( for terminal) illness. Metastatic cancer unresponsive to treatment is one on the list.

Has she stopped working? No matter what the diagnosis do not apply for ssdi until she stops or you will get an automatic denial which would put you in the position of having to appeal

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0411005601

Thank you, we don't know that yet but it is looking like it has spread.

I guess we can talk to the regular SSI and then apply if it is has spread.

 

[RetiredAt49]

Life is full of tough decisions and trials and hope for peace and comfort along your journey. Our thoughts are with you and your family!

 

[Sarah S]

Thank you, we don't know that yet but it is looking like it has spread.

I guess we can talk to the regular SSI and then apply if it is has spread.

It is the same application and technically it should get identified by the reviewer if it meets the criteria but I know people who flagged their own applications

If she has work disability maybe ssdi goes on the back burner for a bit? A lot of work disability policies reduce their benefot by the amount of your ssdi. I know right now you must be dealing with a lot of medical appointments

Wishing you both the best

 

[Jerry1]

Another thing about SSDI is that there's a waiting period of 5 months after you are approved. If, financially speaking, time is of the essence, you should apply sooner than later. Unfortunately, I doubt you're going to meet the criteria for being disabled at this point. If your DW goes on dialysis and/or you hear the diagnosis of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), then apply right away. ESRD is basically automatically approved for SSDI. However, you still need to wait the 5 months after approval to get a check. And, as you said, SSDI might not do much for you anyway. Though it will do something. You'll get what you would get at your full retirement age. So, with DW at 64, it will be more than SS.

As Sarah S mentioned above, this might not be the best time to deal with SSDI. Deal with your DW's health. I wish you the best.

 

[Dreamer]

I am so sorry about your wife's cancer diagnosis.

Just wanted to say that some work disability policies will help you file for social security disability. They will call and take the application over the phone with you and send it to social security. It does reduce the amount of disability that they have to pay you, but they are very professional.

Good luck and I hope that there is a good treatment for her.

 

[troutnut1]

Practically all my friends are cancer survivors as am I. Colon cancer tried to get me in 2004 and I'm still here. I've had lots of terminal diagnosis that didnt get me. Glad I didn't stop saving for retirement 19 years ago. Hope you get lucky too!

 

[Rainbowdash]

Most kidney cancers are curable, if the cancer is confined inside the kidney which most of them are, it is a matter to just remove part or the whole kidney. She will not qualify for SSDI just because she has kidney cancer, unless she has stage 4 terminal disease (cancer spreading outside of her kidney).
Somebody mentioned dialysis, and yes, if she is on dialysis for over a year, she will qualify for disability benefits, however, kidney cancer alone very rarely cause people to go on dialysis.