In a community a few hours north of the Atlanta area, in a neighboring state, a young disabled woman recently lost her Social Security disability benefits and Medicare assistance. The woman suffers from epilepsy and suffered from seizures she was unable to control until a year ago. Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition that can result in unexpected seizures. Epilepsy can be debilitating and cause sufferers to be unable to work if the seizures cannot be reliably controlled with medication. If an epileptic is unable to receive their medication, the situation can be serious.
The woman has suffered from epilepsy for half of her life and began receiving Social Security disability benefits and Medicare six years ago when she was unable to work. The woman previously had a full-time job as a factory worker but became unable to work because of her frequent seizures, some of them violent. Anti-seizure medications have allowed the woman’s medical condition to improve over the past 15 months.
Now the woman is no longer receiving Medicare and received a letter earlier this year that she would no longer receive her $1,200 a month Social Security disability benefit check. The Social Security Administration informed the woman that her medical condition had improved and she is now able to work. The SSA also stated that the woman’s seizure disorder could be controlled with medication and that there is no indication that the dizziness she experiences seriously restricts her activities. Without the medication, she and her mother assert, the woman is unable to work. Once she lost her Social Security disability benefits, the woman was no longer able to obtain her medications. The woman takes four anti-seizure medications doctors say are imperative for her health.
The woman has filed an appeal with the SSA which is currently under consideration. Social Security disability benefits are important for many disabled individuals and their families which is why it is crucially important for disable individuals and their families to understand the application process and appeals rights.
Source: Wate.com, “Knoxville woman with epilepsy loses Social Security disability, Medicare,” Don Dare Sept. 21, 2016
