SSDI medical reviews after liver transplant

@mellow123, Welcome to Mayo Connect and a belated congratulations on receiving your life saving liver transplant.

As a liver/kidney recipient I am retired and I do not have social security disability benefits. However, I do have a son who has recently gone thru the process, been approved, and is scheduled to receive his first payment this week. Not for transplant but due to a spinal cord injury accident. My experience is only as much as I have learned by listening to him as he worked thru the process. My understanding is that it is for 12 months of benefit payments, and then a review or some kind of documentation to continue getting the benefits.
I was impressed that from the beginning of the application process that he had a real person, a representative, to communicate with. It is my understanding, also, that he has a phone number and email for this representative. Do you have a representative who can address your particular situation?

This sounds like a good question to take up with case manager or social worker at your transplant department. They should be able to point you in the right direction. Will you let me know what you find out?
I wish I had more information to share with you.

Will you be returning to your transplant center for an annual evaluation?

I can share my experiences only. I started receiving disability payments only after my liver transplant. I was eligible for 10 years, but I was in denial about how serious my condition was. Because of my age. I intend to make it to retirement on Disabilty. I have already received the permanent disability letter from Social Security. The issue is not so much the small monthly check, but the for Medicare. My insurance has a high deductible and without Medicare the costs would be un affordable. It takes a year or so to receive Medicare after you first receive disability payments.

Hi. I'm going to share what I have been through. I had to stop working in July of 2019 because of liver. I had to be out of work for 90 days before I could file for SSDI. I started my filing process in Sep of 2019. I had my transplant in Dec of 2019. I was approved for SSDI in Jan of 2020 (SSDI says I was not disabled until the day of my surgery, which I am contesting now) for 12 months. My first check was 6 months later which was July of 2020. In Jan of 2021, I received my review papers for my 12 months, even though I have only been receiving actual payments for 6 months. So now, I have a review going on and an appeal for my onset date. I hope this helps and the best of luck.
Tammy

@mellow123 Hi and your story with SSDI is similar to mine in that I did start receiving visibility benefits and a year later went thru a review. I did not hear that it only lasted a year and after the review update that never came up. I am now 3 years post-transplant for my Heart and getting ready to turn 62 later this month. So the basic timeline for me was.
February 2018 applied for benefits with a date of 11/2017 as a disability start date.

April 2018 Approved as of January and received first check Jun 2018

Review about Jan 2019 I don't remember exactly

Medicare-approved and started May 2020

Hope that helps and im still considered In Disability but im. figuring this year after my 62nd birthday it may convert but it also may continue since my official start date for full retirement would have been at 67 years old. So I'll see. If you have any questions im more than happy to answer.
Have a Blessed Day
Dana

That does help. Thank you . I think it’s good you are contesting that they said you weren’t disabled until day of surgery, because I’m guessing your medical records showed you had serious issues, enough to end your work, and that’s when they should have considered you disabled. It’s like they have it backwards. Mine was approved around September 2019 , as my medical records showed I was in no shape to get another job. I didn’t know about the 80 day period. I guess I was “ lucky” to have been laid off a few months earlier to get that clock going. I started receiving 6 months later, in March 2020. Then, they said the 12 month click started upon liver transplant, which was in June, not from first disability check. so, here it is March and I’m crossing my fingers that’s the cAse.

But you did answer another question. It v appears they were right on schedule ( though they were 6 months ahead for you, which is crazy) for medical review.

I figure I’ll need still a few
More months to her physically from surgery ( also fractured back ), so I was just curious about timing.

May I ask how old you are? I’ve head age is another criteria they use

I have insurance, but the copay still makes it expensive. Unfortunately, I’m 60 and not yet eligible for Medicare

I just turned 60. How were you able to get Medicare before age 65?

@mellow123 you asked how old I am. I am 51yrs old. I was 50 when I had my transplant. I have a hearing set for the end of this month for the onset date. My lawyer said he's pretty sure the judge will just approve it without a hearing, which would be really nice.

@mellow123 my husband and I have a supplement that we use with our insurance. No major out of pocket costs at all for the surgery or the meds. May be something to look in to.

@mellow123 based on 2 full year's on disability age is no longer a factor which was awesome since my out of pocket for Mayo dropped drastically