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originally posted by: FlyInTheOintment
I understand that you would view unnecessary welfare claims as being insipid/ fraught with worrying social ramifications and so on, but how do you guys view the welfare status of the disabled?
originally posted by: SlapMonkey
Is that just concerning federal assistance, or all states as well?
originally posted by: Caver78
Disability is for folks suffering a injury, or chronic illness that forces them to be unable to work period. It's usually paid out based on what your prior income was before getting injured. So it's a system you' and your employer have both already paid into. That income from Social Security Dissability is also taxable if IIRC.
originally posted by: Caver78
As far as being "seen as a scrounger" it depends. Personally I also take the attitude that it's generally genuine, at least till evidence of the contrary is presented. Such as one idiot I know of who brags about gaming the system. That person is taking away from someone who needs the help and isn't getting it.
originally posted by: woodwardjnr
I'm also a disabled man in the uk and thankfully I've never received any discrimination for claiming benefits. I don't care, it really is a small price to pay for having a disability. I'd much rather be working on a zero hour contract for minimum wage than on benefits. I find the worse thing is not really being able to get on and off public transport independently or visit country pubs in my village, because I can't get up and down the stone steep stairs without help.
I can't even go back to the volunteer job I used to do, because I'm so vulnerable on my feet. It really isn't about the money, more the inconvenience of being disabled, in a country that doesn't really cater very well for those with disabilities. Since I had a stroke in 2014, I've hardly been out at all. A holiday is out of the question arm. I couldn't care about the money. I'd rather have my independence and freedom and a positive future than a bit of money from the government. All the money in the world couldn't improve my life at the moment. I'd people who moan about people on disability, must have a really crap life to be envious of those getting disabilitymuch rather work for minimum wage on a zero hour contract. I'm sick of being imprisoned in a broken body, with no site of getting better.
originally posted by: wantsome
I'm disabled in America and it's not so great. I'm one step away from being homeless. They cut my food assistance to almost nothing. I went from $200 a month to $16. Obama passed the farm bill 2 years ago and it had cuts to the food assistance program. 16 state had federal funding cuts. 200,000 disabled elderly and veterans were cut off in my state alone.
Up until Obamacare passed I had excellent insurance. I have major medical issues and my medical bills were paid 100%. Since the affordable care act my insurance no longer pays from my doctor because he is in another county. I live on the county line.
I had a meeting with my social worker the other day at family services. I told her I needed more assistance. I told here that my insurance no longer covers my doctors visit. Her exact words to me were "SO".
I get $850 a month from disability. I spend $250 on food and $120 on my doctor visit once a month. I live with my grandmother because I can't afford to live anywhere else. She's had breast cancer in the past. I don't know what I'm going to do if something happens to her. I have no car and I can't save any money. I'm one step away form jumping off a cliff.
At $1400 a month when your medicare kicks in after 2 years they deduct $110 out of your disability. If your get under $910 from disability the state picks up the $110 medicare payment. I qualify for both medicaid and medicare. But as of right now I dropped medicaid and went with straight medicare. My deductible is $700 a year. I have to pay $700 before medicare will pay any of my medical bills other then prescriptions. With disability you earn credits while working based on your income and the amount of time your worked. The longer you've worked the more credits you get. The more credits you have the more money you get. I got disability at a young age. Also since it took so long to win my case I lost work credits while waiting. I was told by my lawyer the reason it took so long to win disability is because of my age. Social security don't like to give out disability to younger people. I had enough work credits to get $1100 a month but lost them waiting. It took me six years to get disability. It should have been an open shut case but besides being young my first lawyer also botched the case.
originally posted by: BubbaJoe
originally posted by: wantsome
I'm disabled in America and it's not so great. I'm one step away from being homeless. They cut my food assistance to almost nothing. I went from $200 a month to $16. Obama passed the farm bill 2 years ago and it had cuts to the food assistance program. 16 state had federal funding cuts. 200,000 disabled elderly and veterans were cut off in my state alone.
Up until Obamacare passed I had excellent insurance. I have major medical issues and my medical bills were paid 100%. Since the affordable care act my insurance no longer pays from my doctor because he is in another county. I live on the county line.
I had a meeting with my social worker the other day at family services. I told her I needed more assistance. I told here that my insurance no longer covers my doctors visit. Her exact words to me were "SO".
I get $850 a month from disability. I spend $250 on food and $120 on my doctor visit once a month. I live with my grandmother because I can't afford to live anywhere else. She's had breast cancer in the past. I don't know what I'm going to do if something happens to her. I have no car and I can't save any money. I'm one step away form jumping off a cliff.
Don't jump off a cliff you will hurt the rocks, no seriously man, I am sure you are helping your grandmother out, that is what life is about.
I am a bit confused by your narrative though, just got my SS statement a couple of days ago, if I go the disability route, I get 1400 a month, medicaid for the first two years, and medicare after that. I am 56, so maybe the difference is age?
Disability is an insurance policy we all collectively pay into. It's insurance so if some of us get sick we don't end up destitute. Enjoy your health and hope you don't need it someday.
originally posted by: jjkenobi
I don't know when the thought process started that said "The government should take care of ___________ ". Whether it's disabled, homeless, hetero/homo, sick, etc. The govt isn't your momma, or your daddy.
originally posted by: Aazadan
originally posted by: Caver78
Disability is for folks suffering a injury, or chronic illness that forces them to be unable to work period. It's usually paid out based on what your prior income was before getting injured. So it's a system you' and your employer have both already paid into. That income from Social Security Dissability is also taxable if IIRC.
The more you pay into disability the more you get back, but it has a pretty low cap on it. If you've only put part time minimum wage into the system for 5 years you'll get back X, but if you were bringing in millions per year, you'll only get back 2X. So although it scales a little bit, it has a pretty narrow range and for the most part disabilities are developed early in a persons career/life so short of random accidents that cause physical deformities, they don't ever get the chance to pay into the system.
originally posted by: Caver78
As far as being "seen as a scrounger" it depends. Personally I also take the attitude that it's generally genuine, at least till evidence of the contrary is presented. Such as one idiot I know of who brags about gaming the system. That person is taking away from someone who needs the help and isn't getting it.
I really hate this attitude, and let me explain why. I get disability, I'm not a scrounger but if you look at me you'll never know I'm disabled, at times I'm even completely normal. But every time I read about a person who was found to be defrauding the system it makes me second guess myself, because I can function usually. Does that mean the doctors got it wrong? Am I really one of those people scamming the system? Do I really have any right to other peoples money? Am I just a leech? Should I simply disappear?
These questions and more pop into my mind, literally every single time I read about people complaining about those who scam the system. And believe me, it gets really old questioning on a daily basis or even more frequently than that, if I'm part of the problem. I'm hardly unique in this regard, every person I know who gets disability finds themselves asking the same question constantly.
originally posted by: hounddoghowlie
got no problem helping those that need it, the one for legitimate reasons can't work. it's those that are healthy as a ox that can work that don't that pisses me off. now don't misunderstand i realize sometimes it 's hard to get a job and i can see a little help then. but to not work just because you don't want to,that there is some bs.
there is one thing about the disabled that burns my butt. they get all there good parking spaces.