Disability

Some Marshall Protocol (MP) patients may be unable to work due to the severity of their symptoms. Some of them may be eligible to receive disability income through government-sponsored programs or private insurance.

• Investigate whether your state has a disability insurance program.
• If private disability insurance is provided by your employer, or if you have purchased coverage, apply for benefits as soon as possible after you are no longer able to work. If your application for benefits is denied initially, you may want to enlist the assistance of a disability benefits attorney in filing an appeal.
• To apply for Social Security disability benefits, you may want to hire an attorney who specializes in assisting Social Security disability applicants. The amount of their fees is capped by law.
• If you choose to apply for Social Security disability benefits without using an attorney, do so carefully and thoughtfully. The forms that must be completed can be long and detailed, and it is important to be very thorough in completing them. If necessary, complete them in stages, working on them as your strength and cognitive abilities allow. Enlist the assistance of a family member or friend, if possible.
• Many people with long-term chronic illness have developed a positive way to deal with the increasing dibilitation by focusing on what they can do and not what they cannot do. This focus can work against you when applying for disability benefits. When responding to questions, focus on what you cannot do, how the illness has debilitated you and affected all facets of your life.

In the United States, the Ticket to Work Program provides most people receiving Social Security benefits (beneficiaries) more choices for receiving employment services. Under this program the Social Security Administration (SSA) issues a ticket to eligible beneficiaries who, in turn, may choose to assign those tickets to an Employment Network (EN) of their choice to obtain employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services necessary to achieve a vocational (work) goal. The EN, if they accept the ticket, will coordinate and provide appropriate services to help the beneficiary find and maintain employment.

The following are a few of the many resources available that contain information and advice about applying for Social Security disability benefits and working while disabled in the United States.

• Social Security General Information (includes information about receiving benefits while working)
• Social Security Listing of Impairments
• Social Security Disability SSI Blog
• U.S. Department of Labor information about employment opportunities for the disabled

• Disability Workbook for Social Security Applicant by Douglas M. Smith, Attorney at Law
• 2nd Edition Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability - Getting & Keeping Your Benefits by David A. Morton III, M.D.