Disability Benefits -The Application Process

In order to claim social security disability benefits for whatever disability you may have, you first have to make an application. Obviously, to do this the first thing you need to do is visit the local Social Security Office or call them on their toll free number.

• In Charge: At this stage, your SSI income application is handled by the claim’s representative of your local Social Security office. This officer is in charge of determing whether you fit the bill for the claims you make. The Claim’s Rep considers only non-medical issues and the medical requirements are not determined by this officer.

Following this, your Social Security disability benefits application is then dispatched to the state agency which makes a decision on the medical and health requirements for your claim. This agency is known as the Disability Determination Services and is a 100% federal funded state run agency.

• In Charge: At this stage, your SSI income application is handled by a Disability Determination Specialist. This officer double checks on all your medical claims by getting in touch with your doctor, your physicians, clinics, hospitals and any other medical institutions or professionals that may be able to shed light on your case. Based on the information provided by the medical professionals, the disability determination specialist assesses your medical condition and also reviews your vocational information.
• The information is then further assessed by a medical specialist to ascertain whether your medical condition prevents you from working in your nominated field. If so, to what degree.
• Further, quality assurance staff may also look through your paperwork for disability benefits in order to ensure everything is in order.

The Disability Discrimination Services office makes a decision about whether or not you are eligible to claim Social Securtiy Disability Benefits. Needless to say, these decisions are not made randomly and are made after carefully studying your case and after all relevant information has been thorughly scrutinized and assessed.

Once the DDS has made a decision, your case is sent back to the local Social Security office. If your medical claim is denied by the DDS, the local office will send you a letter outlining the reasons for denial. If your claim has been approved, the local Claims Representative once again assures all non-medical matters are in order and payments are consequently initiated as quickly as possible.

Local and state agency employees working in the field of disability work hard to ensure cases are looked at and processed as quickly as possible. Some people who have been denied Social Security insist it is an arbitrary decision, however the decision for disability benefits is based purely on whether your case fits disability laws and regulations. The people involved work within these parameters to assess whether or not your claim stands, and if it does, ensure payments as quickly as possible.

What is Supplemental Security Income?

Supplemental security income or SSI income is a federal income supplement program that is sponsored by the general tax revenues of the U.S. government. The supplemental security income program is based on the financial needs of an individual and is thus often referred to as the Welfare Program as it caters to individuals unable to earn normal levels of income due to some condition. The basic purpose of the SSI income program is to:

• Provide supplement security income to the elderly, blind or disabled individuals who have negligible income.
• Provide SSI income for meeting basic living, clothing and food requirements of such individuals.

SSI Eligibility & Disability SSI application

SSI Eligibility

There are certain qualifications that must be met before applying for the supplemental security income benefits. The most important SSI eligibility requirements are:

• Must be 65 years or older, blind, or have an SSI income approved disability
• Must be a U.S. citizen or a legal alien
• Must currently reside in the United States
• Must be earning lower than the minimum standards set by the SSI benefits program

How to Apply for SSI?

After determining SSI eligibility requirements for supplemental security income, the next question most frequently asked is how to apply for SSI. In order to obtain SSI benefit, a disability SSI application must be completed in full and submitted to the Social Security Administration for approval. It is suggested that you visit your nearest Social Security Administration office to complete a disability SSI application as an interview might be necessary to provide you with your supplemental security income. You can make an appointment and visit the local SSA office to complete the SSI benefits claim. You must bring the following paperwork in order to receive your SSI benefits.

• Disability SSI application form
• Social Security card
• Birth Certificate or other forms of identification
• Payroll stubs
• Paperwork connected with the assets and resources in your name

SSI Disability Benefit

The supplemental security income can provide SSI disability benefit to individuals who qualify under the disability requirements set forth by the Social Security Administration. In order to obtain SSI benefit under this program one be eligible under the following definition of a disability, as defined by the SSA. “The Social Security Administration defines disability as the inability to engage in substantial gainful activity (work) by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or result in death.”

There are doctors and professional disability examiners who will inspect you to determine your SSI eligibility. Once your SSI income approval comes through, you are not eligible to start receiving SSI payments. The SSI disability benefit has proven to be extremely beneficial to several individuals in severe need for financial resources.

When your earnings are low due to a disability, blindness or old age, the supplemental security income can provide you with SSI payments that can benefit your life in significant ways. If you meet the SSI eligibility requirements, you can claim SSI benefits for supplemental security income from the Federal government at no cost to you. Knowing how to apply for SSI and how to file the disability SSI application form would be necessary to obtain SSI disability from the government. SSI income can be of substantial benefit to individuals facing difficulties in earning income. By filing proper SSI benefits claims, one can easily improve their quality of life by making good use of this much needed government assistance program.

References:

1. Supplemental Security Income – Social Security Online
2. Supplemental Security Income – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)