Comments on: Who is on disability, and why? http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446 Edwin Leap/physician-writer discusses medicine, family, and culture Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:17:03 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: The New Era Of Disability | Medical News http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-65956 The New Era Of Disability | Medical News Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:58:54 +0000 http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446#comment-65956 [...] Leap describes his experience with the new generation of disabled Americans: All too often, my disabled patients complaints are [...] [...] Leap describes his experience with the new generation of disabled Americans: All too often, my disabled patients complaints are [...]

]]> By: Nurse K http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-65947 Nurse K Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:23:51 +0000 http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446#comment-65947 When I was a student, I had a patient that was an incomplete quadriplegic (like gross motor movement of one arm only, enough to operate a motorized wheelchair and feed herself large finger foods but was chronically vented) that had NEVER been on disability. Her initial MVA occurred at age 17 or something, and after rehab and whatnot, she started working as a customer service rep. When I was a student, I had a patient that was an incomplete quadriplegic (like gross motor movement of one arm only, enough to operate a motorized wheelchair and feed herself large finger foods but was chronically vented) that had NEVER been on disability. Her initial MVA occurred at age 17 or something, and after rehab and whatnot, she started working as a customer service rep.

]]> By: Novel Patient http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-65562 Novel Patient Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:09:29 +0000 http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446#comment-65562 Wow this is surprising to hear to say the least. As a young disabled adult myself I had a VERY difficult time getting on disability. I was denied 3 times. And I've been in and out of the hospital for most of the last few years, in a wheelchair, and otherwise mostly bed ridden from multiple severe autoimmune diseases. To get on disability I had to hire a lawyer, call my congress person, and etc, and even so it took over a year. And I know I'm not the only person who legitimately needed to be on disability to have such a difficult time getting approved. So why is it so hard for the people who legitimately need to be on disability to get it while people who don't need it are getting it without much hassle or checking? Furthermore, living on disability with REAL medical problems isn't easy living. My monthly check is a drop in the bucket compared to my monthly medical expenses. It seems like there are real problems here on either extreme. Wow this is surprising to hear to say the least. As a young disabled adult myself I had a VERY difficult time getting on disability. I was denied 3 times. And I’ve been in and out of the hospital for most of the last few years, in a wheelchair, and otherwise mostly bed ridden from multiple severe autoimmune diseases.

To get on disability I had to hire a lawyer, call my congress person, and etc, and even so it took over a year. And I know I’m not the only person who legitimately needed to be on disability to have such a difficult time getting approved.

So why is it so hard for the people who legitimately need to be on disability to get it while people who don’t need it are getting it without much hassle or checking?

Furthermore, living on disability with REAL medical problems isn’t easy living. My monthly check is a drop in the bucket compared to my monthly medical expenses.

It seems like there are real problems here on either extreme.

]]> By: geena http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-65462 geena Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:49:35 +0000 http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446#comment-65462 I was a little surprised (and worried, truth be told!), upon seeing a new dermatologist, that her hands were severely twisted from arthritis. Yet she did a terrific job removing a mole from my back. Is there no oversight for disability payment recipients? I was a little surprised (and worried, truth be told!), upon seeing a new dermatologist, that her hands were severely twisted from arthritis.

Yet she did a terrific job removing a mole from my back.

Is there no oversight for disability payment recipients?

]]> By: Kelly http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-65461 Kelly Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:43:44 +0000 http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446#comment-65461 Great post, Edwin! Working for a psychiatrist - I have had an opportunity to complete the forms required for someone to be eligible for disability. So far, the form I received from the gov't is basically "just fax us the progress notes". Then, they send me a check for $18.00. Or, if it's a private insurance and/or employer....it takes weeks...okay, months....to fill out repetitive forms with questions that range from "first appt date" to "what did the patient eat for breakfast yesterday?". Okay, the last question was really just an example of how crazy all this can get. The government makes it WAY TOO easy for someone to qualify for disability....and then, when we have a patient who has been traumitized/victimized and really cannot function at the moment - the employer makes us (and the patient) spend so much time and energy on answering repetitive questions that the patient usually ends up just quitting her job (or getting fired for being unable to work). It's frustrating to say the least! :D P.S. Still playing "Mafia Wars"? LOL Great post, Edwin!

Working for a psychiatrist – I have had an opportunity to complete the forms required for someone to be eligible for disability. So far, the form I received from the gov’t is basically “just fax us the progress notes”. Then, they send me a check for $18.00. Or, if it’s a private insurance and/or employer….it takes weeks…okay, months….to fill out repetitive forms with questions that range from “first appt date” to “what did the patient eat for breakfast yesterday?”. Okay, the last question was really just an example of how crazy all this can get.

The government makes it WAY TOO easy for someone to qualify for disability….and then, when we have a patient who has been traumitized/victimized and really cannot function at the moment – the employer makes us (and the patient) spend so much time and energy on answering repetitive questions that the patient usually ends up just quitting her job (or getting fired for being unable to work). It’s frustrating to say the least! :D

P.S. Still playing “Mafia Wars”? LOL

]]> By: Roshan Mathew http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-65456 Roshan Mathew Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:52:35 +0000 http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446#comment-65456 Hi Rick, just go to your face book home pain, under the area that says "what's on your mind" it says "attach", you may add photo's a video clip or the third symbol with the bulletin board allows you to copy and paste the link. Best Wishes Hi Rick, just go to your face book home pain, under the area that says “what’s on your mind” it says “attach”, you may add photo’s a video clip or the third symbol with the bulletin board allows you to copy and paste the link. Best Wishes

]]> By: Roshan Mathew http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-65455 Roshan Mathew Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:24:53 +0000 http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446#comment-65455 God Bless you, God Bless you, could not have said it so well. I had a disability patient last week driving a new Ford f-350, on disability and cocaine positive. Everybody should be so lucky. Except for the coke part. Guess it was back pain season from climbing up into the cab. Then the second one I saw after that is on full medical disability has had about 60 unpaid visits to the ED. Is on complete disability for "nerves", 400lbs, was doing cocaine while her 5 year old daughter is being raised by her mother. This is every shift, day in and out. The worker bees of South Carolina are getting fleeced. God Bless HIPPA and patient rights to privacy. God Bless you, God Bless you, could not have said it so well. I had a disability patient last week driving a new Ford f-350, on disability and cocaine positive. Everybody should be so lucky. Except for the coke part. Guess it was back pain season from climbing up into the cab. Then the second one I saw after that is on full medical disability has had about 60 unpaid visits to the ED. Is on complete disability for “nerves”, 400lbs, was doing cocaine while her 5 year old daughter is being raised by her mother. This is every shift, day in and out. The worker bees of South Carolina are getting fleeced. God Bless HIPPA and patient rights to privacy.

]]> By: Rick Pace http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446&cpage=1#comment-65447 Rick Pace Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:58:37 +0000 http://edwinleap.com/blog/?p=446#comment-65447 I would like to know how I can share your columns on my Facebook page so people from as far away as Oregon can enjoy them as much as I do. I would like to know how I can share your columns on my Facebook page so people from as far away as Oregon can enjoy them as much as I do.

]]>