An Injustice Concerning Disability Benefits

Email article    Text Only

By Melodee - 2007-05-21
Find more articles like this in our Social Security category.

I have a dear friend with MS who is in a ton of trouble because of the government. 

Her disability benefits (her total income) disqualify her from prescription benefits because the government has set the cutoff level for qualification at EXACTLY - to the dollar - the amount disability pays.

Disability will not pay the $1.00 less per annum that would allow her to qualify.

This after the disease cost this lady her house, her job (still in litigation for unfair firing), her marriage and basically her life as it was.

She has trouble walking, seeing, etc. and the medications she needs are astronomically expensive.  Her COBRA, which she cannot afford but is struggling to maintain, is running out.

This is a clear case of a governmental agency creating a CATCH-22 that precludes from benefits the very people who need it most - the disabled.

She has been in touch with Senators, Congresspeople and heaven knows who else.  Through it all this intelligent and brave woman remains a fighter and an example of courage in adversity.

Her unfair firing from a job that she could have continued to do at home (as she had been) is yet another aspect to this situation.  There has rarely been a more clear-cut case of discrimination against a victim of MS than this - a star employee with a brilliant record thrown away like garbage when her affliction became an issue.

This is not just an MS story or a New Jersey story - it is a human story that transcends location and a situation that defies belief.   Please do what you can to help get the word out about this dreadfully unfair state of affairs and help this exceptional human being in her time of need.